K-CET to be held in August; no minimum eligibility marks

Bengaluru: The State government on Tuesday announced that admission to undergraduate professional courses would be based on ranks secured by students in the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (K-CET), and not based on second-year pre-university (PUC) grades or marks.

The government recently declared all II PUC students passed after cancelling exams in view of prevailing Covi-19 pandemic.

Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Deputy CM C N Ashwath Narayan, who also handles the Higher Education portfolio, explained that the minimum eligibility marks required by students to appear for CET was also relaxed due to the current pandemic situation. "Minimum eligibility marks of 45 per cent (40 per cent for SC/ST/OBC) in PCM subjects in 2nd PUC will not be applicable this year. Official communication with regard to this will be sent immediately to respective academic councils," said Ashwathnarayan.

The government further announced that the registration process for K-CET-2021 will begin on June 15.

K-CET 2021 will be conducted on August 28 and 29 while the Kannada Language Test will be held on August 30. While Biology (first shift) and Mathematics (second shift) exams will be held on August 28, Physics and Chemistry exams will be held on August 29 in the first and second shifts respectively.

With over 30 per cent more students graduating from II PUC this year, about 2 lakh more students are expected to seek admission to various degree courses. Accordingly, measures will be taken to accommodate these increased numbers of students in government and private colleges.

The decision to consider CET ranking as the sole parameter for admission to professional courses was first pitched by Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar. "His suggestion has been considered," Ashwathnarayan further said.