The Department of Higher Education has decided to relax quarantine norms for students coming from other States and outside the country to write the Common Entrance Test (CET). The decision comes a day after it was decided that asymptomatic students with COVID-19 would be allowed to write CET. The department has also now announced that positive students can write the test if the doctor declares them fit to do so.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan said 30 students from outside the country and 1,881 from other States have registered to write the examination on July 30 and 31. “Quarantine norms for these students will be relaxed and they can stay in the State for four days. They do not have to take COVID-19 test or undergo quarantine norms,” he said.
Around 1.94 lakh students have registered for CET.
Justifying the decision to conduct the test at a time when cases are at an all-time high, Mr. Narayan said that of the total infected population across Bengaluru, only 40 in the 17-20 age group have COVID-19. “Admissions for other universities have begun. There will be no virus-free month if we keep waiting. This is in the best interest of our youngsters,” he said.
In Bengaluru, COVID Care Centres set up at the Jnana Bharathi campus and GKVK campus will be converted into CET halls for those who have tested positive, and food will be provided to them at the centre. Similar arrangements will be made in other districts too. So far, the Karnataka Examinations Authority has received one request from Shivamogga district from a positive candidate who is in hospital.
As per the SOP issued by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, students have to sanitise their hands, undergo thermal screening and wear masks while writing the exam. Ambulances will be arranged for those who have tested positive to come to the exam centre.
All processes to go online
Results of CET will be announced 20-25 days after the examination is held, said Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan. The counselling process, including document verification, would be online this year.
The PGCET and diploma CET scheduled for August 8 and August 9 respectively, have been postponed.
