From next year COMED-K will be merged with CET

Fee hike capped at 10% in private engineering colleges

Bengaluru, June 23: Limiting the hike in fees to 10% as against the demand to increase by 25% for engineering courses in private colleges for the current academic (2022-23), the government has announced on Wednesday that from next year COMED-K entrance test will be merged with Common Entrance Test (CET).

In a meeting chaired by Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Higher Education with representatives of KUPECA (Karnataka Unaided Private Engineering Colleges Association) at Vikasa Soudha, also agreed not to collect any other fees except a 10% hike on the existing fee. The fee hike is applicable to those students who have been allotted government seats in private engineering colleges. Further, KUPECA representatives assured, that they would voluntarily extend support to the government to take action against those who collect an extra fee by any other means.

The other major decision that emerged in the meeting is to cancel the COMED-K exam from next year. Instead, it will be merged with the CET and will be conducted at once at the All India level. The eligibility for admission will be based on the ranking students secure in the merged CET and seat sharing will continue as at present. Minister Narayan said that the modalities for merging COMED-K with CET will be worked out as the next course of action.

Further, he told, “KUPECA had demanded a 25% hike in fees as there had been no increase for last two years, from 2020-21. But, on consultation, they finally agreed to a 10% hike.”

Representatives of KUPECA were present.

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