'Seat-blocking' case turns more murky: Karnataka Examinations Authority

Bengaluru: Digging into seat-blocking allegations, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has found that several students used the same IP address to select seats and that mobile numbers they provided were either bogus or wrong.

Suspecting something fishy after seeing seats of most coveted branches like Computer Science (CS) at top colleges remaining under the KCET quota after all the rounds of seat allotment, the KEA had issued show-cause notices to students via e-mail. To their surprise, e-mails sent to several students bounced. Following this, the KEA has now sent postal notices to the students' residential addresses.

Even at COMED-K, at least 18 students used one mobile number to select seats, after which COMED-K authorities wrote to the Admission Overseeing Committee for Professional Courses seeking an inquiry. "Multiple candidates (18) from different states/cities have registered using the same mobile number picking CS in BMS College of Engineering as their only choice in all three rounds. In some cases, though multiple courses are entered, all the courses are of BMSCE/BMSIT," reads the complaint by COMED-K.

Requesting an investigation, COMED-K authorities said, "This pattern in courses of demand in other premium colleges is not seen. Hence, we are submitting the above observation and seeking investigation to uphold the sanctity of the selection process."

Interestingly, such activities are confined to two top engineering institutions -- New Horizon College of Engineering and BMS College of Engineering at the KCET. H Prasanna, executive director KEA told DH, "We will wait for seven days for students' replies before initiating further action. We will definitely recommend an inquiry."

Sharing more details, Prasanna said, "At least 20 students registered from the same IP address. Some students who were available on phone said they were not aware about it and they have got admissions under JEE."

Prasanna said, "I suspected something fishy when around 12 students whom we blocked last year for selecting seats and not reporting to colleges, approached me this year saying they were not able to participate in counselling. To my surprise, the students said they had never participated in engineering counseling last year as they were aiming for a medical seat and took NEET long term. I then realised their login credentials were misused."

Under KCET quota, 2,300 seats went to the management of which 33 were CS and 25 were Artificial Intelligence from BMSCE and 17 CS at New Horizon College. Under COMED-K, 48 were for CS at BMSCE and 35 for CS in BMSIT.

Manjunatha, Principal New Horizon College of Engineering denied any such activity and said, "There is no such activity as far as our college is concerned."

H Karan Kumar, Board of Governors BMSCE, said, "Only the principal will be aware about admission issues and he will only be responsible for admissions. I will seek a clarification about this issue in the BOG meeting."