Entrance exams for professional colleges

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 23: Kerala Education Minister M A Baby told the assembly today that there need not be any doubt about conduct of entrance examinations for admission to professional colleges in the state in the context of the government's appeal on the professional colleges issue pending before the Supreme Court.

Replying to a notice for an adjournment motion sought to be moved by Mr V D Satheesan (Cong) on the issue, he said over one lakh students were expected to appear for the examination to be held from April 23 to 26 as against 82,000 last year.

Mr Baby said the fees structure, admission procedure and Reservation for Backward communities would be decided after the Supreme Court disposes off the appeal against the High Court order invalidating certain key provisions of the Kerala Self-financing Professional Colleges Act passed by the state Assembly in January last.

Seeking leave for the motion, Mr Satheesan alleged that the government had not taken any steps to clear the stalemate in the higher education sector following the striking down of the key provisions of the Act by the High Court.

He said the admission procedure, fees structure and Reservation for Backward communities in self-financing professional colleges were yet to be decided causing concern to students and their parents.

Mr Satheesan also alleged that the government was trying to influence the admission supervisory committee headed by Justice P A Mohammed.

Speaker K Radhakrishnan refused leave for the motion in the light of the Minister's reply.

UNI