The Karnataka High Court has asked the state government to immediately reconsider its stand on the conduct of Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) from 30 to 31 July and file its reply by Wednesday, 29 July.
Hearing a batch of petitions challenging the conduct of KCET during a pandemic, a bench of CJ Abhay Oka and Justice Sandesh said that despite the petition being filed late, the rise in cases of coronavirus and the existence of containment zones could force several students to let go of the exam.
“It is true that petitioners have approached the court very late. But considering the drastic rise in COVID-19 cases, the State Government has to immediately reconsider its decision of conducting KCET exam. There is a possibility of students missing out on the exam.”Karnataka High Court
During the hearing, the bench had asked the state government as to how students in over 6,000 containment zones would manage to step out to write the exam. “How can students in containment zones give exams? They cannot step out, there are 6,000 containment zones. Please tell us that.”
During the hearing the bench was informed that although students will be seated in separate rooms, there would be no exam centres in containment zones. Following this, the bench asked the state that it “must take a call today itself. This is not an SSLC exam.”
The matter will now be heard at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, 29 July.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)