Confusion prevails over entrance tests of MU
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 05 2023:
Students seeking admission to Manipur University (MU) have been left confused over which entrance test they should be appearing to pursue higher studies - the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) conducted by the Ministry of Education via National Test ing Agency (NTA) for admission to central universities or the Manipur University Entrance Test (MUET) .
CUET has become a mandatory examination for students, who want to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses in different central universities across the country.
However, previously when the students who wanted to study in MU registered for CUET, they were given test centres outside the state, some of which were far away and not feasible for the students to go for appearing the entrance test.
As such, many students could not appear CUET.
Thus, it was decided to enrol 50 percent of the students who passed CUET and 50 percent of those who passed MUET, to various post graduate and undergraduate courses.
For the session of 2023-24, there is no definite decision on whether the students have to appear CUET or MUET.
The Academic Council of MU is also yet to issue any notification on the matter.
Amid this, Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) is likely to urge for conducting different entrance tests, as done previously, instead of enforcing CUET, in the interest of students of the state.
In addition, there is growing concern over whether the students should register for CUET and avoid any admis -sion hiccup in the latter stages.
If, after appearing CUET, the test is relaxed for MU, it would render the efforts, time and money that the students utilised for CUET, meaningless.
Many students of the state will lose money appearing for CUET in this context, especially considering the fee is not cheap.
On the Other hand, Education (S) director L Nandakumar issued a notification on March 28 instructing that the students appearing for the Higher Secondary Examination in 2023 and planning to pursue undergraduate courses (except for professional courses like MBBS, BE, BDS and law courses) in the central, state and deemed-universities across the country, have to appear for CUET (undergraduate) for the academic session 2023-24.However, in Manipur's context, the Education Department is yet to notify any specific instructions with regard to students planning to study undergraduate and post graduate courses in colleges affiliated to MU and DM University.
Previously, Manipur Institute of Management Studies (MIMS), which is under MU, had enrolled 50 percent of the students who appeared for the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) conducted by All India Management Association (AIMA) and 50 percent who appeared for the entrance test conducted by MU, for admission to the Master of Business Administration (MBA) course.
This also highlights the inconveniences brought by different entrance tests including not having a common criterion with regard to enrolment of students.