Dates of the exam was declared late, which Results are expected to be out on
March 11.
Single entrance tests have always had difficulty in taking
off in India. Common Management Aptitude Test (CMAT), the test that would replace
all other management tests in the coming year except CAT, has found only few takers
in its maiden year. The test that is to kick off today will be taken by 70,000 odd
candidates across the country. The online test will be conducted over a period of
nine days in 69 centres. About 7,500 students will take it on the first day. CMAT,
which was expected to be taken by about 2.5 lakh students, suddenly, may have fizzled
out. The exam, from next year, will be the key to all management seats except for
those in the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).
AICTE had decided not to make
it mandatory in the first year and to offer it along with the other entrance tests.
Said S.S. Mantha, chairman, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE):
Based on a Supreme Court interim order, the dates of the exam was declared late.
By that time, many states had already announced their Common Entrance Tests (CETs)
and students had started preparing for them. Other wise, state governments are open
to CMAT and have written to us saying “they will comply with it from next year”.
Mumbai, Pune and Jaipur are the cities that have had the maximum registration. Sources
say “the numbers from Bangalore are not very encouraging. I think, the problem was
that the authorities were not able to give enough publicity to it. The awareness
among stake holder’s students and colleges was quite low, said Hari Krishna Maram,
governing council member, All India Management Association (AIMA). The exam is conducted
twice everyday. Results are expected to be out on March 11.
Courtesy: Times of India