Bengaluru: Several candidates appearing for the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (Comed-K) 2026 entrance exam, scheduled for May 9, were allotted centres in neighbouring states despite opting for locations within Karnataka.
The issue surfaced Saturday after hall tickets were released, with students reporting allocations in cities such as Chennai and Hyderabad instead of preferred centres like Bengaluru and Mysuru. Some also said they had specifically chosen Karnataka centres during registration.
Comed-K officials said around 2,800 candidates who applied late could not be accommodated in centres of their choice. They added that while additional capacity was created in Bengaluru and Mysuru, last-minute applicants were assigned centres in other cities, including Chennai, Hyderabad, and Tirupati.
Students, meanwhile, took to social media to express concern and seek clarification. "I selected Bengaluru and Mysuru as my preferred centres, but was allotted Chennai. The authorities told us that the allotment is final," said a student.
Dr S Kumar, secretary of Comed-K, said candidates were cautioned in February to apply early to secure preferred centres. He added that 5,000 additional computer terminals were created in Bengaluru and Mysuru due to high demand. Around 1.4 lakh students have registered for Comed-K, which provides entry to undergraduate engineering programmes in more than 150 private unaided colleges in Karnataka.
Centre Shuffle: Key Points
- Some candidates allotted centres outside Karnataka, including Chennai, Hyderabad, and Tirupati.
- Around 2,800 late applicants could not be given preferred centres, officials said.
- Comed-K cites high demand as the reason for the allocation.
- An additional 5,000 computer terminals were created in Bengaluru and Mysuru to accommodate the surge.
- About 1.4 lakh students registered for the May 9 entrance exam.
The situation has left many students frustrated, as they now have to travel long distances to appear for the exam. Comed-K officials maintain that the allotment is final and cannot be changed.
