Lakhs await dates for higher education Common Entrance Test

While students understand the pandemic conditions, they are demanding clarity. Representation pic

Lakhs of students aspiring to take admission to professional degree courses are waiting for their higher education plans to take off, thanks to the delayed entrance test. Even as traditional degree course admissions have begun already, there is no update on when multiple entrance tests which determine admission to professional courses such as law, pharmacy, architecture, hospitality and management, etc. will be held.

After the Std XII results of all boards were declared earlier this month, the admission bell started ringing for students and parents for degree courses. While the Mumbai University has begun college admissions, students who want to apply for professional courses are still in the dark as admission to these courses is decided by scores obtained in entrance tests. This year too, registration for the entrance tests was completed by the Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell but without further update on when and how the tests will be held.

"Since registration is possible, there is no way of thinking that there may not be entrance tests this year. However, in current conditions, when and how the entrance test will be held is a big question. Just recently the CET for FYJC admissions was cancelled. But what about entrance tests for professional courses?" questioned Tanmay Jog, a candidate looking forward to joining law.

Also Read: Now, parents seek refund of Common Entrance Test registration fee

Adding to this, Ruchita Garg, another candidate aspiring to join architecture, said, "Our fellow batchmates taking admissions to traditional degree courses are already ahead of us now. This has been an academic year full of uncertainty."

Colleges, too, await updates

While students understand the pandemic conditions, they are demanding clarity and colleges too are waiting for updates. "Since admission is based on the entrance test score, we cannot begin it. Delayed admissions mean many subsequent delays. It is also important to note that the situation in some traditional degree course enrolment will also change post professional course admissions," said a city law college principal. The principal elaborated, "For many students traditional degree courses are safe admission before their professional course admission is finalised in a college of their choice. For example, a student willing to take admission to pharmacy might take admission to a regular science course for now, until pharmacy admission is finalised. We do see many withdrawing later."

The Maharashtra CET Cell conducts 15 different entrance tests for varied professional degree courses. As per the process this year; 7,74,859 candidates have registered for these CETs and are waiting for dates for the tests. Delay in admission will cause chaos in the new academic year for these professional courses. CET Cell Commissioner Pankaj Kumar was unavailable for comment.