How the delay in NEET counseling is impacting CET aspirants?
The delay in counseling for the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) is reportedly causing a dilemma among students, depriving them of better seats. This is happening as many medical aspirants who have also appeared for the Common Eligibility Test (CET) are holding on to their engineering seats. Notably, NEET and CET are two different exams held for medical and engineering seats, respectively.
Why does it matter?
The counseling for NEET and CET used to be held parallelly every year. However, the counseling for NEET has been delayed this year due to a case in the Supreme Court pertaining to a 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections. Last week, the Medical Counseling Committee had informed students that the next hearing is on January 6. Students have since been left confused.
Students 'losing out on precious seats'
The NEET counseling usually follows the first round of counseling for engineering. Whoever gets a medical seat then vacates their engineering seats. These seats subsequently go back to the seat pool and become available for the second round of engineering counseling. "However, this isn't happening this time, and we are losing out on precious seats," a student told The Times of India.
Will a casual admission round in January help students?
The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has sought permission from the government to hold a casual vacancy round in January to fill the vacant seats. However, students argue this will not help them as many institutions such as Visvesvaraya Technical University (VTU) will start courses from mid-December. Two months of classes will be over by January, a parent told TOI.
'Government doing nothing to help'
"Professional courses are not easy, and children can't afford to lose so many classes. We'll have to give up the chance of a better seat, better placement, and better future because of this confusion," a parent added. Separately, a student alleged that the government was doing nothing to help students. "Various agencies--MCC, KEA, and VTU--should have worked together," the student said.
Former official suggests another solution
A former KEA official told TOI that the higher education department could make a change in rules by allowing students to take a transfer between colleges after the extended round. "This will benefit students. A little coordination is all that is required," the official added.
What was the SC case?
The Centre's decision to extend 27% OBC and 10% EWS reservation to all medical seats under the Centre's All India Quota was challenged in the SC. Notably, 50% of total NEET-PG and 15% of NEET-UG seats fall under AIQ. The Centre has promised to revise the Rs. 8 lakh annual income criteria set for EWS and the next hearing on January 6 is awaited.
