Limiting the hike in fees to 10% as against the demand to increase it by 25% for engineering courses in private and government colleges for the current academic year (2022-23), the State government announced on Wednesday that from next year COMED-K entrance test will be merged with Common Entrance Test (CET) for engineering courses.
These key decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Minister for Higher Education C. N. Ashwath Narayan, with representatives of KUPECA (Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering Colleges Association) here.
The fee hike is applicable to those students who have been allotted government seats in private engineering colleges. Further, KUPECA representatives promised that they would voluntarily extend support to the government to take action against those who collect extra fee by any other means.
Further, he said, “KUPECA had demanded a 25% hike in fees as there had been no increase for the last two years, from 2020-21. But, on consultation, they finally agreed to a 10% hike.”
One exam
In another major decision, the meeting decided to cancel the COMED-K exam from next year. Instead, it would be merged with CET and would be conducted at once at the all-India level.
The eligibility for admission would be based on the ranking students secure in the merged CET and seat sharing would continue as at present. Mr. Ashwath Narayan said that the modalities for merging COMED-K with CET would be worked out.