Indian Institutes of Management mull over common UG entrance test, MBA counselling amid other changes
Changes were discussed at the Coordination Forum of IIMs meeting chaired by then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are considering significant modifications to their admissions and student mobility processes. These proposed changes include a common entrance test for undergraduate management programs, a centralised counselling system for MBA admissions, a uniform fee-refund policy, and inter-IIM student transfers.
During a meeting chaired by then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, directors and representatives from across the IIM system discussed aligning UG entrance exams with the country's future needs, developing SOPs for MBA admissions, and policies on student migration and fee refunds. The education ministry circulated meeting minutes to IIMs on June 17, which were obtained by HT through an RTI application on September 15.
During the discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of multiple UG and Integrated Programme in Management (IPM) entrance exams, Union education minister Pradhan suggested avoiding multiple tests to reduce student stress. However, IIM Indore argued that multiple tests provide opportunities and accommodate various programme requirements.
IIM Bodh Gaya, Jammu, Amritsar, and Ranchi also supported a common entrance test, with Jammu and Bodh Gaya favouring one administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA). IIM Kozhikode favoured minimal regulation, while IIM Udaipur suggested using existing entrance exam scores.
The forum also debated the benefits of a unified counselling platform for MBA admissions, similar to the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) system used for IIT admissions. IIM Mumbai was tasked with developing a prototype for such a system. Additionally, the IIMs discussed policies on inter-IIM student migration, fee refunds, and non-refundable seat booking amounts.
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