With the results of Kerala state higher secondary and vocational higher secondary examinations as well as those of other major national boards out, the stage is set for another admission season.
Students, who have already chalked out a career plan, would have thought of their next stage of education in terms of courses and institutions much before their results were known. For them it may only be the formalities to be gone through to get an admission to their choice courses and institutions if they have planned the process properly.
The majority of entrance examinations to the national and state-level institutions have been completed. However, there are still many more admissions to come in Kerala, the majority of which would be admitting students based on marks in the Plus-2 examinations.
Prominent among them would be the undergraduate admissions in arts & science colleges in Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi, Calicut and Kannur universities. The notifications related to these can be expected any time now.
Students get the opportunity to study conventional, new generation, vocation courses in science, arts, humanities and commerce. Courses are also offered in fine arts, music, journalism, mass communication and management.
The admission process to paramedical degree/diploma courses conducted on the basis of marks in Plus-2 examinations will also take off soon. One can think of courses such as nursing, pharmacy, medical laboratory technology, perfusion technology, cardiovascular technology, audiology and speech language pathology.
Institutions like All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jawaharlal Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research and Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research conduct nursing and other paramedical courses on nominal fees. Admissions are based on entrance examinations.
Several admission processes for 2019 had begun as early as in September/October 2018. They include the admissions to the National Institute of Design (bachelor and diploma courses in design), National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) (including the one at Kannur) for the bachelor of fashion technology and bachelor of design courses and design courses at a few Indian Institutes of Technology through the Under-Graduate Common Entrance Test in Design (UCEED).
The results of paper-I of Joint Entrance Examination Main have come out and the admission process to the National Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Information Technology and to the Government-funded technical institutes would commence soon after the results of the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology are out. The admission based on JEE Main and Advanced would be a combined seat allotment process of Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA). The courses to which admissions would be made based on these examinations include B.E/B.Tech, Integrated B.Tech, B.Tech-M.Tech dual degree, Bachelor of Science, Integrated M.Sc, BS-MS dual degree, B.Arch, B. Planning, etc.
The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for 2019 has been conducted and the admission process for MBBS/BDS and the AYUSH courses (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Sidha, Homoeopathy), would commence soon. In Kerala, admission to agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary science courses would also be based on NEET rank and the related Kerala rank of students. The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations, Kerala, will also make allotments to engineering/pharmacy/architecture courses once the rank lists are finalised.
For 15 per cent all-India quota admissions for B.VSc &AH course, NEET ranks would be the basis. The notification for this would come out soon after the results of NEET are published. The All- India entrance examination for admission to the 15 percent all-India quota seats for several agriculture and allied undergraduate courses (except veterinary science) is yet to be completed. The courses to which admissions would be made based on this examination include BSc programmes in agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, community sciences, forestry, fisheries science; B.Tech programmes in agricultural engineering, biotechnology, food technology, dairy technology, etc.
The study of science has been gaining importance over the last few years. Three/four/five-year courses are offered in several universities and institutions in this area. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS), Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Chennai Mathematics Institute and Indian Statistical Institute are some of the leaders in this area. Cochin University of Science and Technology has Integrated Masters courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, statistics and photonics.
Admission to these courses is based on the Common Admission Test (CAT) conducted by CUSAT. The university also offers Integrated BBA/BCom LLB, B.Vocation course in data analytics also.
The common law admission test for integrated law courses, including BA.LLB/BSc.LLB/B Com.LLB/BBA.LLB/BSW.LLB would be the basis of admission to the National Law Universities, including the National University of Advanced Legal Studies at Kalamassery, Kochi, which offer the BA.LLB programme.
Government/self-financing law colleges, MG/Kannur universities also offer integrated law programme in Kerala.
Admission to the integrated programme in management at Indian Institute of Management, Indore, gives students an opportunity immediately after their Plus-2. Selection is based on a national-level entrance examination.
The Central University Common Entrance Test (CUCET) is for admission to various undergraduate programmes in over 14 Central Universities. The examination would also find students for the BA courses in international relations offered by the Central University of Kerala.
The entrance examinations conducted by Banaras Hindu University, Aligarh Muslim University, English and Foreign Language University, University of Hyderabad, Pondicherry University, Jamia Milia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University, etc give the students the opportunity to choose courses in science, humanities, commerce, management, languages, journalism, foreign languages, fine arts, performing arts etc.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of India (ICMAI) and Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) offer foundation courses of their three stage courses, namely, charted accountancy, cost and management accountancy and company secretary respectively, for which Plus-2 is the minimum eligibility.
Courses related to footwear technology, pilot licensing, hospitality and hotel management, travel and tourism, culinary arts, education and several others are also available for Plus-2 students to choose from.
In any case, choose a course that matches one’s aptitude and interest. Do not be carried away by trends. A course suitable for one need not fit into another’s aptitude and interest. Your future is in your hands. Remember that always when deciding on a course. One who has planned well will have a smooth change-over to the next stage of education.
(The author is a former Joint Commissioner for Entrance Examinations. He was also a teacher of statistics, in various government colleges
