The decision by the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) to do away with its Common Admission Test (CAT) for admissions to the new academic year and replace it with an admission process based on the marks in the qualifying exam in view of the COVID-19 crisis has prompted a section of the aspirants to place a request before the authorities.
Some of the students had not applied for CAT as its initial schedule had coincided with the entrance for admission to the National Defence Academy. Several others had not applied based on the impression that they would not qualify as the admission was based on the performance in the entrance test alone. With the varsity deciding to cancel CAT for the new academic year in view of the COVID-19 situation, the students have requested the authorities to reopen the registration window for admission.
“We had not applied for CAT as the entrance test for NDA was also scheduled on April 18. Our request is to give at least one day for registration so that we would get a chance to get admission in Cusat based on the marks that we have scored in the qualifying exam,” said a batch of students.
However, Vice Chancellor K.N. Madhusoodanan said that it would be difficult to open the registration process again. The decision to cancel CAT was taken owing to the COVID-19 crisis, but its not possible for us to consider fresh applications,” he said.
Mr. Madhusoodanan said that a normalisation process, similar to the pattern followed for the State entrance test held by the Commissioner of Entrance Exams, would be carried out as part of the admission based on the marks in the qualifying exam.
Besides, B.Tech. programmes, the admission to B.Voc, Integrated M.Sc. (Science) and Integrated M.Sc. (Photonics) courses will be done on the basis of marks scored by applicants in Class 12. The authorities had to cancel the entrance test after many States did not respond favourably for setting up exam centres in their regions in view of the COVID-19 situation.