Karnataka HC declines to interfere in the conduct of COMEDK exams, directs counsel to go ahead as per schedule

After hearing the petition filed by advocate Abdullah Mannan Khan against conducting the COMEDK exam across India, the High Court of Karnataka mentioned that the Court declined to interfere in conduct of COMEDK exam. The bench including Justices BV Nagarathna and Jyoti Mulimani further mentioned, "COMEDK exam is to be conducted on August 19 and necessary precautions to be taken or followed for the safety of candidates and additional precautions can be taken if necessary." Advocate Mannan Khan had filed the petition on August 11 in which he had mentioned that it is not apt to conduct the exams during the pandemic. He had also filed a petition previously opposing the government of Karnataka's decision to conduct KCET exams. 

Meanwhile the advocate also submitted 19 emails received from students who had mentioned the flood situation in their states and how difficult it was to attend the exams. At the same time, trains were not operational in all the states and the preference or allocation of exam centres is based on first come first serve basis. But nothing seemed to change the decision. Therefore, the COMEDK organisers will go ahead and conduct the exam on August 19.

The COMEDK exam which were supposed to be held on August 1 were postponed to August 19 for various reasons. These exams will be held in two different shifts on this day. While one shift will be from 9 am to 12 pm, another shift will be from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm. This entrance exam is another pathway for students to secure better rankings and make it to dental and engineering institutions. COMEDK exam will compromise 180 questions from all the three subjects — Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and there will be no negative marking. 

COVID positive students not allowed
As mentioned by Dr S Kumar, Executive Secretary, COMEDK, in an interview with Edexlive that COVID positive students will not be allowed to write the exams. He has said, "Initially we thought of allowing them to write exams. The KCET exams that the state government conducted was within the state but this exam is going to be across India. If the student is allotted centre A  and on the day of exam, if the student is found to be COVID positive, then it is going to be huge trouble to travel to centre Y which is a dedicated COVID centre and if it is on the outskirts of the city, then it is not feasible to travel."