The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday asked the State government whether it is possible to award ranks by considering the marks of II PUC-2021 and CET-2022 at 25:75 ratio for the students who have appeared as repeaters for the Common Entrance Test (CET)-2022.
Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar orally asked the government counsel to examine the possibility while hearing the petitions filed by petitions filed Eshwar R. and 53 other students, who have questioned non-consideration of marks awarded to them in the 2021 pre-university course while allotting ranks to them in CET-2022. The petitioners were awarded ranks solely based on their CET-22 marks.
The court adjourned further hearing till Monday to enable the government to inform the court whether such a solution can be worked out as a one-time measure to overcome the peculiar scenario faced during this year.
Govt’s stand
Meanwhile, the government in its written statement has opposed the plea of the petitioners to award them ranks in the CET-22 as was done in the case of students who have written II PU examination in 2022. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) had considered the marks of II PUC-2022 and CET-2022 in 50:50 ratio as per the law for the students who had appeared for the 2022 II PU examination.
Both the government and the KEA have contended that ranks have to be determined based on the marks obtained in the ‘qualifying examinations’, and “the examinations” means “written examinations”, both in II PU course and the CET.
The government also said that written examinations for the II PU course was not conducted in 2021 in view of COVID-19 pandemic but written examinations were held in August for CET-2021. The marks were awarded to the students in II PU course in 2021 based on a special formula, which considered their marks of SSLC exams, I PU course and internal marks assigned by the colleges in the II PU course.
Hence, the government said, that the students who completed the II PU course in 2021 without requiring to appear for the written examination cannot claim consideration of the marks awarded based on a special formula.
To a query by the court, the government counsel said that the government did conduct written examination for II PU in 2021 after COVID-19 situation improved, and had said that students not satisfied with the marks awarded based on the special formal can appear for the written examination.
Liberal marking
Referring to the data of marks awarded to II PU students in the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, the government said that marks were awarded liberally in 2021 based on the special formula, and considering such marks awarded without conducting written exams, would cause great injustice to the students who have secured marks by appearing for the written exams of the II PU course in 2022.
