3,000 more engineering seats for diploma students

[sajiv]

3,000 more engineering seats for diploma students

BANGALORE: The number of seats allotted for diploma-holders seeking admission to second-year engineering courses through lateral entry has been increased from 10 to 15 per cent.

This means that an additional 3,000 seats will be on offer for these students, Minister for Higher Education Aravind Limbavali announced here on Friday.

The Minister was speaking at a function held before the seat selection process for "lateral entry students" commenced at the Karnataka Examinations Authority. An order in this regard was passed by the State Government on Friday. "This increase is required to meet the demand as more and more diploma-holders are seeking this avenue," he said. Earlier, 10 per cent of the class strength in all courses was set aside for these students, accounting for about 6,000. Now more than 9,000 engineering seats will be on offer with effect from the current academic year.

Mr. Limbavali said that this was part of the Government's vision and efforts towards strengthening the education base in rural areas. The Minister also spoke about plans to float tenders for the Visvesvaraya Institute of Advanced Technology. A separate CET for diploma students was conducted by the Department of Technical Education, whereas the seat selection process would be conducted by KEA. M.R. Santhosh, Nishant Kumar, B. Shobha and B.M. Malini from SJP Polytechnic College, Srikant H. Talwar and B. Bhuvaneshwari from MEI Polytechnic College, K. Dharshan from Institute of Textile Technology, B.C. Nuthan Prasad from Acharya Polytechnic, Reshma Shetty from KLE Polytechnic College, Hubli, and M. Venkanna from SVVS Polytechnic College, Bellary, were given cash prizes for excelling in the lateral entry entrance examination.