Private institutes in Mumbai can conduct their own entrance exams

Private unaided institutions, conducting post graduate diploma in business management (PGDBM) courses, got a relief for this academic year from the Bombay high court on Thursday as they were allowed to conduct their own Common Entrance Tests (CET), which the state and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), had stayed by issuing circulars.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice SJ Vazifdar, stayed the circular for the year 2011-2012. On January 1, the state had published a public notice stating they would conduct CET for this course.

According to the petition, the association has already chalked out schedule to conduct its own CET and has accordingly informed the Directorate of Technical Education and the AICTE as well.
"It is not possible to have a single CET with same pattern and eligibility as there are several disciplines and categories," said counsel Aspi Chinoy, appearing for the petitioner said.

The petition also stated that the government's purported failure in properly handling admissions for MBA course — in 2009-10, about 10,000 MBA seats had remained vacant — it added that the state machinery was incapable of handling the CET.

The insistence to conduct admission process for PGDBM despite their dismal performance is not only illegal and unconstitutional but is unreasonable," states the petition.

State on the other hand opposed the petition saying that, "We want to regulate the admission process and offer more options in colleges to the students.”