RTI query on Maharashtra govt's decision on CET

PUNE: The state government’s decision to extend full weightage to scores in the MHT-CET, a common entrance test to be re-introduced from 2016 for admissions to first-year engineering, pharmacy and health science courses in the state, has been questioned by RTI activist Vivek Velankar.
In an email to the additional chief secretary of the department of higher and technical education in Mumbai, Velankar has sought the publication of reasons for such a decision since the new policy does not give any weightage to the standard XII state board exam scores in the physics, chemistry and mathematics (PCM) group.
“The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 makes it mandatory for every public authority to publish all relevant reasons while formulating important policies or announcing decisions that affect public at large,” Velankar told TOI while citing Sections 4 (1) (c) and 4 (1) (d) of the Act. “Every public authority shall also provide reasons for its administrative or quasi-judicial decisions to the affected persons,” he said.
Three years ago, the Congress-led state government had decided to join the HRD ministry’s scheme of a single national entrance test called the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for admissions to engineering courses. The state government then decided to give 50% weightage each to the JEE score and the PCM score in the state board exam while admitting students to engineering courses.
However, the new BJP-led government decided to revert to the earlier scheme of MHT-CET from 2016-17 and issued a detailed notification on August 28. The government has justified the move on the basis of popular demand from people who felt the JEE was much too difficult to crack and was affecting the interests of students from the state.

However, there is a counter view that frequent changes in the government’s admission policy for professional courses affects students who prepare for these exams.
“The government’s notification announcing the MHT-CET scheme from 2016-17 onwards makes no mention about the reasons for this sudden change in admission policy, nor does it speak about the decision not to give weightage to the standard XII state board exam score in the PCM group,” Velankar said.