BENGALURU: Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, will soon request the Union Health Ministry and Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) to conduct counselling for undergraduate medical and dental courses before engineering courses. A number of seats were left vacant in undergraduate engineering courses in the 2017-18 academic year as many students withdrew their admissions from engineering courses after they got seats in medical and dental courses.
As per the data available with Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), over 200 engineering seats were left vacant, which included seats in even the top engineering colleges.
“By the time of announcement of results for National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET), the first round of admissions for engineering courses was over in the state. Several students who were eligible to get admission into medical and dental courses through NEET later cancelled their engineering seats,” said a senior KEA official.
The issue was discussed in the recent meeting of Karnataka State Higher Education Council. After a detailed discussion, the council suggested the Vice-Chancellor of VTU to send an official communication to the CBSE and Union Health Ministry.
“Counselling for medical seats should be conducted first. Vacant seats are common at lesser-known colleges, but this time many engineering seats remained vacant even at the top colleges due to delayed NEET results,” said a VTU official. This year, of the total 1,18,272 UG engineering seats, 37,139 seats were left vacant. Of this, 200 seats were left after the announcement of NEET results.
When contacted, VTU V-C Dr Karisiddappa said, “We will write to both CBSE and the Union Health Ministry requesting the authorities concerned to conduct NEET seat allotment process first. The same will be communicated to KEA also as they conduct counselling for engineering courses.”
During 2017-18, the results of NEET were delayed and this affected the seat allotment process. By the time the NEET results were announced, the first round of admissions to engineering courses was over.
200 Engineering seats at top colleges withdrawn by students after NEET results
37,139 Total UG engineering seats left vacant this year