BHUBANESWAR: With Covid-19 pandemic delaying engineering entrance tests, Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to consider the admission of Plus II students to diploma and engineering institutes on the basis of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Electronics (PCME) marks.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, OPECA secretary Binod Dash said as less time is available to conduct JEE and OJEE tests, admission of eligible students to diploma and engineering colleges for 2020-21 academic session be allowed on the basis of PCME marks which must be above or equal to 45 per cent of the total marks of 400. He also suggested that 50 per cent seats should be reserved for students from Odisha and the balance be allowed for admission from across the country based on the PCME marks.
“The move is highly necessary as Odisha has much more seats than the number of students appear the exams every year,” he said. The association also requested the State Government to write to AICTE for exemption of fees in 2020-21 academic session and issue instruction to BPUT to revise its syllabus and provide financial help to colleges create online platform.