JBIMS admits students only from Maharashtra state

JBIMS, Mumbai

Under the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Maharashtra Common Admission Process, all 120 MBA seats at Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) have been allotted to Maharashtra students, restricting candidates from rest of India to secure admission in the reputed B-school.

According to a report, in this year’s admission process through MAH-CET MBA/MMS, all 120 seats at JBIMS have been filled by Maharashtra candidates, despite a 15% reservation for All India (AI) candidates. The seat matrix after the Common Admission Process (CAP) Round I has been updated on the DTE, Maharashtra website where it can be seen that all 120 CAP seats have been allotted to Maharashtra State (MS) candidates. There were no allotment of seats in CAP II and III rounds for JBIMS aspirants.

Interestingly, that is not the case with other popular B-schools of Maharashtra. KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai, 5 students have been offered admission to AI candidates (CAP seats 96), while 18 AI candidates have been offered seats as Prin LN Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, Mumbai.

Similarly, 9 seats at NL Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai (CAP seats 120) and Sydenham Institute of Management Studies & Research & Entrepreneurship Education (SIMSREE), Mumbai (CAP seats 60) each, have been allotted to AI candidates.

As it is evident that preference has been given to MAH-CET MBA/MMS qualifying students over All India level exam qualifying students, many aspirants feel that if so was indeed the case, DTE Maharashtra should have clarified earlier. JBIMS is one of the top B-Schools in Maharashtra, which attracts MBA aspirants from across the country in large a number every year. The selection criteria for JBIMS is qualifying marks in MAH-CET MBA/MMS where in 15% seats reserved for All India candidates, i.e. candidates having marks of CAT/XAT/CMAT etc. who apply for the CAP rounds under AI category. Out of 120 seats, 18 were offered to AI candidates.

It may be recalled, that JBIMS decided to conduct its own admission process in 2015 and admitted candidates on the basis of MAH-CET MBA/MMS as well as CAT and other entrance exams. However, it had to reverse its admission process in 2016 and participated in DTE, Maharashtra CAP. Although in 2017 again JBIMS announced that it would not participate in DTE CAP, DTE Maharashtra did not allow it to conduct its own admission process.

Non-inclusion of All India category candidates is not only likely to affect classroom diversity but also hit the brand of JBIMS. The institute risks losing the competitive edge viz-a-viz quality of students which may in turn affect placement prospects.