HC stays circular on single common entrance test

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Thursday stayed a circular issued by the state government that said it would conduct a single common entrance test for admissions to post-graduate management courses. The association of private unaided colleges had approached the court to challenge the government decision, saying it impinged on their rights to run their institutions.
Students wanting to take admissions to post-graduate diploma in business management (PGDBM) courses for 2011-12 will have the option of taking national level tests like Common Aptitude Test (CAT), Management Aptitude Test (MAT), XLRI Admission Test (XAT), AIMS Test for Management Aptitude (ATMA) and Joint Management Entrance Test (JMET).
The institutions will then hold their own group discussions and personal interviews to admit students.
The advocate for the association said that it was not possible to have a single common entrance test with the same pattern and eligibility since there were several disciplines in the courses.
The association pointed to the government's alleged failure in handling admissions for the MBA course in 2009-10, when about 10,000 seats had remained vacant. The association argued that the state government's decision violated the constitutional rights of private colleges.
The lawyer pointed to the Supreme Court judgments, which had held that managements of private institutes had unfettered fundamental rights to choose students for admission.
The state government had insisted that a single common entrance test would ensure a smoother and transparent admission process.