Diploma holders can now join any engineering branch in Karnataka

The Karnataka Examinations Authority has also reduced entrance exam marks of the DCET (Diploma CET)-2022. DCET will be conducted for only 100 marks instead of 180 from this year.

As per a report published in The Hindu, diploma holders in Karnataka can now opt for any branch of engineering through lateral entry (direct admission into the third semester) from the 2022-23 academic year as the government has amended the rules for the three-year engineering diploma admissions.

Earlier, diploma students were not given an option of selecting branches in the engineering streams. Civil engineering diploma holders could take only civil engineering branch in their engineering degree, while automobile engineering diploma holders could take only automobile engineering branch.

What the new rule says 

In 2020, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) changed its rules and regulations and liberalised the admission rules for engineering courses and let diploma holders take any branch through lateral entry. As per the new rule, a civil engineering diploma holder can opt for either mechanical, computer science, electrical, automobile, robotics or any available branch in the engineering degree.

DCET exam pattern changed 

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has also changed the exam pattern of the DCET (Diploma CET)-2022 from this year. DCET is the gateway to the three-year diploma courses through lateral entry for engineering courses.

Earlier, DCET was conducted for a total of 180 marks, including applied science, maths and the particular discipline in the diploma courses such as civil, mechanical and other subjects. Now, the KEA will conduct the DCET for only 100 marks in applied science and applied maths for three hours. The question paper will exclude the particular diploma courses disciplines.

Ramya S, Executive Director, KEA, said, “According to the AICTE norms, the government has decided to accommodate any engineering courses through the lateral entry for the diploma holders, irrespective of disciplines. They can now join any branch of engineering.”

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