The swearing ceremony of the new Chief Minister and the Cabinet of the state on May 20, Saturday at 12.30 p.m. at Kanteerava Stadium, in the Central Business District, is feared to create obstacles for students trying to reach their examination centres to write Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) 2023 on Saturday.
Ramya, Executive Director, KEA, in a press release on Friday has stated that the authority has taken appropriate measures to ensure students reach designated centres without delay. Steps have been taken anticipating traffic congestion in the surrounding areas of Kanteerava Stadium on May 20. Candidates can seek the help of nearby police to reach their centres by showing the admission ticket, she said.
Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) and Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) have announced a slew of measures, mainly appealing to students taking the exams in 11 centres in the vicinity of the stadium to reach the examination centre by 8:30 a.m., two hours before the exam is scheduled to begin. Even those students attempting only Mathematics paper in the second half of the day, have to report early at these centres.
However, nearly a lakh people are expected to gather at the swearing-in ceremony at Kanteerava Stadium and hordes of people will make their way into the city through all the entry points on national highways Saturday morning. This is also feared to create traffic congestion across the city and is feared to create hurdles for students reaching examination centres. “It is not that there will be traffic congestion only around Kanteerava Stadium. People will come in large numbers on Mysuru Road and Kanakapura Road from where the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister hail from. There will be congestion across areas adjoining these roads and this will put unnecessary pressure on students attempting KCET,” said Rajesh Kumar, a parent of a student residing in Kengeri.
However, all corrective measures the government seems to have taken are restricted to centres around the stadium. KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, who will take oath as Deputy Chief Minister of the State at the event on Saturday, appealed to the students writing exams in these 11 centres to report early. “We appeal to you to cooperate and report early by 8.30 a.m, before any crowds begin to gather. We have instructed the Chief Secretary and the Higher Education Department to ensure there are no hurdles posed. You can seek the help of traffic police to ensure you reach the centre,” he said, adding that at select centres even breakfast and lunch will be provided to the students.
This has already led the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to take a dig at the Congress. B.L. Santosh, National General Secretary (Organisation), BJP, tweeted about how CM designate Siddaramaiah had taken objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in the city on a day when NEET exams were held. “What would have happened if your oath-taking was deferred by a day or two so that students will not be troubled?,” he questioned Siddaramaiah and D.K. Shivakumar.
Students who need to come early are those who have their centres in any of the following colleges:
* Bishop Cotton Women’s PU College (DU- code), 19, 3rd Cross, CSI Compound.
* Goodwill PU College for girls (AD-code), No 10, Promenade Road, Frazer Town.
* St. Joseph’s PU College (AE-code), Residency Road, PBNO 25003, (Bengaluru- 560025).
* St. Joseph Indian PU College (AR-code), No.2, Grant Road, Vitthal Mallya Road (Bengaluru-560001)
* St. Annes Girls PU College (BQ-code), Millers Road, (Bengaluru-560052).
* RBANMS PU College (CM-code), 12A, Annaswamy Mudaliar Road, (Bengaluru-560033).
* SJRC BIFR PU College (CL- code), Ananda Rao Circle, R.C. Road.
* Cathedral Composite PU College (EN-code) Richmond Road, No. 63, (Bengaluru -560025).
* St. Euphrasia’s Girls High School & Composite PU college (E2- code), No. 6, Albert Street, Richmond Town.
* Stracey Memorial Composite PU college (BZ-code), No. 52, St. Marks Road.
* Hasanath PU College for women (P2-code), Dickenson Road, No.43, Bengaluru North.
