No separate entrance exams at private universities in Karnataka from next year

There will be no separate entrance examinations by the private universities offering professional courses in the state from the 2025-26 academic year.

Following the direction from the higher education department, the private universities have formed an association and agreed to scrap entrance tests at their level.

Announcing this at a meeting with the Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar on Thursday where representatives from 17 universities were present, they agreed to go with any of the existing entrance examinations. Of the 27 private universities, 17 universities offer professional courses.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Dr Sudhakar said, “Some (private universities) have decided to consider JEE score while others expressed interest in KCET and a few in COMEDK. It is their choice.”

The department, however, advised them to decide on conducting a common entrance test consisting of all private universities. 

However, the minister mentioned that in the coming days, the government will also consider having a common entrance test for admissions to general degree courses at private universities. “As there is no entrance test for admissions to general degree courses at the colleges and universities run by the government, we were unable to take any decision on it,” Sudhakar explained.

The high fees charged by private universities were also discussed in the meeting and the universities have been directed to fix the fees by constituting a fee fixation committee headed by a retired judge.

“It is there in the law of every private university and we have directed them that they must fix the fees only through the committees,” Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar said.

However, the fees for 40% of the seats in professional courses at private universities, filled through KCET, will be fixed by the government every year.

Going a step ahead to bring uniformity among private universities, the government is contemplating forming a common law for private universities and bringing all under a single umbrella. Currently, each university has its own Act.