No CET for regular undergraduate courses, tough road ahead for admissions
This year more than 1.3 million students have passed Class 12, while seats available for different non-professional curses in 11 state universities stands at 1,211,620
Even as there has been a 9% increase in the passing percentage of students at the Higher Secondary School (HSC) year, for 2020-21, the Maharashtra education department has decided not to hold a common entrance test (CET) for any non-professional undergraduate course.
The state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant on Wednesday announced that there will no CET this year for regular UG courses at the college and university level.
Admissions therefore for the UG courses in Arts, Science and Commerce courses will be done based on the Class 12 results. While Samant clarified that colleges will be allowed to increase seats, the decision of not conducting a CET means top colleges in Pune, as well as the rest of the state, are likely to have higher cut-offs as compared to last year, which will lead to more competition among students for admission.
The minister also made it clear that CET will be held for other professional courses by the state CET cell. Samant was speaking at a press conference in Pune after a joint meeting with all the education department senior officials and non-agricultural vice- chancellors.
This year more than 1.3 million students have passed Class 12, while seats available for different non-professional curses in 11 state universities stands at 1,211,620. “There is a huge gap in the number of students and available seats in various courses, including professional and non-professional courses. Still to conduct the CET for regular Arts, Science and Commerce faculty is not possible due to the time period. To discuss this we held a joint meeting with all the vice-chancellors and it was decided not to conduct CETs for regular UG courses. Admissions would happen on Class 12 results. And if any university or college wants to increase seats they can apply to the education department till August 31,” said Samant.
As many as 99.63 % of the 1.31 million students cleared HSC (Class 12), the results for which were declared on Tuesday by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE). In absence of an exam due to Covid, the board used an assessment formula, leading to a rise in passing percentage by 8.97 % as compared to 2020.
In Pune Division, the passing percentage for Class 12 students this year is at 99.75%.
According to officials from the education department, there are various steps involved in planning to conduct the CET exams, which usually takes four months. “Currently, we have Covid restrictions in the state and in such a situation, conducting one more examination for non-professional courses won’t be feasible for the department,” Samant said.
For professional courses, CET examinations will start from August 26 onwards, though a detailed schedule will be declared only after talking to concerned authorities. There won’t be any CET exams for courses which did not have it last year as well. “The professional courses CET exams will be held online though students need to go to a centre to appear for it”, said Samant, adding “We are planning to increase the number of CET exam centres for this year.”