Karnataka against all-India Common Entrance Test in medical courses

Uncertainty is prevailing regarding admission in medical courses for the next academic year—the Centre is all set to introduce Common Entrance Test (CET) even as some states are against it.

Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental colleges of Karnataka (Comed-K) has certain objections to the nationwide exam.

It had recently decided to appeal against the CET. Later, it decided to write a letter to the state government instead. However, the government has not yet taken any action in this regard.

A Comed-K official said Tamil Nadu government had challenged the CET in Madras high court and got a stay order on the national-level exam in the state. The official said if the Karnataka government does not take a similar step, medical colleges in the state would have to go by Medical Council of India’s (MCI’s) guidelines, which would cause a lot of trouble.

Why Comed-K is against CET
“The problem is with the fixation of fees. When it is common entrance test, then even the fees would be same [as] at national level,” said a Comed-K official, adding: “Usually,  higher fees will be applicable.”

The official said there is apprehension that the new fees might go to the level of what deemed universities charge. He said once the national-level entrance test is introduced, aspiring medical students would have no scope of negotiating the fees. Further, the government and private medical colleges will not be able to agree over sharing seats.