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Expert panel to review entrance test system in Kerala: Minister

Special Correspondent

N. Ram calls for an end to the practice of collecting capitation fee

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Education Minister M.A. Baby has said the Government is examining the possibility of introducing online counselling for the Centralised Allotment Process (CAP).

Addressing students at the Pre-Counselling Guidance Programme for Professional Courses organised by The Hindu-Educationplus in association with the State Bank of Travancore here on Sunday, the Minister said the idea was to infuse new technology for the convenience of students. The entrance examinations held this year will remain valid even if the Government introduces any reform.

Mr. Baby said the Government would set up an expert committee to review the entrance examination system as it had felt that some weightage should be given to the qualifying examinations. There are inadequacies both in the entrance examinations and the counselling programme. The Government wanted a competent authority to look into the matter. Noting that The Hindu group of publications is a `distinct presence in our society,' the Minister said the group preserved rich traditions while embracing modernisation.

Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu N. Ram said the Governments would have to evolve a method to put an end to the practice of some private self-financing colleges collecting donation or capitation fee.

He noted that unsavoury commercialisation of education was taking place in the country. Though the Supreme Court has banned capitation fee, lakhs of rupees change hands, depending on the stature of the college and the demand for the course, for management quota.

Commending the legislation being brought in by the Kerala Government to regulate admissions and the fee structure and for banning capitation fee, Mr. Ram said the need of the hour was to firm up a transparent, merit-based admission system, based on a common entrance test that could standardise the process. While Kerala had a stabilised Centralised Allotment Process, confusion and uncertainty were prevailing elsewhere in the country, particularly in Tamil Nadu. ``The fee structure has to be prescribed for every category of college and course and a regulatory authority must ensure that this is followed in letter and spirit. I am happy to note that the State Government is now moving ahead in the matter on the basis of a similar set of principles and beliefs.''

``So long as there are students from various streams vying for entry into a common pool of seats, there has to be a common test and yardstick to evaluate their performance, and this has been the Supreme Court's order as well.''

Mr. Ram said the problem of drug abuse needed to be watched carefully. Steps ought to be taken to prevent the club culture from entering the educational milieu.

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