IITs reluctant to go the CMAT way
IITs’ reluctance to let the HRD Ministry’s new pet common entrance exam for all engineering institutes go ahead is similar to the hue-and-cry on Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) launched by AICTE in February 2012.
Many states, including UP refused to adopt the CMAT. Prominent management institutes including IIMs, Xavier’s, Symbiosis, Narsee Monjee, and TISS still conduct their own tests. Hence, management aspirants have a choice of appearing for CAT, XAT, SNAP, NMAT, TISS, and MAT. Many state universities and colleges conduct their own management entrance exams too.
All these entrance tests have different structure and pattern. Students have to cope with preparation for multiple top-level exams besides CMAT. Separate entrance tests also mean additional financial burden on students. Read more
The merger of JMET, FMS, and CAT might have been a relief to some but it has increased uncertainty about selection to IITs as the institutes’ selection criteria are different.
Major points where CMAT failed
- CMAT has failed to bring all the coveted management institutes under one umbrella. Most prestigious institutions like IIMs, NMIMS, and TISS still conduct their own separate exams.
- Many colleges have not accepted CMAT because it will mean an end to their source of revenue, which comes from sale of application forms for their entrance tests.
- It has been announced that CMAT will be conducted twice a year from 2013. See details However, B-schools only accept students from June to August. So, students appearing for CMAT in September will have to wait till the next academic year intake, thus wasting their one year.
- CMAT has been said to be a low-level exam. Hence, other B-schools are reluctant to accept its scores. The implementation and the quality of exam too have been criticized. It is said that CMAT focuses on quantity rather than quality of students.
- CMAT was announced abruptly and conducted in haste.
IITs too have been reiterating the fact that implementing CET in haste will only make it a national disaster. Hence, the government should take time to study the exam in detail before introducing it. Know more
Other interesting reads:
- Timeline JEE: ball by ball on CET
- IIT-B's electric car to race UK's Formula One Circuit
