BENGALURU: Days after the Common Entrance Test (CET) wherein questions that were out of syllabus had appeared, the stakeholders have set an April 27 deadline for the state government to resolve the issue failing which the parents’ association has threatened to approach courts.
On Tuesday, the Education Department hosted a consultative meeting of education experts, parents, students, educational institutions, unaided PU colleges’ association, MLCs A Devegowda and Sashil Namoshi and others to discuss the issue. The participants joined the meeting both online and offline to discuss the problems that students and parents will face in view of the bungling.
The parents’ association had demanded the immediate removal of the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) director, transparency and non-interference of the authority in setting up the experts’ committees. The parents have also sought action against the officials responsible for the mess.
The Higher Education Department is now in a fix after questions totalling 30 to 40 marks in the four papers combined, which were out of syllabus, appeared in the entrance test held on April 18 and 19. The CET was conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).
The department, which was contemplating awarding grace marks or conducting fresh tests, on Monday appointed four experts’ committees for the different subjects and is awaiting their reports. Awarding grace marks could put meritorious students at a disadvantage and it would be the first time in the history of the state that such huge grace marks would be given. If fresh examinations are conducted, there may be opposition from the student community.
Students have alleged that 10 marks in biology, 11 marks in mathematics, 10 marks in physics and 15 marks in chemistry were out of syllabus. The KEA has given them time till April 27 to submit objections.