Smooth sail with tech-savvy KEA

Surveillance cameras, video recorders and big monitors followed their every step. No, they were not convicts, but wannabe doctors, appearing for the counselling session for seats at medical and dental colleges at five centres across the state on Thursday.

The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), the official body which conducts the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission to professional courses in the state, for the first time adopted the latest technology to make the procedure a ‘smooth ride’. The whole counselling process is thus connected seamlessly, even though the procedure is conducted at Bangalore, Shimoga, Mangalore, Hubli, and Gulbarga.

“The adoption of latest technology will bring in greater transparency. As counselling is going on in five centres simultaneously, the installation of cameras and voice recorders in these centres will bring everyone under one roof. All the centres are connected through the technology,” said KR Shashidhar, commissioner for public instruction, adding that the system would make the whole experience for candidates that much smoother.
Candidates too appeared to be happy with the new and high-tech arrangements. In 2009, KEA faced some legal hassles, after the admission processes were concluded.

“It’s a matter that concerns the future of students. It’s nice that technology is being brought in to serve the purpose of making the whole process smoother,” said Pratap KS, who was ranked 393 in the medical stream of the CET.

The counselling procedure began at 10.30 am, after an inaugural function. Students holding ranked first to 1,500th appeared for the session on Thursday, when the whole process was broken up into four sessions. On Friday, students ranked between 1,501 and 5,000 would appear for counselling. At the Bangalore centre, the premises of the KEA at Malleswaram were bustling with activity.

There were candidates accompanied by parents, all waiting anxiously. There was some anxiety as reports in the press indicated that there were less seats this year for those opting to study medicine, compared to last year. However, Shashidhar clarified that the number of seats would increase during casual rounds of counselling, beginning June 26. The counselling process is being carried out for 1,351 medical seats and 771 dental seats.

Bangalore Medical College (BMC), Bangalore, Mysore Medical College (MMC), Mysore and Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bangalore, were some of the most favoured institutes. Students who came for counselling said that their preference for colleges was based on teaching methodologies and possible clinical exposure.

“There are very few colleges which gives equal priority for both theory and practical classes. I would like to opt for BMC or MMC, as they are the best of the lot,” said Chethan RH, from Tumkur whose CET rank is 382.

With all the latest gadgetry involved, there were minor technical glitches. At the Hubli centre, the process was stalled for a while to set right some technical snags.