CAT not necessary for MBA admission: AICTE

      The All India Council of Technology Education (AICTE) has allowed business schools and institutions offering MBA  and PGDM courses to admit students based on the marks obtained in qualifying undergraduate exams as several entrance tests could not be conducted as due to corona virus, Officials said.

    The technical education regulatory has clarified that the relaxation is being made availability for 2020-2021 academic session and should not be seen as for upcoming future academic years. 

    All India test like CAT, XAT, ATMA. MAT, GRE and many common entrance test of respective states are the qualifying tests for admission to MBA or the Post graduate Diploma in Management course. In many states, some of these state entrance tests could not be conducted due to fear of covid-19 spread, and there is no indication as to whether these tests are postponed or likely to be held or cancelled , AICTE member secretary Ranjive Kumar said.

    AICTE being more facilitator than a regulator. considered alternative proposal through which selection of students could made for admission to the PGDM course which will benefit both institutions as well as the students.

    "Therefore, in the current scenario, the PGDM and MBA institutions are allowed to admit students on the basis of marks obtained in qualifying examinations by preparing a merit list in a transparent manner. However, first preference will be given to candidates who have appeared in any of the entrance tests and have qualified, irrespective of their marks secured at degree level as long as minimum marks are secured," Kumar added.

The council has directed institutions to select candidates based on merit in the qualifying UG

exams if there are vacant seats available.

    "The states may also use this relaxation while allotting seats through counselling.
 It may be noted that this relaxation to the PGDM and MBA institutions shall be
 applicable only for the academic year 2020-2021, this cannot be taken as a precedent

   Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16, 
when the Centre announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as part of
 measures to contain COVID-19.

     A nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25. While several restrictions have been
 eased, schools and colleges continue to be closed.
     Many MBA entrance exams, including MAT and ATMA, have moved to the Internet
 Based Testing (IBT) platform. Global MBA entrance exam, GMAT, too is being 
conducted in IBT mode.