IN YET another hitch in admissions to law colleges, candidates allotted seats in the fourth round could lose their seats as the Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell will now run the fourth round once again after it found faults in the automated seat allocation system.
The CET Cell on Saturday issued a notice stating it found ‘machine errors’ in the allocation process following complaints from candidates that the merit criteria had been violated in the fourth round of allocation. It also said that some minority colleges had complained that their reserved seats were allocated to general category students even though the seats had not been surrendered. “To ensure transparency in the merit and quota allocation, commissioner CET CELL and the competent authority has already intimated to the principals and the candidates in the provisional admission letter issued to the candidate that if any machine error is brought to the notice of the authority, the competent authority will take action…” read the notice.
It stated that if a machine error is brought to the notice of CET Cell, it will make necessary amendments in the merit list of admitted candidates. According to the notice, seat allotments of the fourth round are subject to cancellation, alteration and modification. A fresh allocation list will be displayed on Sunday for three and five-year LLB courses. Candidates can confirm their admissions by Wednesday.
CET Cell Commissioner Chandrashekhar Oak said several candidates with higher merit had not been allocated seats and the reallocation would give justice to these candidates.
“Candidates with higher marks, not allocated seats because of machine error, will be allocated seats according to their preference,” said Oak, adding that this will alter the status of some candidates who had secured seats in the fourth round.
“If it is found that a candidate with higher merit is eligible for a seat that has been allotted to a candidate with lower marks, the latter’s allotment will be cancelled,” he said. “The latter will be reallocated a seat according to preference and availability.” If there is no vacancy, the latter will not be allotted any seat in the fourth round.
“Those who are not allotted any seats in the fourth round will have to wait for the fifth round where they will be allowed to change preferences according to vacancies,” said Oak.