Now that the implementation of the Karnataka Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of admission and determination of fee) Act, 2006, has been kept in abeyance, the challenge before the government is to convince private professional college managements to sign a consensual agreement and also ensure that the fee is not increased.
Some private professional college managements have stated that they are not willing to be part of the CET conducted by the government.
A senior officer from Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) said that last year, the government struggled to convince private managements to maintain status quo. A meeting will be held soon to discuss the issue. “This time, the government may have to compromise both on the issues of fees and seats,” the officer said.
However, MK Panduranga Shetty, Secretary, Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering Colleges Association (KUPECA), said, “We will not sign the consensual agreement this time. Even if we agree, it will be with conditions.”
Sources in the KUPECA said private institutions should not be made scapegoats. “They (those in government) were the people who assured of implementing the Act and now they have gone back on their word. Why should we bend?” questioned a representative of a prime engineering college.
In the last eight years, the number of government quota seats in private colleges has been declining while the fee has been rising.
In 2006, the seat sharing in medical courses was 50:50 and the fee was `16,700 for government seats. In 2013, the seat sharing was 40:60 (60% management). For dental courses, the seat sharing was 50:50 in 2006 and 35:65 in 2013.