The Hindu : Karnataka News : Students left in the lurch as counselling is suspended

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 21, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Students left in the lurch as counselling is suspended

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, AUG. 20. Anand from Gulbarga, who is aspiring for a seat in the engineering course, was in for a rude shock when he reached Bangalore here on Friday. He was told that the Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell had suspended counselling for admission.

He is one among hundreds of Karnataka category students, who were supposed to appear for counselling for engineering seats at the CET Cell on Friday. These students feel they have been left in the lurch after the State Government's decision to suspend counselling following the Supreme Court order on Thursday that the State's legislation on seat sharing and fee structure be referred to a larger Bench.

Students had come for counselling from various parts of the State including, Gulbarga, Dharwad, Hubli, Belgaum, Bidar, and there were many from Bangalore.

Counselling for engineering seats for 2,000 students with ranks from 20,301 was to be held on Friday. On Thursday, the last student to be allotted a seat had a ranking of 20,300. "I had no idea that there would be no counselling today. Only when I reached here (CET Cell), I came to know that we have to wait till August 27 when the Supreme Court hears the case. It is very disappointing," Anand said.

A parent said there seemed to be no end to the CET imbroglio and he blamed the Government for putting students to hardship. "If they were going to suspend counselling, why call students for seat selection so many times. It is only a waste of time and money," he said.

Madhu, who arrived from Belgaum this morning, was dejected at the sudden turn of events. He had expected to finish his counselling on Friday.

His father was angry and felt that the Government and the private professional college managements were taking the students for a ride. "The 75:25 seat sharing ratio should have been continued this year so that students are not inconvenienced. We are spending a lot of money coming to Bangalore. Will the Government reimburse us the money?" he asked.

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