CET to be abolished, fee to be cut: Barnala

Chennai, May 24 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government would abolish the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission to professional courses in the state from the academic year 2007-08.

In his customary address to the new Assembly, Governor S S Barnala said the DMK Government would constitute a committee of educational experts to recommend suitable measures for abolition of CET from the academic year 2007-08.

Mr Barnala said CET for admission to professional courses had become highly expensive and a source of unnecessary hardship for students.

The Committee would recommend suitable measures to ensure a level playing field among students from rural areas and poor families and those from urban areas.

''The confusion prevailing now in the admissions to professional courses will be cleared and the admission procedure streamlined,'' he said.

The fees for enginering and medical courses in government colleges which was increased manifold by the previous government, would also be reduced.

The present self-supporting courses in government colleges, which could be availed only by the affluent students, would be converted into regular courses and the fees should be fixed accordingly.

The previous AIADMK Government had twice announced the abolition of CET, once after the conduct of the examination, but on both the occasions, the judiciary intervened to set aside the orders.

UNI AKN/WS CH DS1213