Students who wrote the Common Entrance Test for diploma holders (D-CET) on Sunday will once again have to take the same test on June 30.
This decision was taken by Higher Education Minister R.V. Deshpande on Monday after it was reported that all of the 180 multiple-choice questions were the same as the previous year’s exam (2012 D-CET).
The Hindu on Monday had reported about how all the questions were the same as in the previous year’s paper, but placed in different order.
Consultations
Mr. Deshpande, in a press release, said that the decision to conduct a re-exam was taken after consultations with the officers concerned.
“Students will have to once again appear for D-CET examination which will be held on June 30,” he said.
The release said that no separate fee would be charged for the re-exam.
The release added that a fresh admission ticket will be made available to the candidates on the website http://kea.kar.nic.in/ after 6 p.m. on June 18.
21,159 students
As many as 21,159 students had taken the examination at 56 exam centres in 12 districts on Sunday. The entrance test determines admission through the lateral entry scheme into engineering courses.
Welcomed
Members of the Technical Students Federation, who staged a protest in front of the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) office on Monday demanding re-examination, have welcomed the State government’s decision to conduct a re-examination.
Ramesh Gowda, federation president, said that the move would benefit “meritorious students”.
Angry students
Meanwhile, students who wrote the exam said that they were angry about the “casual” manner in which the exam was conducted.
Renuka R.K., an engineering seat aspirant through the lateral entry, said, “The officials should have been careful while setting the paper. A re-exam will cause inconvenience to us. We will also have to undergo exam- stress another time.”
