Date:05/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/05/stories/2008050559350300.htm

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Karnataka - Bangalore

COMED-K entrance test goes off smoothly

Staff Reporter

Nearly 64,000 students appear for it in State

There were 51,855 non-Karnataka students
List of 20 students with fictitious addresses seized

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

ENGROSSED: Candidates writing the entrance test conducted by COMED-K in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: The city saw an unusually large number of students from across the country arriving here over the weekend to appear for the Under Graduate Entrance Test conducted by the Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges-Karnataka (COMED-K) for admission into private professional colleges in the State. Nearly 64,000 students took the examination in 83 centres in Bangalore and 26 in the State.

The COMED-K examination, for which 51,855 non-Karnataka students appeared, went off smoothly except for two students from Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, being booked and debarred for malpractices, and an agent being caught with a list of 20 candidates who were also involved in similar acts.

“We have been trying to crack this nexus and have been assured of police support. Some of them have given fictitious addresses and we have seized a list of 20 such students from the agent. We will investigate this matter thoroughly,” said S. Kumar, Executive Secretary, COMED-K. Students’ reaction to the examination was varied as they came from different States and backgrounds. Most students complained that the Maths paper was tough as well as lengthy. “I am not aware of the Karnataka syllabus but the Maths paper was tough and lengthy by all standards. I am hoping I will get a good enough rank,” said Shiva Sadanand from Jharkhand. Students and parents camped on college premises and on the footpaths as they sat for the day-long examination. Several hotels and lodges in the city were booked with outstation candidates.

“We have come a long way to write the examination. There are not many colleges in our State and it is tough to get into a good one. Even the good ones sometimes take a long time to hold examination. Which is why we look South,” said Savitri Kumari, who was accompanying her daughter from Bihar.