Common Entrance Test (CET) marks would not be a criterion for admission to the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) course in Karntaka for the 2021-22 academic year, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said on Tuesday.
"Marks in the CET as a criterion for admission to B.Sc course has been waived although Pre-University Course (PUC) board exams have been cancelled due to the pandemic's second wave," he said.
The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), under the Higher Education Department, will hold the CET on August 28-30 for admission to engineering, medical and science degree colleges in 500 centres across the state.
The KEA began registration process online on Tuesday for the CET and the last date for applying to it is July 10, the department said.
On June 8, the KEA waived minimum marks to appear for CET, as the PUC board exams have been cancelled for the second-year students.
The CET will be held at the designated centres across the state under the Covid-induced guidelines in maths and biology on August 28 and physics and chemistry on August 29, with 60 marks for each paper.
A separate test will be held on August 30 in Kannada language for Kannadiga candidates living in inter-state border areas and other states.
Narayan, who holds portfolios of IT, BT (biotech), science and technology, is also in-charge of Higher Education.
"Efforts are being made to increase seats in degree colleges to admit more students in science courses, as PUC students are being passed on the basis of their performance through internal assessment," he said.
The state government has directed universities to start science courses in more degree colleges for admitting more students.
"The government has advised universities to commence all under-graduate courses as per the New Education Policy (NEP) from this academic year," said Narayan after a virtual interaction with Vice Chancellors of universities in the state.
The NEP, approved by the Centre on July 29, 2020, replaces the previous National Policy on Education, 1986.
The state government had set up an expert panel in May to frame guidelines for primary, secondary and higher education from this academic year as per the NEP, 2020.
"More students can be admitted in the science stream if universities start 4-year degree courses from this academic year," said Narayan.
Meanwhile, the department has permitted trial of the unified university college management system, a web-portal software (e-Office), developed by the state e-Governance Department, from June 25.
The minister has directed all Vice Chancellors to conduct correspondence with the government only through the web portal by implementing the 'E-Office' software in their universities from July 15.
"As per the calendar of academic events scheduled for the next 2 years, the universities have been directed to begin admission for the first-year degree courses from October first week," added Narayan.
