Students Securing Minus Marks To Take Admission In Professional Courses

BHUBANESWAR: The candidates scoring zero or negative marks in Odisha Join Entrance Examination (OJEE) are eligible to take admission in various technical and professional courses in the state.

The unsavoury fact has come to fore as the OJEE authorities have started the process of counselling beginning in the first week of July.

All the 46,165 students appeared in the OJEE have secured ranks. The exam was held for various courses including MBA, MCA, MAM, MTech, MPharm, March, BHMS, BAMS, lateral diploma engineering and lateral entry for various government and private colleges in the state.

According to OJEE sources,  920 candidates have scored less than zero while 21,620 candidates have scored more than 10 percent.

A total of 2,760 candidates have scored more than 30 percent and only 276 students have secured more than 50 percent in the OJEE.

Notably, the state government had introduced minus marking this year in the OJEE.

Now, the entrance board awarded ranks to all the students and even allowed all those who figured on the merit list, even the ones those who had scored negative marks to participate in the counselling.

However, the move of the state government was widely criticised by educationists in the state.

“If students securing negative and zero marks can get admission into technical and professional colleges, then why such entrance was conducted by spending government money? Besides, manpower was engaged for smooth conduct of the entrance,” said an educationist on condition of anonymity.

“The coaching centres are also harassing and charging large amount from parents. These farce need to be stopped. The government can facilitate admission on mark basis,” he added.