Comed-K entrance test on May 4

The Undergraduate Entrance Test-2008 (UGET), conducted by the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMED-K) for admission to private medical, dental and engineering colleges in Karnataka, will be held on May 4, 2008.

Like Karnataka CET, all three examinations -- Physics and Chemistry (combined paper), Mathematics and Biology, will be held on the same day. For the first time, COMED-K will be introducing the English language examination for students applying for medical and dental courses. The English test is mandatory only for students applying to medical and dental courses.

“The Medical Council of India (MCI) and Dental Council of India (DCI) have been pushing for this exam all along,” said S. Kumar, executive-secretary of COMED-K. The exam will test basic comprehension skills and grammar. The cut-off for awarding
ranks will be 50 per cent for students in the general category and 40 per cent for those in the SC/ST category. However, this will only be an eligibility factor and the marks obtained in this test will not be included to calculate their ranks.

“Over the last three to four years, there has been an influx of students who do not understand English, especially from places such as Bihar and Jharkhand. They fail in the first year itself, and pick up habits which they spread to other students too,” explained Mr. Kumar.

In spite of protests by students and parents over the Common Entrance Test-2008 being held over a day, UGET-2008 has stuck to the same pattern. “There is nothing wrong with the pattern,” defends Mr. Kumar. “This exam caters to people all over India who will find it difficult and expensive to stay for two days. Hotels and lodges take advantage of the situation,” he explained.

Speaking about the seat-sharing allotment, he said that the undergraduate seat sharing structure has to be revamped. Last year, 55 per cent of engineering seats were allotted to government colleges. Only 40 per cent of seats in medical colleges
and 35 per cent in dental colleges were given to the Karnataka Examination Authority. “In the case of medical colleges, it continues to place undue burden on the COMED-K students, which is exactly what the Supreme Court opposed in its judgment,” says Mr. Kumar.

“With government colleges doubling the salaries of the staff, we will also have to face an additional burden of Rs. 3 crore. Where will we recover this from. The fees of the COMED-K students will again go sky-high,” Mr. Kumar pointed out.

“This question is beyond me. There is no government in power, but something will have to be worked out,” he said.