Special Correspondent
Pune : Students aspiring to pursue professional courses like Engineering, MBA, and Architecture in Maharashtra have expressed deep dissatisfaction with the newly implemented admission rules under the State Common Entrance Test (CET). Introduced this year by the Department of Higher and Technical Education, the revised criteria have sparked unrest among students and parents alike.
The primary concern arises from the second and third rounds of the CET counselling process. If a student is allotted any one of their top three preferred colleges in Round 2, they are automatically disqualified from participating in subsequent rounds. In Round 3, the rule becomes even stricter, if allotted any college within the top six preferences, the student is removed from the process, regardless of their willingness to wait for a better option.
This has resulted in several high-performing students being forced to accept admissions in non-preferred branches, unaided departments, or colleges with limited opportunities. Students and organizations have called these rules restrictive and unfair, demanding their immediate revision.
Highlighting the growing frustration, a formal memorandum has been submitted to the State CET Cell by Suresh Jain (President, Maharashtra Civil Action Committee), Ajinkya Palkar (NCP Youth Wing – Sharad Pawar Faction, Pune), and Abhijit Mahamuni (Congress, Pune). The letter urges the state to take corrective steps and amend the existing rules.
Suresh Jain explained that even a marginal difference in marks could eliminate students from further opportunities. “If the cut-off for a course in the third round is 90% and a student has scored 89%, they should still have a chance in the next round for better options. But the current rule denies them that opportunity altogether,” he pointed out.
Students and parents argue that such rigid rules were scrapped in 2014 after widespread complaints—and now, a similar structure has resurfaced in a new form. They believe that in today’s digital era, the admission process should be straightforward and transparent. Unfortunately, they say, the current system only creates confusion and injustice.
