BENGALURU: Those wanting to pursue Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy AYUSH courses are forced to take up engineering in state, courtesy unavailability of seat matrix. The option entry process for under graduate professional courses through Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) began on Wednesday.
Since KEA has not yet received the seat matrix for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy courses, candidates are left with no other option but to take up engineering against their wishes. To take up medical or dental seat, students also have to get their National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) rankings, which are unlikely to be out before June 26.Candidates can mark their options for engineering,pharmacy, agriculture and veterinary courses from June 14 to June 22 till 6pm. And KEA will release the mock allotments on June 23 around 4 pm.
“We cannot wait for NEET results or for seat matrix to come from Ayush department. It is left for students to make their option entries or wait till those two are updated,” said a senior KEA official. According to KEA officials, it may take at least a month to get seat matrix for those courses.“This is not the first time. We get seat matrix for AYUSH courses delayed every year. Sometimes, counselling is done up to October due to the matrix delay,” said another KEA official. “In many cases, medical and dental seat aspirants also prefer Ayush courses, Now, we are expecting allotment of Ayush seats only in the second round of counselling,” the official added.
In Karnataka, there are over 76 colleges offering AYUSH courses. They include five government colleges, five private aided colleges and rest private unaided colleges.
refund still a problem
While some colleges refuse to refund the fee amount, a few others keep original documents. All India Council for Technical Education has asked colleges not to harass students by keeping documents but most colleges refuse to return the original documents if the students cancel the seats. They also don’t refund easily. College managements, however, have their concern. “If a student withdraws seat after apex court the deadline, how can we fill that seat? That seat will remain vacant for the course,” they say.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Option Entry: June 14 to June 22
Mock allotment results: June 23
Provision to change options: June 23 8pm to June 24 6pm
Publication of real allotment results: June 25, 4pm
Confirmation, admission and downloading admission order: June 27 to June 30
Deadline to report to college concerned: June 30, 5.30pm