KEA Refuses to Update KCET Ranks for Bengaluru CBSE Students After Revaluation

Several CBSE Class 12 students from west Bengaluru and south Bengaluru have been left stranded after the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) refused to update their Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) rankings despite their board marks increasing after revaluation. The decision has sparked outrage among affected students who fear losing out on preferred seats in undergraduate professional courses like engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, and veterinary science.

The KCET rankings are determined using a 50:50 formula, where half the weightage is based on KCET marks out of 180, and the other half is based on Class 12 marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics out of 300. Following the CBSE's On-Screen Marking controversy, which saw more than 1.6 lakh students apply for revaluation, several students scored higher and approached KEA for revised ranks, only to be turned away.

One 17-year-old student from west Bengaluru scored 569 out of 600 in his Class 12 exam, securing a KCET rank of around 2,200. After the CBSE declared his revised revaluation results, his marks rose to 575, which should have pushed his rank into the 1,600 range. However, when the student checked online before the first round of counselling began, his rank remained unchanged. According to the student's father, KEA officials initially claimed they were trying to accommodate students with revised marks through "spot ranking," but later failed to pay heed to their explanations.

Another Class 12 CBSE student from south Bengaluru faced a similar situation. Initially scoring 418 marks and receiving a KCET rank of around 27,000, his score rose to 435 after revaluation. He repeatedly visited the KEA office starting June 24. While an officer initially told him they would consider the revised marks and asked him to submit a letter, he was later told on June 29 that they might not consider them. On a subsequent Wednesday, KEA officials categorically stated they would not consider the new marksheet. The student noted that his rank would have improved by at least 2,000 spots if the new marks were considered.

KEA Executive Director H Prasanna stated that updating ranks post-revaluation is not permitted because the counselling process is already underway. When asked about a student who was reportedly allotted a fresh rank after submitting a new marksheet, Prasanna said he would look into the matter.

With the KEA refusing to revise the rankings, some parents of the affected students are now contemplating approaching the court to seek justice.