In this country of multiple entrance tests, it's not surprising when test dates clash. That's exactly what happened on Sunday which may now lead to further rescheduling of at least two exams.
On Sunday, the time difference between AIEEE and AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College) was only a couple of hours. AIEEE, when delayed, clashed with AFMC entrance which was scheduled in the afternoon. Those who didn't want to miss AFMC exam were given a new date for AIEEE on May 8. But only to enter into a new clash with the Consortium of Medical Engineering Dental Colleges of Karnataka (Comed-K) UG Entrance Test (UGET) 2011.
UGET is scheduled from 10am to 4.30pm the same day and AIEEE at 9.30am. Around 68,000 students are appearing for Comed-K.
Now, Comed-K has decided to make an appeal to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), which conducts AIEEE, to reconsider the date. "There will be an advisory committee to discuss the issue on Monday. We might make a plea to CBSE considering the fact that it will affect the travel plans of 70,000 students. We have already issued the hall tickets as well. In case, the AIEEE dates stand unchanged, we have to see what can be done," said S Kumar, executive secretary, Comed-K.
If everything had went on as per plans on Sunday, students would not have been left unsure on whether to go for the most coveted engineering seats in NITs or the medical seats in the state. The dilemma will haunt them in the coming days.
AIEEE-AFMC CLASH
AIEEE exam was rescheduled to a later date to prevent a clash with Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) that was to take place on Sunday afternoon.A circular issued by the CBSE said: "For students who were to appear for both AIEEE and AFMC, the CBSE will conduct another examination on May 8 at 9.30am at the same centre with same roll number."
There were some examination centres that were holding both the tests. Such centres were advised to hold both the examinations if they could. Otherwise the students taking AIEEE have to take it on May 8.
The AFMC exam is taken by 92,500 candidates for 120 seats. In Karnataka, 2400 candidates registered for the exam at 7 centres in Bangalore and 620 at Belgaum. The exam scheduled to be held from 2.30pm to 4.30pm was rescheduled and held from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.
As soon as the announement was made at the centres, some students left the place. In R V College of Engineering, which was one of the centres for the online AIEEE, 98 students had registered at 8am for the exam. After the exam restarted at 12noon, only 90 students came in. "Three students informed us that they will be taking on May 8 as they have to take AFMC. There has been no information about five others, but we guess it is the same reason," said the officials.
