Karnataka to start online degree classes from Sept 1, backs NEET

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan announced that the academic year for degree courses will begin with online classes from September 1, while offline classes would commence from October. He also dismissed opposition to the NEET and said that the state was well prepared to conduct the exam.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister Ashwath Narayan CN on Tuesday announced that the academic year for various degree courses will commence from September 1 with online classes. However, offline classes will only start in October.

Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of various development works in Bengaluru on Tuesday, he said that the department is awaiting guidelines from the central government on conducting offline classes as well as the few degree exams to be conducted in September.

"We have decided to use the online medium to get the ball rolling on all academic activities from next month as we will need to conduct a few degree exams in September. We are also awaiting detailed guidelines from the Centre regarding the resumption of offline classes," Narayan said in a tweet today.

"In accordance with the current UGC guidelines, we have already made comprehensive preparations for starting classes. The state government will follow any additional directions from the central government as they come," he added.

Along with the commencement of the academic year, final year examinations will also be scheduled for all the undergraduate, diploma and engineering students. Additionally, exams for those students who hold backlogs will also be conducted.

Read:Holding NEET, JEE will risk exposing 28 lakh students to COVID: Sisodia

"We work with the sole intent of ensuring a bright future for our students. Once the academic year begins, final year exams will be scheduled for all undergraduate, diploma and engineering students. Backlog exams will also be conducted accordingly," Narayan said.

'Do not oppose NEET'

Amidst the ongoing protests against holding the nationwide JEE and NEET entrance exams, Narayan recalled that the Karnataka government had already successfully conducted the Common Entrance Test (CET) for more than 1.94 lakh students.

"As many as 63 COVID positive students also achieved good ranks by confidently taking the exam. When the reality is so conducive, I do not understand why people are opposing the NEET from being conducted," he said.

Narayan went on to claim that vested interests were trying to disrupt the NEET examinations.

"I would like to advise all of them that they should not play with the future of the children. I suspect that there is something fishy about the issue. Maybe certain invisible groups want seats allocated through an opaque 'system' rather than on the basis of merit. Some vested interests have been trying to disrupt the NEET examination since the beginning," he said.

Read:Will go ahead with JEE, NEET exams as students, parents wanted it: Education Minister

"There is a huge ecosystem behind it with efforts going on for many years now. However, their objectives will remain unfulfilled," he added.

Narayan stressed that the NEET needs to be conducted, as it was a well-structured exam which allowed students to seek admissions throughout the country on the basis of a single test.

There is certainly malice involved in the widespread opposition to NEET but the state government stands well-prepared for the test and will conduct it smoothly, he said.