Common Entrance Test (CET) 2023, which is the gateway to professional courses in Karnataka, began on May 20. The test is being conducted in 592 centres across Karnataka, including 121 centres in Bengaluru.
Students were worried that the traffic restrictions in the CBD in Bengaluru for the swearing-in ceremony at Kanteerava Stadium of the new government would cause snarls on the roads and pose hurdles to them reaching examination centres on time. Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) and Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) had issued an advisory asking students appearing for CET in 11 exam centres around the stadium to reach their centres by 8.30 a.m., much ahead of schedule.
Most students reached the exam centres on time, without any hurdles on May 20 morning. Some reached exam centres even before 8.30 a.m.
At most centres, students could be seen preparing for the CET before they were allowed inside the class rooms.
The only objection came from students and parents whose children are appearing for the test at St. Joseph Indian PU College (AR-code) on Vittal Mallya Road, the centre closest to Kanteerava stadium.
“The St. Joseph Indian PU College is beside the Kanteerava stadium. Therefore, there is a huge crowd, and it is very noisy. It will disturb and distract us from writing the exam peacefully,” said a student. In a special arrangement, breakfast and lunch will be provided to students at the centre.
Around 2.60 lakh students have enrolled for CET 2023. In a first, around 16,000 inter-State students have enrolled for the B.Sc. nursing course, and they are also appearing for the examination. On day one, biology exam will be held from 10.30 a.m. to 11.50 a.m. Mathematics exam will be held from 2.30 p.m. to 3.50 p.m.
Earlier on May 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow in Bengaluru coincided with the NEET exam. Though students feared hurdles to reaching exam centres in Bengaluru, the roadshow did not cause any traffic bottleneck.
