Two months after Karnataka PGCET exam, results yet to be announced

Results of the Postgraduate Common Entrance Test (PGCET), conducted well over two months ago, are yet to be announced, leaving students awaiting admission to MBA, MCA, MTech and ME programmes in the state.

PGCET was held on May 23 and June 14. Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), which conducted the test, said the results are ready from its end. However, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) is yet to provide degree marks for a few courses, which are required to prepare the merit list.

The state govt had earlier decided not to hold entrance exams for some courses where the number of applicants was lower than the number of seats. For courses such as silk technology, textile engineering and chemical engineering, students’ degree marks are being considered instead.

VTU, however, said it received the request for marks only Monday and sent them the following day. “The marks of 86 students from seven selected branches have been sent,” said a VTU spokesperson.

KEA executive director H Prasanna said the delay was linked to the decision to maintain a single merit list.

“We had initially thought of separating merit lists based on subjects so that other PGCET candidates would not have to wait for the degree marks. However, that is not possible as many private universities use different nomenclatures for their programmes, and separating them based on subject would create confusion. So, we’ll continue to have a single merit list,” he said.

Students, however, face another hurdle. The seat matrix for PGCET seats has not yet been released by the higher education department. Even if the results are announced soon, counselling cannot begin until the seat matrix is available.

“It’s really unfair on students. Private universities can fill 60% of seats by themselves and give 40% to KEA. Students who can afford a private seat will opt for it. It is only the poor who cannot afford high fees that are left with no option but to wait for the highly delayed academic schedule,” said an official.

The last date for admission to UG and PG courses is Sept 14. Usually, around 50,000 PGCET seats are available: about 30,000 for MBA, 13,000 for MCA, and 5,500 for ME and MTech.

Source: The Times of India