AIMA is planning to conduct MAST four times annually from 2012!
The apex body of the management profession, All India Management Association (AIMA), is now planning to conduct its newly launched management Aptitude and Skills Test (MAST) four times annually from 2012. It was conducted for the first time on 25th September, 2011. It is a computer-based test aims at providing a gateway to management students to get to the top B-schools in India. The test is designed for the B-school students who are ready to enter the corporate world. 
Rekha Sethi, Director General, All India Management Association (AIMA) said that around 5000 students of 300 B-schools across India appeared for the test held in September. At present, the test is being conducted twice in a year i.e. February and September but now the council is looking forward to conduct it 4 times in a year from next year onwards and subsequently planning to make it like GMAT.
As per AIMA, recruiters only cover up a mere 10% of B-Schools every year which left overmany bright students from the B-schools other than top 50 and metro based institutes. The exam initiated with the purpose of providing a platform to students as well as to the recruitment companies. It is a platform to the students of B-schools other than top management schools to grab placement opportunities.
It also provides a platform to corporate companies by providing them with a chance to spot talent even in small towns. It works as an overpass between the industry and the students. As per the data of AIMA, over 3.5 lakh MBA students pass out annually from around 4,000 All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) approved institutes.
There is a sort of miscommunication in reaching to the skilled candidates as potential recruiters are not able to reach out to the remotely located institutions. Rajiv Vastupal, newly elected president of AIMA for the year 2011-12 stated that, today the size of companies is large and they require manpower in bulk and this test targets the mass recruiters and we provide compiled data based on the test results and provide them to recruiters.
AIMA has opened network of centers; its first office outside Delhi in Bangalore and now it plans to set up centers in Pune and Kolkata soon, and later to cover all the regions.
Source: Richha Bhatnagar (Shiksha Team)
