HC asks Karnataka government to reconsider KCET dates amid rising Covid-19 cases

The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to reconsider the dates of KCET (Karnataka Common Entrance Test) 2020, scheduled on July 30 and 31. The High Court has asked the State Government to place its decision by 2.30 pm on Wednesday.

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A division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice H P Sandesh observed that unlike in the SSLC examination, students do not have a second CET test. Two PILs challenged the May 13, 2020 notification announcing CET 2020 examinations. The bench asked the state government whether any provision in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) allows students living in Containment Zones to venture out.

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The bench said that there has been a drastic change in the situation after May 13, the day the notification was e-gazetted. More than 5,000 positive cases are reported across the state daily and more than 2,000 cases are being detected in the city of Bengaluru in a day.

The bench also asked the state government to consider that there are more than 5,000 Containment Zones (CZ) in Bengaluru city alone, besides CZs in other cities. "There is drastic change in the situation every day. We direct the state to immediately re-consider the decision of conducting the CET considering these aspects….We are sure that the state will take into considerations various aspects and possibilities of some of the students missing the examination due to serious situation prevailing in the state and in the city of Bengaluru in particular,’’ the bench said.

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