Internet glitch makes students anxious at CET helpline centre

The document verification process began at about 9.15 a.m. Soon after the process began, two Assistant Nodal Officers at the centre brought to the notice of C. Suresh Thunga, Nodal Officer at the centre, that the internet connection was slow.

Students and parents, sitting at Help Desk for documents verification part of professional coerces, at NIT-K, Surathkal, in Mangalore on Monday.Photo: H.S. Manjunath

Candidates who have passed the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) faced anxious moments at its Mangalore helpline centre at the National Institute of Technology – Karnataka (NIT-K) on Monday as internet connectivity broke down for nearly an hour in the forenoon.

The candidates and their parents had come to the centre for document verification as part of admission process to professional courses for 2012-13.

The internet was needed for issuing verification slip containing a secrete code for candidates for selecting courses and colleges online later, and an acknowledgement card.

Meanwhile, of the five computers installed at the centre, one computer was not working till noon.

The document verification process began at about 9.15 a.m. Soon after the process began, two Assistant Nodal Officers at the centre brought to the notice of C. Suresh Thunga, Nodal Officer at the centre, that the internet connection was slow.

Mr. Thunga contacted the service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) officials. But the helpline centre at the NIT-K auditorium lost the internet connectivity completely for nearly an hour from 10 a.m. This forced the officials to stop the verification process. Following this, some BSNL workers arrived at the venue to rectify the problem.

The verification process resumed at about 11.15 a.m.

P. P. Joseph, an Assistant Nodal Officer, told The Hindu that the centre did not have an alternative internet connection.

It was depending on the BSNL connection as decided by the KEA.