In the race to get a seat in the best college, most students do not rely on just one entrance test. While top rankers and those who have scored well in the Common Entrance Test are happy with their results, they waiting to see how they have performed in other competitive exams.
These include the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), which is a gateway to medical and dental colleges across the country, and the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) for those aiming to get a seat in one of the Indian Institutes of Technology or other Centrally funded technical institutes in India.
Many students said they wrote the CET for practice ahead of other competitive examinations. Narayan Pai of Sharada Independent PU College, Mangaluru, who has got second rank in engineering and fifth in B. Pharma and Pharma-D said, “I do not have much interest in CET. I want to get into an IIT and pursue computer science.”
Another student, Mahima Krishna from VVS Sardar Patel PU College, Bengaluru, who has the got third rank in B.Sc. (Agriculture), expressed a similar sentiment. “I want to help everyone. Being a doctor will help me connect with people and assist them,” he said. Shreyas S. who wants to become a cardiologist, is waiting for the NEET results. The Presidency PU College, Tumakuru, student is ranked fifth in B.V.Sc.
Many are playing it safe and are of the opinion that with the increase in the number of applicants each year, it is a “good idea” to keep all streams open for choice. S.R. Apuroopa from Narayana PU College, Ballari, who has bagged the fourth position in B.Sc. (Agriculture), said, “I have written AIIMS entrance test, NEET as well as JEE. I’m confused about what I want to do, so I will decide based on the college I’m allotted.”
