CET mandatory for agriculture courses from 2018-19: MCAER

CET mandatory for agriculture courses from 2018-19: MCAER

Pune: For the first time, the State Common Entrance Test (CET) will be introduced for Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in agriculture starting from the new academic year 2018-19.

Maharashtra Council of Agriculture Education and Research (MCAER) has announced that the State CET has been made mandatory for admission to the undergraduate courses in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries, agricultural engineering, food technology, biotechnology, community science, animal husbandry, agriculture business management in five agriculture universities in Maharashtra - Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (Rahuri), Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (Akola), Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (Parbhani) and Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth (Dapoli).

It salso said the Joint Entrance Exam, National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test and All India Entrance Examination Test for Admission conducted by Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, will also be considered with MHT-CET.

Therefore, admission to all undergraduate degree programmes under State agriculture universities will be on the basis of 70 per cent marks obtained in CET conducted by competent authority like MHT-CET, JEE, NEET, AIEEA-UG and 30 per cent marks of total percentage at qualifying examination (Science 12th).

While the other weightage will be as per the existing provisions and rules of MCAER, Pune. To qualify to seek admission in BSc (honours) in Agriculture, the candidate should have obtained scores in PCB or PCM. Similarly, for BTech in agriculture engineering, candidate should obtain score in PCM. To know more about the syllabus and exam pattern, students can visit MCAER website to download information brochure.

However, education activists have articulated that this sudden new change in admission procedure will hinder students focus just before board examination, as now the aspirants will also have to prepare for the CET. “Most candidates seeking admission in agricultural courses are from the rural areas.

By issuing a notification about new provisions in admission procedure four months before the exam date, it will certainly cause inconvenience to students. The authorities should have been considerate of students mental state before making such an announcement. These changes should have been introduced a year prior to the admission so that students get time to prepare accordingly,” said activist Vivek Velankar.

He further mentioned that it has also been declared that syllabus will be related to Std 11th and 12th curriculum. However, candidates for CET engineering and pharmacy must start preparing for the examination from Std 11th itself.

According to this, informing students at such short notice is unfair by the government. “Moreover, it will lead to more confusion when students in rural areas are not aware about the CET, they might miss the dates for application, affecting their academic year. Keeping all these in mind, government should consider having admission on the Std 12th merit or at least be lenient in conducting the exam this year, if at all it cannot be avoided,” said Velankar.


 

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