The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has decided to work on government holidays in July, August and September as the process of counselling and seat allotment will begin in a few days for the candidates who have qualified in CET 2024 and NEET 2024 for admission to professional courses, including engineering and medical.
KEA staff will work on all government holidays, including Sundays, second Saturdays and fourth Saturdays, during these three months.
Employees working on holidays can get compensatory leave. The KEA has decided to give additional payment to the staff working on government holidays, if they do not get compensatory leave as well.
Earlier, the KEA, was only conducting the CET examination, counselling and seat allotment process for admission to professional courses in Karnataka. However, in recent years, the State Government has given the responsibility of recruitment to various departments through competitive examinations to the KEA. These were earlier conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
Apart from this, KEA has been given the responsibility to conduct competitive examinations and select candidates for admission to class 6 in residential schools, including Morarji Desai Residential School, in Karnataka.
This year, out of 3,49,653 candidates who had registered for the UGCET 2024, a total of 3,10,314 candidates appeared for the examination. Out of this, 2,74,595 candidates were eligible for engineering courses, 2,15,965 for B.Sc. (Agriculture), 2,19,887 for B.V.Sc., 2,19,483 for B.N.Y.S., 2,78,919 for B.Pharma, 2,79,313 for Pharma-D, and 2,28,058 candidates qualified for B.Sc. nursing course.
Out of 1,50,171 candidates who appeared for UGNEET 2024 in Karnataka, 89,088 candidates qualified for admission to medical courses. All these candidates are to be counselled in the next three months and seats are to be allotted. This process will start in a few days.
In addition to all these, seats are to be allotted to candidates who qualified in PGCET for post-graduate engineering and MBA courses, and engineering lateral entry to those who have qualified in DCET. For most of the professional courses, the academic year 2024-25 will start in August, by which time the process of allotment of seats should be almost completed.
Prasanna H., Executive Director, KEA, said, “Besides CET, KEA is conducting competitive examinations for the recruitment of various departments in the government of Karnataka. The main responsibility of KEA is to conduct counselling and allot seats to candidates who qualify in the CET. As this process takes place in July, August and September, our staff are required to work even on government holidays during these months. Otherwise, we will not be able to complete all the processes within the stipulated time. This will cause problems for students. This is the peak time for us. Every day, we will receive calls from students and parents. Therefore, it has been decided to operate even on government holidays for these three months, which will be of great help to students and parents.”
