Only 6.81% of the candidates who appeared for the Karnataka State Eligibility Test (K-SET), which determines eligibility for appointment to posts of assistant professors and lecturers in universities and degree colleges in the State, have cleared it. The results were announced on Thursday after a long delay.
The University of Mysore, the nodal agency certified by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to carry out the test annually, conducted the exam on December 31, 2017. Students representing various State universities wrote the test in 11 cities. The test was conducted for 39 subjects.
Of the 63,068 candidates who sat for it, only 4,295 — 2,603 men and 1,692 women — have cleared it. In 2016, 7.12% of the candidates had cleared the test. Bengaluru stands first in overall pass percentage, with 9.39, followed by Mangaluru with 9.21. The highest pass percentage — 18.18 — was in criminology (18.18) while the lowest — 3.26 — was in physical sciences. Commerce stream, which saw the highest number of candidates (9,508), saw just 567 clear it.
Vice-Chancellor (in-charge) T.K. Umesh told reporters on Thursday that not many candidates cleared the test as the assessment pattern was tough. The results can be accessed on Friday on www.kset.uni.mysore.ac.in.
Change in rules
Meanwhile, the UGC, for the first time since the start of K-SET, has decided to allow those studying in first year of their postgraduation to appear for the test. So far, only second-year students, besides postgraduates, were allowed to write it.
“For the December 2018 K-SET, first-year PG students can apply,” said T.K. Umesh, acting Vice-Chancellor, University of Mysore. The test will henceforth be conducted for 300 marks instead of 350, with a change in examination pattern. There will be only two papers instead of three — one general subject paper carrying 100 marks and another subject paper carrying 200 marks.
