With Karnataka cancelling the second-year pre-university course (PUC) board exams due to the pandemic's second wave, the state Education Department on Tuesday waived minimum marks for the common entrance test (CET) to get admission in engineering and medical colleges across the state. "PUC students don't need minimum marks for the CET on August 28-30 to get a seat in engineering and medical colleges in 2021-22 academic year," state Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan told reporters. Narayan is also in-charge of the state Higher Education Department.

CET will be held at designated centers across the state under the COVID-19-induced guidelines in math and biology on August 28 and physics and chemistry on August 29 across the state, with 60 marks for each paper. A separate test will be held on August 30 in Kannada language for Kannadiga candidates living in inter-state border areas and other states. Registration process to appear for the CET-2021 will begin on June 15.

"Though minimum marks have been the norm for writing CET, we are relaxing the eligibility this time due to the cancellation of PUC board exams," said Narayan. Minimum eligibility marks are 45% for general candidates and 40% for SC, ST and OBC candidates in physics, chemistry and mathematics, scored in the PUC board exams.

Also read: Karnataka CET to be held on August 28, 29: All you need to know

"We are considering making CET a common base for admission into all science courses in professional colleges across the state," said Narayan. Admission to professional courses in the pre-COVID-19 era was based on 50% marks secured in the PUC board exam and 50% in the CET. "Admission to engineering, medical, pharmacy, agricultural science and veterinary courses in professional colleges across the state will be based on the ranking secured in the CET," reiterated Narayan.

Cancelling PUC board exams on June 4, state primary and secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said grading results of students would be declared by this month-end. "PUC results of second-year students will be based on internal assessment and marks obtained in the first-year exams held last year," Kumar had said.