AICTE plans to conduct CMAT abroad
Despite criticism of the new common management admission test (CMAT), conducted earlier this year in February, failing to achieve its purpose of minimizing the number of entrance tests and saving time and money of the applicants, The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is planning to go beyond national boundaries with the CMAT for non-resident Indians (NRIs) who wish to get admission to management institutes in India.
AICTE chairman, Dr. SS Mantha told Hindustan Times that many prospective NRI students have been inquiring about the CMAT after it made its first run in February 2012. With more than 3,800 management schools in the country, AICTE will presently focus on the Gulf countries which have a good strength of Indians. The US and European regions would be covered eventually.
However, it is uncertain whether CMAT going abroad will become effective from the second CMAT which has been scheduled for August or September this year. Nevertheless, the CMAT for abroad which will probably be conducted from February 2013 will become an alternative option to the GMAT for NRI students in the near future. (Read more)
The new format which was supposed to optimize the efficiency of the whole admission process failed to achieve its cause as many institutes refused to follow it. Many MBA aspirants had to appear for multiple entrance tests in spite of the CMAT. Several renowned management institutes still recruit students through their own tests such as CAT, XAT (Xavier Aptitude Test); SNAP (Symbiosis National Aptitude Test), etc. (Read complete story)
Various state universities and colleges also conducted separate entrance tests for admission to their management programmes this year. However, the council is hopeful that they will be able to persuade state universities to consider the test for admission to their institutes.
Another such situation is currently visible with IITs, NIIITs and AITs reluctant to go ahead with the proposed JEE for admission to their engineering and technical programmes. (Read more)
More than 50,000 students took the first CMAT conducted by AICTE in February this year. The second CMAT will be held in August or September this year. The dates for the exam have not been finalized yet.
