The Karnataka government has decided to conduct Common Entrance Test (CET) counselling ahead of NEET-based admissions, marking a major departure from its long-standing practice of holding both processes simultaneously, according to media reports. This decision comes amid continuing uncertainty over NEET following the question paper leak controversy and delays in the medical admission schedule across the country.
Decision Announced After High-Level Meeting
Karnataka Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar announced the decision after a high-level meeting with officials from the higher education and medical education departments, along with representatives of private colleges, according to media reports. Under the revised plan, counselling for eight CET-linked professional programmes, including engineering courses, will now move forward independently. Admissions to medical, dental, and AYUSH courses will be conducted separately after the completion of the NEET admission process.
NEET Re-Test Delay Forces Redrawn Schedule
The Karnataka government stated that the delayed NEET timeline made it impractical to continue with the combined counselling model followed in previous years. With the NEET re-examination scheduled for June 21 and final results expected only by late July or August, officials said holding back CET counselling would have disrupted the academic calendar for thousands of engineering aspirants. This move signals growing concern among states over the uncertainty surrounding NEET admissions after allegations of paper leaks and examination irregularities triggered nationwide controversy. Officials emphasized that the state could not afford to delay engineering and other professional admissions because of the prolonged medical entrance process.
Karnataka Joins Other States in Separating Admissions
Karnataka is not the only state to alter its admission strategy in response to the NEET disruption. States such as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have already proceeded with engineering admissions separately after the NEET counselling schedule was pushed back. The latest decision reflects a wider shift among states attempting to protect non-medical admissions from the fallout of the NEET controversy.
Flexible Counselling Mechanism Introduced
The Karnataka government has also introduced a flexible counselling mechanism to ensure that students are not locked into one stream because of delayed medical admissions. Officials said candidates will be permitted to participate in three rounds of counselling across engineering, medical, dental, and AYUSH courses. Under this arrangement, a student who secures an engineering seat through CET but later qualifies for a medical course through NEET will be allowed to shift without facing any penalty. Authorities confirmed that the surrendered engineering seat will be returned to the counselling pool and offered to other candidates during subsequent rounds.
Full Fee Refunds Promised for Students Changing Courses
The government has also addressed concerns surrounding fee payments and refunds during the transition process. Officials stated that students leaving engineering programmes for medical admissions will receive full refunds of the fees already paid. Private colleges have also agreed to refund fees when students vacate seats and those seats are reassigned to new candidates. This decision is expected to bring relief to thousands of students and parents dealing with uncertainty over the delayed NEET admission cycle, even as the controversy surrounding the medical entrance examination continues to cast a shadow over higher education admissions nationwide.
