Karnataka Examination Authority flooded with complaints from students

Bengaluru: After successfully completing the first round option entry for government professional college seats, including government quota seats in private colleges, the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) is being flooded with complaints from students who were allotted seats in private colleges.

KEA officials said that July 8 was the last date for all the students, who were allotted seats in the 1st round of seat allotment, to complete their admission process. The students now allege that private colleges are charging hefty amounts as “extra fees”. This is over and above the CET fee structure fixed as per the consensual agreement between the state government and private college associations.

KEA officials and students allege that private college managements are demanding anywhere between '50,000 and '1.25 lakh. “As per the consensual agreement, Rs 77,500 has been fixed as the annual fee for the government quota seats in private medical colleges. But now colleges are demanding nearly double that amount as extra fee. Even the few pharma, dental and engineering colleges are demanding large amounts as extra fees,” said sources.

But KEA officials are refusing to accept students’ complaints about extra fees, saying they do not have the jurisdiction to deal with these complaints.

As the state government is yet to set up a fee overseeing committee headed by a retired high court judge, students have no option but to wait to lodge their grievances.

A student who had gone to the KEA office on Monday told Deccan Chronicle that no one was receiving complaints. “We are waiting for the fee overseeing committee to be formed. But since many colleges have already started classes, we are left with no option other than to pay the extra fee,” he said.