BENGALURU: Several first-time voters, who were excited to cast their votes for the state assembly elections scheduled on May 12, are now disappointed as they will be busy preparing for various entrance tests to get admission into various under-graduate professional courses. The exam and poll dates are clashing.
As per the information available with TNIE, three important All India entrance exams are scheduled to be held on May 13, just a day after the voting in Karnataka. Several students who are staying away from home for the sake of studies will not be able to travel and exercise their right. Consortium of Medical Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK) 2018 and Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2018 are both scheduled for May 13.
Bhoomika C R, a student, said, " Currently, I am staying at my sister's house in Bengaluru for the education purposes. But, my name has been added to the voters list back home in Hassan district. I am appearing for COMEDK and it is impossible to travel all the way home, cast vote, come back and write my exams."
Bhoomika added that she is disappointed as she has to wait for five more years to vote for the assembly elections. "The entrance test is very important as it is a question of my future, and at the same time it is important to make use of my right to vote. I am feeling sad that I cannot cast my vote," she added.
Likith R Bogase, who is also preparing for his COMED entrance test, said, "My voting right is in Chikkamagaluru and my COMEDK exam centre is in Bengaluru. How can I take a risk to travel, come back and write my test?"
Meanwhile, Likith said he is trying to cancel his name from the voters list in his hometown and add it in Bengaluru. "I am trying to cancel there and add it in Bengaluru, but for that, I need to be present, which is difficult as I am preparing for a series of entrance exams," he says.
Rupika from Bidar, who is currently living in Bengaluru for studies, is preparing for her CLAT entrance test. "In my case, it is impossible to travel all the way back to Bidar and cast my vote. And adding it in Bengaluru is also impossible as all my documents are in my hometown address and I am staying in a Paying Guest here. It is really disappointing that I need to wait for a long time to cast my right and by that time, I might not have this excitement," she said.
Meanwhile, some first time voters even tried to approach COMEDK requesting them to postpone the test. But the COMEDK authorities denied as it is a national-level test and it will be inconvenient to lakhs of students who are registered across the nation.
"Just a day after the announcement of election dates, the first thing I did was call COMEDK office and requested them to postpone the exams. But, they said that it will not be possible. So, I have to make up my mind that I am going to miss my power to cast the vote for the first time," explained another student. The first-time voters who are missing the opportunity feels that at least, the EC should consider them for postal voting.
Entrance exams scheduled for May 13
ISAT 2018: Indian Statistical Institute for admission to 3 years of Statistics Honours and 3 years of Math Honours
CLAT 2018: Conducted for admission to under-graduate Law courses at National Law universities across the nation
COMEDK 2018: Admission to under-graduate engineering courses
AIEEE 2018: Conducted by Indian Council for Agriculture Research for admission to under-graduate agriculture science courses (B.Sc ag)