KEAM fiasco triggers uncertainty for engineering aspirants

The State government plan to change KEAM rules at the eleventh hour has sent thousands of engineering aspirants into a tailspin of uncertainty.

The High Court’s dismissal of the State’s appeal against the revocation of the KEAM rank-list has brought into focus the government’s mishandling of the high-stakes examinations.

As national entrance examinations like JEE and NEET continue to push ahead with admissions, the State’s engineering admission process remains delayed by over a month and mired in a legal tangle.

“Unlike the National Testing Agency (NTA), which publishes rank-lists solely by entrance exam scores, the Kerala government’s approach involves combining entrance exam marks with Plus Two scores. This is where all the problem raises,” said M. Abdul Nazar, State secretary of the Kerala Unaided Schools Protection Council.

“When we point out discrepancies and anomalies in the entrance test system, we are often unfairly branded as villains and adversaries of the State’s general education system. Instead, those in charge should demonstrate efficiency and a willingness to listen,” said Mr. Nazar.

The way the State handled KEAM this year has evoked sharp criticism from different quarters, with the High Court itself finding fault the government. It is accused of trying to fix one mistake it committed last year with a fresh one this year.

In 2024, the State’s methodology for preparing the KEAM rank-list sparked controversy when it deducted 27 marks from State stream students’ totals while adding eight marks to CBSE students’ scores. This adjustment unfairly disadvantaged State stream students, causing many to lose out on rankings to their CBSE counterparts.

The State’s attempt to address its last year’s mistake has now backfired. “What we want is a fair treatment from the State. Instead of being fair, they are exposing their inefficiency,” said M. Jouhar, Malappuram district secretary of the council.

Education expert C. Mohammed Ajmal cautioned that the State’s haphazard management of the KEAM entrance examination could prompt students to seek better educational opportunities elsewhere, leading to a brain drain from the State.

According to Mr. Ajmal, the root issue lies in the State’s flawed examination system, which seems more focussed on lowering standards and justifying them rather than striving for excellence.

After months of anxious waiting, thousands of KEAM students are now staring at an uncertain future as their results hang in the balance. Meanwhile, admissions in other streams have already begun, leaving Kerala’s students feeling frustrated and left behind.