KEA plans to raise CET application fee

KEA plans to raise CET application fee

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Dec 4: The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) plans to raise the application fee for the Comman Entrance Test (CET) this year and will soon submit a proposal regarding this to the higher education minister.

A KEA official has revealed that the matter is yet to be discussed in the meeting of the board of directors. The higher authorities have to give their nod before the fee hike is implemented. 
A reliable KEA source has also revealed that the fee hike is because of increased expenses of online counselling. The KEA conducts the entire CET process right from conducting the entrance test to the allotment of seats. The money collected as application fees is used for this purpose. Because of the new online counselling facility of 2009, the KEA can no longer meet the expenses as before. Moreover, the KEA also plans to introduce five new counselling centers in Mangalore, Davanagere, Shimoga, Gulbarga, and Hubli. Conducting the CET with the same application fee will be difficult for the KEA, said the source. 

The KEA is not receiving any government aid. Till 2008, the KEA could not only manage on its own, but also save Rs 1 crore annually, but now the KEA is feeling the financial pinch. 

The KEA wants a hike of at least Rs 50. Currently, the CET application fee is Rs 550 for general merit students and Rs 450 for SC/ST and OBC students. If the proposal for fee hike receives government approval, general merit students will have to pay an application fee of Rs 600 and OBC and SC/ST students will have to pay a fee of Rs 500.