Medical aspirants caught in AIPMT mess

Pooja P (name changed), wrote CET this year. She also appeared for the All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) which, however, was annulled by the Supreme Court on June 15.Though Pooja has secured a good rank in CET, she would have had more options at the all-India level if AIPMT wasn't nullified.
With CBSE announcing that it'll re-conduct AIPMT for medical and dental courses on July 25, hundreds of students like Pooja are confused.With seat-selection process for professional courses in Karnataka commencing, students will have to decide and pay fees once a seat is selected.“We need to pay up on the day we choose the medical seat.With the exam rescheduled, the seat-selection process for AIPMT will only be pushed further. Either I have to opt for a seat under CET or lose money and choose a seat elsewhere later. This is so unfair,'' complained a student.
The Supreme Court cancelled the AIPMT examination held on May 3 following a question paper leak, directing the CBSE to re-conduct the test. Playing it safe, most students have now decided to take up medical seats under CET. Once the AIPMT results are out, they'll shift to top medical colleges.
If AIPMT aspirants are under pressure to spend money for admission to two different colleges, CET candidates who aren't keen on appearing for AIPMT are equally panicky as they fear seats under CET will be blocked by AIPMT aspirants.
Sekhar Raju, another student who took both the tests said, “I'm confident of securing a good rank in AIPMT. But to be on the safer side, I'll take admission through CET. Once I get a seat under AIPMT, I will give up the CET seat. I'm worried because if AIPMT counselling gets delayed, we'll have to miss classes here which will begin from September-end.“
A Karnataka Examination Authority official said students wanting to explore both options cannot be blamed for blocking seats under CET as the problem has been created by CBSE. A parent of a student who's appearing for both the tests said his son will select a medical seat under CET but won't pay the fee till the last date of admission.
Students prefer AIPMT because seats are reserved in government colleges across the country; in Karnataka, 15% of seats are reserved for AIPMT candidates across 12 medical colleges. Also, compared to CET and Comed-K, AIPMT fee is less.