CET to be held in Karnataka on July 30 and 31
Bengaluru: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Karnataka government on Tuesday decided to conduct the Common Entrance Test (CET) on July 30 and 31 across the state.
For the smooth conduct of exams, the government has extended a four-day quarantine relaxation for students and their parents or guardians from outside the state and country.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Higher Education Dr C N Ashwath Narayan told reporters that the government would take precautionary measures to conduct the CET as it did during the SSLC examination.
His department said in a statement that 1.95 lakh students will write the CET exams at 120 places in 497 centres across the state.
The Kannada Test for students from the border regions in neighbouring states will be held on August 1, Dr Narayan said.
In Bengaluru City, 40,200 students will write CET in 83 centres.
Thirty foreign students will also take the exam
The Deputy Chief Minister said the department has taken all precautionary measures and has framed the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to conduct the exams.
Thermal screening, wearing of masks and physical distance will be strictly followed. The exam centres will be sanitised two days prior to the exam dates.
"The state government has also decided that those students who are tested positive for COVID-19 can also be given the opportunity to write the exam. However, there will be separate rooms arranged for them.
Students who show symptoms of cough and cold will also be made to write the exam separately. Arrangements will be made for ambulances as well as transport facilities at all centres, he said.
Bus transport has also been organised all over the state, he said
Speaking about four-day quarantine relaxation for students Dr Narayan said there was no need to panic as they had undergone all kinds of tests in view of COVID-19.
Dr Narayan said 188 students from border districts of neighbouring states will write the CET exam and they could do so at centres in border areas, not having to come to Bengaluru, as all arrangements had been made there
The state government has decided to postpone the PG-CET and Diploma-CET exams as the final year exams are yet to be held for those students, he said.
As scheduled, the PG-CET and Diploma-CET exams were to be held on August 8 and August 9, respectively.
The fresh dates will be decided after the final year exams of the PG and Diploma courses will be held, Dr Narayan added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
