Changes to KEA ‘category’ of candidates ruled out

Large number of students, parents attend 11th edition of The Hindu EducationPlus Career Counselling

A large number of students and parents attended the 11 edition of The Hindu EducationPlus Career Counselling 2014 here at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall on Sunday.

Inaugurating the event, Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) Executive Director Ramegowda said that while the results of Common Entrance Test (CET) will be announced on May 27 as scheduled, all admissions, including the second round of seat allotment, will be completed by July 30, two days in advance — following a Supreme Court order.

KEA Administrative Officer S.N. Gangadharaiah advised the students to read the CET brochure and track updates on KEA website, while KEA official U.S. Badiger ruled out the possibility of making changes to the “category” of candidates.

S. Kumar, executive secretary, Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK), said that 14 per cent of the world’s medical institutes were in India, which indicates that many popular medical courses were available in the country.

General education expert Ameen E. Mudassar, Director, CIGMA, warned students against getting “hybrid results” with life and instead keep in mind aptitude, personality, interest and passion while choosing a course and career. He said that five-year integrated courses were better for those who knew for sure what career they wanted.

Speaking on engineering education, K. Mallikarjun Babu, Principal, BMS College of Engineering, said that engineering students need to focus on determining their goals, especially while opting for the branch of study. K.S. Nagesh, Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Public Health and Centre for Disease Control, said that the medical stream is a demanding line, requiring dedication and patience.

G. Kasthuri, Consultant, Nursing Education, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, spoke about nursing and other options in the healthcare industry, while H. Shivanna, Dean (College of Agriculture), University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, spoke about the opportunities available for agriculture graduates. Earlier, The Hindu EducationPlus’ Career Handbook 2014 titled Know Your True Calling — a well-researched publication on the emerging careers and courses — was released.