New Delhi: Amid opposition from some private management bodies, AICTE has decided to conduct the newly introduced online Common Management Admission Test twice a year from 2013 to make it more popular among the students.
The online test will be held for the first time from
February 20 to 28 this year for admission to AICTE approved
management institutes.
"The aim of holding the test twice a year is to help
candidates pick the best of the two CMAT scores for admission
instead of having to wait for another one year," AICTE
chairman SS Mantha said.
While the first test would be held in February, the
second one could be held in the month of August or September,
he said.
The All India Council for Technical Education announced
holding CMAT last year as part of a move to reduce the
multiple entrance exams for admissions to MBA and post-
graduate diploma in management (PGDM) programmes at institutes
approved by it.
Mantha, however, made it clear the maiden test this year
will not be binding on any institute but hoped that by next
year everyone would be onboard with this initiative in keeping
with the larger interest of students.
"Our aim is to take everyone onboard and eventually we
believe people will come onboard. Ultimately, you should see
why certain things are done. Our aim is to bring in some
common standards, facilitate students and reduce fees...and
CMAT score should be used by all AICTE approved institutions.
That is our goal," he said.
The IIMs, however, will continue to hold the CAT exams
independently.
The Educational Promotion Society for India along with
some B-schools has objected to CMAT amid apprehensions that
the online test would be made mandatory for these business
schools.
They also cited an interim order of the Supreme Court
last year which had allowed the established tests like MAT,
XAT, ATMA and JMET to continue.
Mantha said some states have already agreed to accept
CMAT scores. He expected 50,000 to 60,000 students sitting for
CMAT this year.
IT company Aptech will be holding the online test on
behalf on AICTE.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 18:32