Tech college consortium to have own entrance exams

After a gap of two years, a few professional colleges have formed a consortium to conduct their own Eamcet and Icet entra-nce exams for admissions to Engineering, Pharmacy, MBA and MCA courses. The Consortium of the Associations of Private Un-aided Professional Colleges has secured approval from the Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee for conducting its own Eamcet and Icet exams on July 3.

Five engineering colleges, 10 MBA/MCA and two pharmacy colleges are part of the consortium and together they offer about 1,500 engineering seats, 1,500 MBA and MCA seats and 180 pharmacy seats. While Eamcet will be held from 10 am to 1 pm on July 3, the Icet will be held from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm on the same day at centres in Hyderabad and Guntur.

The consortium had conducted its own exams in 2009 but last year it had opted for the government-conducted exams and counselling for admissions. However, the consortium has received poor response from professional colleges in the state which preferred to go ahead with government-conducted exams.

Of the total 707 engineering colleges, 300 pharmacy, 900 MBA and 800 MCA colleges in the state, only 17 colleges opted for separate Eamcet and Icet. The AFRC had stipulated that it would allow colleges to conduct their own CETs, only if they formed a ‘consortium’. “We decided to conduct our own CETs to claim our right,” said Mr K.V.K. Rao, convenor of the consortium.