K'taka Cabinet to resolve CET crisis at its next meeting

Bangalore, Mar 13 (UNI) The Karnataka Government is likely to resolve the Common Entrance Test (CET) imbroglio relating to seat matrix and fee structure in private professional courses at the next Cabinet meeting, to be held in a few days.

Speaking to newspersons here after meeting Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and officials of the Education Department, Higher Education Minister D H Shankaramurthy said the Government had an open mind about resolving the vexed issue through discussions with the private managements. He hoped that the issue would be settled in a day or two and the Bill would be discussed in detail at the next Cabinet meeting. In all probability, the Bill would be tabled in the Assembly on March 21, he added.

Clarifying that he was not for confrontation with the management, he, however, said he was dutybound to ensure the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict in this regard. He quoted the Chief Minister as saying at the meeting that confrontation should be avoided and the issue must be resolved within a timeframe so that students were not put to inconvenience.

The Minister said the arrears of around Rs 50 crore to be paid to private colleges towards fees of students belonging to Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe and weaker sections of the society would be paid soon. The Government was also contemplating to pay the fees of these category students at the time of admission itself from this year, he added.

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