GetCETGo in, Doordarshan OUT

Sanjay R Murty | NT Bengaluru:

Students who wish to pursue a professional course in Karnataka, need to crack the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (K-CET). While some students have better access to coaching and study materials to prepare for the entrance test, others have to make do with the available resources due to lack of accessibility owing to various factors.

The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) partnered with Bengaluru’s Doordarshan Kendra (DDK) to conceptualise and produce television series in which teachers explain concepts and solve sample problems pertaining to the CET syllabus. Many of these classes had explanations in Kannada, thus helping a large section of the state’s CET candidates.

However, the series has not been produced for two years in a row. The last edition of Vikasana aired in 2020. In 2020, the department of higher education introduced a learning app and web portal called ‘GetCETGo’. The app has seen new and better versions in the following years. “GetCETGo is an excellent learning tool that has an interactive model. Students can take sample tests and get their doubts cleared,” said Karnataka minister for Higher Education C N Ashwath Narayan regarding the app.

An official at Doordarshan Kendra told News Trail that the national broadcaster had been approaching KEA repeatedly regarding Vikasana but in vain. “They have not been showing interest in getting new series of the Vikasana programme produced,” he said, while adding that the department collaborated with a private firm to develop an online CET crash course.

When asked about the reason for discontinuing, the official said that the decision depended on the officials in charge at KEA.

The GetCETGo portal was developed by the Karnataka government in collaboration with a leading private coaching institute in the city, which has been providing tutoring services for competitive exams. While the app contains features which are undoubtedly helpful to aspirants; but Vikasana had its own advantages too. The minister apparently avoided questions on why Vikasana was discontinued as he lauded GetCETGo and asked everyone to try the learning tool.