KEAM 2009 Uncertainty continues on third allotment

Even three weeks after the announcement of the second allotment to Professional Degree Courses, Kerala 2009 by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), there has been no notification coming form the office of the CEE about the activities related to the third phase of allotment for 2009.

It had been announced that the admissions to the Private Self- financing Engineering Colleges would be closed with the second allotment and that there would be a third allotment to other course/colleges. Accordingly there has to be further allotments to all other courses / colleges in the Government / Aided / Kerala Agricultural University / Private / Government controlled Self Financing Colleges coming under the purview of the allotments of the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations. But how long the students will have to wait for that is the big question bothering the parents and students. Classes for all courses had commenced last week.

As per the agreement reached between the Government and the Managements of the Private Self financing Engineering Colleges, there will be no more allotments to Government seats in these colleges. Admission to the Management seats would continue even after the allotments to the Government seats have been closed. The Government seats falling vacant after the second allotment in these colleges will be treated as Management seats with the colleges concerned having the freedom to fill these seats.

However, it is understood there are a few new Engineering Colleges that have got the approval of the concerned bodies for commencement of courses during the current academic year and that new courses have been sanctioned in existing colleges for the current academic year. The manner in which admissions to these colleges/courses are going to be regulated by the CEE/Government is also something that the parents and students are anxious about.

As per the agreement reached by the Government with the Self-financing Private Medical Colleges, the colleges shall be eligible to fill the seats under Government quota falling vacant after 23rd September 2009. In 2008, the CEE had made three allotments to the Private Self financing Medical Colleges, the last being on 21st September 2008. With the time limit for closing the Government allotments for the year fast approaching, the chances of more than one more allotment to these colleges is remote unless the CEE has plans to rush through two allotments.

In respect of Government and Government Controlled Medical/Dental colleges, there were four allotments in 2008, the last being on 27th September 2008. Admissions as usual to MBBS/BDS are to be closed on 30th September 2009 as per Guidelines of Medical Council of India.

For Engineering, there were four rounds of allotments in 2008 with the last allotment announced on 22nd October 2008. With the allotments to Private Self-financing Engineering Colleges closed, allotments/re-allotments in the Engineering stream would now be restricted to the Government and Aided Colleges, Kerala Agricultural University and also to the Government seats and Management seats in Government Controlled Self-financing Engineering Colleges.

Although announcement had come on reducing of fee in Government seats in Government Controlled self financing Colleges, specific orders on the extent of reduction and the manner in which the reduction is going to be implemented have not been announced so far. If such a reduction is going to be made, the same will apply to MBBS in Pariyaram and Kochi Cooperative Medical Colleges and Pariyaram Dental College in the Medical Stream and the 22 Engineering Colleges under IHRD(9 Colleges), CAPE(6), LBS (2), KSRTC, Kerala University, MG University, Calicut University, CCE (1 each) in the Engineering stream.

Meanwhile, the Cochin University of Science and Technology has announced another round of allotment on 27th August to fill the vacant seats under Payment category and NRI category. Candidates admitted in Private Self financing Engineering Colleges as per the allotment of the CEE will have to pay the fee for four years if TC is taken after 14th August to discontinue the course there.

With the state moving close to Onam celebrations, there is only a small chance of the next allotment being announced by this month end. But then in an online allotment process, activities can be started at any moment and such an announcement by the CEE at any time cannot be ruled out completely.