Date for sale of DET forms likely to be extended

BHUBANESWAR: The last date for the sale of Diploma Entrance Test (DET) forms might be extended after the Odisha State Private Engineering Schools Association (OPESA) approached the Directorate of Technical Education and Training (DTET) as the High School Certificate (HSC) examinations have been rescheduled. HSC examinations were postponed after a leak of question paper from one exam centres. The exams which have been rescheduled will start from April 17 and end on April 26. Prior to  question paper leak and rescheduling of examinations, OPESA had set April 15 as the last date for sale of DET forms.   But now OPESA wants extention of the last date for sale of forms as the students will be appearing for the exams till April 26.  Representatives of OPESA met the commissioner-cum-secretary of DTET CS Kumar to discuss the issue. The DTET officials have reportedly agreed to extend the date by 4-5 days but not longer than that. “A student needs time after the board examinations to fill up the entrance forms,” said OPESA secretary Saroj Kumar Sahoo. The private engineering schools have requested the DTET officials to extend the date at least by another 10 days, otherwise it will serve no purpose. “The students have to be involved in the form fill-up process like choosing their subjects and putting the signature in the forms. If they all are appearing for exams during the sale of forms, how will they apply for the institutes,” asked Sahoo.  The engineering colleges are already battling a problem of vacant seats in the state. If sufficient students do not get an opportunity to buy the DET forms, the engineering schools are likely to face the problems of vacant seats. The final decision on the extension of the date is yet to be taken. OPESA vice-president Bibhuti B Tripathy was present at the meeting.