The Delhi High Court has stuck another blow to the beleaguered Common Management Admission Test, or CMAT, the MBA entrance exam conducted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Delhi High Court, in a judgment on October 7, 2013, said, “It is clear from the Supreme Court findings that AICTE has no role to play either in admission process or in subsequent monitoring of such (MBA) courses.” The court noted that as per Supreme Court judgment MBA courses don’t fall under “technical education” as defined in the AICTE Act.
MBAUniverse.com has a copy of the 7-page Delhi High Court Judgment. Mr Romy Chacko, Advocate appeared for National President of the Petitioner Federation of Association of Management of Unaided Professional Educational Institutions of India (FAMPEI), the body that moved the High Court. Mr Rakesh Dwivedi, Senior Advocate, appeared on behalf of AICTE.
Terming the development as a positive development, Dr GPC Nair, the National President of the Petitioner FAMPEI, the body that moved the High Court, told MBAUniverse.com, “This is a positive development for India MBA education since AICTE and CMAT created a lot of confusion last year. B-schools should have a choice to use whichever test they wish to use, and not be forced by government authorities.”
This is the second court ruling this year that undermines the authority of the AICTE. On 25 April, the Supreme Court ruled that the AICTE did not have the authority to control or regulate professional colleges that are affiliated to universities. Effectively, the apex court ruling removed business schools from the AICTE’s ambit. Ministry of HRD was expected to bring an ordinance which was to restore AICTE powers, but no such development has happened.
According to MINT, which also reported on this matter earlier today, AICTE chairman S.S. Mantha said he was unaware of such a ruling. MINT quotes him as saying, “I don’t have any information on this so far. With (April) Supreme Court order, this sort of things will happen now,” Mantha said. “Unless the apex court order is reversed (via an ordinance), the value of AICTE will be questioned. But it is important to note that in last few years, we have brought huge transparency in the technical education space.”
What is to be noted is that while AICTE has successfully conducted September CMAT 2013, it is yet to announce details of its second (and more popular) CMAT test, earlier scheduled for February 2014.
In a related development, there is a high possibility that B schools in Maharashtra may go for the Common Entrance Test – MAH CET next year after the rural students were unable to take the online test, CMAT which was taken at the national level. Approx 39% students could not take their exams. The state also had witnessed 66% drop in number of applicants across various B schools in Maharashtra this year. The Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) in Maharashtra has sought legal opinion in the matter and a decision is expected next week.
CMAT, often seen as Dr SS Mantha’s pet project, has had a controversial past. The controversy arose when on December 29, 2010, AICTE issued a press notification that said that CMAT will be the only and exclusive test for MBA admissions across the country. Education Promotion Society of India (EPSI), and many other bodies and B-schools, objected to this notification. EPSI and Jaipuria Group of B-schools took the matter to Delhi High Court where the Court struck down AICTE’s claim that CMAT will be the only test. Court allowed B-schools to use any of the six national test: CAT, XAT, MAT, ATMA, GMAT and CMAT. This judgment holds as on date.
MBAUniverse.com was the first media platform to bring latest updates on CMAT and other key policy developments related to MBA education.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on this developing story.
