Not single but five-exam policy for MBA hopefuls

The five tests are CAT (IIMs), JMET (IITs), MAT (All India Management Association), ATMA (All India Management Society) and XAT (Xavier Labour Relations Institute). Joshi had initially proposed the five tests but then wanted to simplify the procedure and have just one countrywide exam.

The IIMs had not agreed because they feared their prestigious CAT would be diluted. Last year, after the CAT question paper leak, Joshi had insisted that the IIMs agree to the single-exam proposal. An order was even issued, making the single test mandatory in 2005.

At present, the CAT is used to select about 1,200 students of the six IIMs and about 6,000 others, who would study in other top management institutions.

Joshi’s decision had also been opposed by minority-run institutions, especially Aligarh Muslim University and the Jamia Millia Islamia. They feared that their minority status would be affected by such a test.

But the Ministry now appears to have convinced them to accept the five-test formula—its resolution, released today, clearly states that both minority and non-minority institutions would have to accept these tests.

Of course, the states can continue to hold their own tests as before. But those will be for admission to institutes within the geographical limits of the respective state.

Today’s resolution drawn up by the ministry brings curtains down on a raging controversy, which had further alienated the IIMs. The ministry, in its note today, said, ‘‘This resolution supersedes (the government order) dated 10th October, 2003 and comes into immediate effect.’’

Meanwhile, Infosys chief N R Narayanamurthy said here today that each IIM should be allowed to develop independently. Narayanamurthy, who is also the chairman of IIM Ahmedabad, was responding to a question on whether he agreed that the established IIMs should help out the new institutes that were being planned.

HRD Minister Arjun Singh had recently announced in Shillong that the North East would get an IIM and sought help from one of the bigger IIMs—Ahmedabad, Bangalore or Kolkata—to set it up.

Narayanamurthy, however, pointed out that there could be better exchange of faculty members and transfer of academic ideas.