BENGALURU: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) on Sunday released verification slips for Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) candidates who had registered for the counselling process.
However, medical aspirants who had appeared for the Undergraduate Common Entrance Test (UGCET) were left frustrated as counselling remained stalled following the cancellation of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), earlier this year.
While the counselling process moved ahead for students from most streams, those seeking medical admissions continued to face uncertainty over the delayed NEET process.
When the UGCET results were announced on June 6, KEA Chairman Dr Sharan Prakash Patil had acknowledged the delay in counselling for medical students.
“As you all know, the NEET examination will be re-conducted. Because of the delay, we had to postpone CET counselling for Bachelor of Pharmacy (B Pharm) and Diploma in Pharmacy (D Pharm) applicants by a little while. Medical students will not face any trouble,” he had said.
Top rankholders divided
The top 10 UGCET rankholders from the medical stream expressed mixed reactions to the delay. While some voiced frustration and apprehension, others chose to remain optimistic and focus on their plans.
Suchita M, who secured joint second rank in the medical stream with 99.44 per cent, did not hide her disappointment. “My preparation for the past two years was entirely NEET-oriented, and I appeared for UGCET incidentally. There’s nothing we can do in a system like this,” she said.
Amulya S, who secured joint first rank with 100%, adopted a more pragmatic approach. “I don’t feel too much disappointment regarding this; we NEET applicants are in this together. We all share a sense of unity because our counselling has been delayed and the issue has affected every one of us. My plan is to get into a good medical college,” she said.
Nayana Gopi, who also secured first rank with 100%, said, “There was some frustration at first. I felt everyone else was moving ahead with their lives and goals while I was stuck. Right now, I am focusing on what is within my control. I revise concepts daily, make a study plan every day.”
