With the date for the Common Management Admission Test (CMAT) round the corner, most state universities are agreeing to accept CMAT scores. However, private institutes such as Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur and Symbiosis International University, who conduct their own MBA entrance tests, have been firm on not accepting CMAT scores for 2012. Universities of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have joined the universities of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Kerala — where the state management examinations have been scrapped — in giving their nod to accept CMAT scores starting from this year.

Arun Nahar, director of technical Education (Madhya Pradesh) said, “The concept of CMAT is very futuristic and we are not at all complaining about the MP-MET (Madhya Pradesh Management Entrance Test) being scrapped from next year.” He also said that it was a good move by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to conduct one uniform exam. Sunil Shrivastava, Public Relations Officer of the MP Professional Examination Board explained that the applicants for MP-MET have been declining over the past few years. While the count stood at 18,153 applicants in 2008, it fell down to 15,820 in 2009 and further dipped to 14,156 in 2010. In 2011, MP-MET received 10,199 applications before being scrapped from this year.

As for the Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Exam (UPSEE) held by Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU) in Lucknow, it will continue this year, but the authorities have decided to accept CMAT scores for 20% of the management seats in all its affiliated colleges for 2012. A UPTU official on condition of anonymity said that no policy had been formulated regarding the admission procedure for next year as yet. Applications for management seats have gone down slightly over the past couple of years. However, we are expecting an increase in the number of applications for our management courses with the acceptance of CMAT scores this year, the official said.

Some universities such as that of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are yet to agree on accepting CMAT scores. Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET), which is conducted by Chennai’s Anna University, will continue this year and will not accept CMAT scores. An Anna University official wishing not to be named said that as the announcement for CMAT had come very late, which is why they decided not to accept the scores. He indicated that the university might accept CMAT scores from next year. Gujarat Technical University too has not formulated any policy in the matter. According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the Gujarat Common Entrance Test (Guj-CET) would be held but the authorities were yet to take a decision regarding acceptance of CMAT scores. As soon as a final decision is taken, we shall make it public, he said.

Private institutes such as Symbiosis International University, which has a deemed university status and holds its own management entrance test — Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP) — every year, has not really given ‘accepting CMAT scores’ a thought. Dr Anil Keskar, Dean (Academics) at Symbiosis International University said that the university had been extremely busy with the execution and results of SNAP. Till now, we have not got any confirmation whether deemed universities can accept CMAT scores. We have not had any deliberations on the topic of CMAT as of now. However, the topic will be put under discussion soon, he added.

XLRI,which conducts its own Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT), has decided not to include CMAT scores this year. An XLRI official said, There is no decision taken to scrap XAT till now. We are waiting for the Supreme Court to take a decision in the matter as XAT is recognised by AICTE. Since the matter is in court it would not be right for anyone to say anything.”