Lateral entry: PGET students in a dilemma

Bengaluru: 3,134 candidates who have cleared the PGET conducted by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) for government quota MCA (lateral entry) seats in the private colleges and to-be deemed universities are facing an unusual dilemma. As per the PGET brochure, these candidates who have studied mathematics at the +2 level and Mathematics and Computer Science in the three-year degree level, will be allowed to join MCA second year through the lateral entry scheme.

But till now KEA has not released the seat matrix for the lateral entry scheme. But the seat matrix for the 3-year MCA course seats have already been announced and the entry process has begun. Now these 3,134 candidates are confused over whether to join the 3-year course or wait for a few more days. It started with the state government announcing the lateral entry scheme for the MCA seat aspirants.

As per their decision, those who have studied Mathematics at the +2 level and Mathematics and Computer Science at the degree level will be given direct admission to the MCA second year. This will save one year for the MCA course aspirants. Following the announcement, BCA, B.Sc (computer science) students opted for the lateral entry scheme and are now waiting for their seat matrix.

Speaking to this newspaper, Mr. Vidhisha Bhat (name changed), a student, said she has been allotted PGET ranking both in general admission (3 years) and lateral entry (2 years) scheme. "Option entry for three-year seats has already started. So I am confused, I don’t know whether to wait for the announcement of the lateral entry seats or join the three-year course under the government quota. If I join the three-year MCA course, I will lose one precious year," she said.

No takers for MBA seats

Meanwhile, following the poor demand for the MBA course, tens of elite management colleges of the state have surrendered hundreds of MBA seats over and above the government stipulated quota. These seats originally belonged to the management quota.

According to sources at the KEA, till now several top management colleges of the Bengaluru city have surrendered 886 additional seats for government quota, which will be distributed among KEA PGET rank holders. "RV institute of Management (30), Acharya college-50, MP Biral Institute of Management (60), Ambedkar Institute of Technology (20), Dayanand Sagar (95 seats) etc have surrendered seats to the KEA," concluded an officer.