The HRD Ministry is planning to introduce a common entrance test in Central Universities of India based on the pattern of SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) in vogue in United States and United Kingdom for admissions to undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The move is said to check on reported largescale discrepancy and irregularities in admissions process in Central Universities. A senior HRD Ministry official said that the proposal is at a very nascent stage and it’s being deliberated upon at University Grants Commission (UGC) and Vice-Chancellor (V-C) level to have Central Universities Common Entrance Test for admission to Undergraduate, five-year Integrated Programmes after 10+2 and also Post graduate and Research Programmes in all 39 Central Universities.
“To begin with, 10 Central Universities may jointly conduct the entrance in the forthcoming or next academic session. If successful, it may be extended to all the central universities to raise the quality if higher education at all level in the country,” said the official.
The SAT is computer-based standardised test administered seven times a year in the United States and six times per year internationally for college admissions in the United States. Currently being taken by over 3 million students globally, the test has three 800 point sections: mathematics, critical reading, and writing.
On the other hand, GRE is a standardised test for admissions requirement for graduate schools in the United States and other English-speaking countries and for English-taught graduates (United Kingdom) and business programmes worldwide. The exam aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study.
Sources said that the Central University of Jharkhand, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Central University of Bihar, Central University of Gujarat, Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Odisha, Central University of Kashmir and have already expressed their interest for conducting the CUCET admission in some of the programmes from the next academic year, sources said.
The official said that CUCET examination may be conducted after declaration of results of class and then the graduation courses. The results of this entrance test, which can be taken both in online and offline modes, will be published online for admissions towards the choice of university and programmes. “The student will have to download their score card from the common website and then appear for counselling, just like they are conducted for engineering and medical colleges, for admission procedure,” added the official.
Meanwhile, well-placed sources in HRD Ministry confirmed that Delhi Government has so far not at all conveyed the MHRD about its ‘populist’ announcement to reserve UG seats in DU colleges funded by the Government of NCT of Delhi. “When it comes to us, we will see what the Central University Act suggests. The decision will have to be taken by stakeholders and not just the State Government,” a HRD Ministry official said. Delhi Government has claimed to send the proposal “surprisingly” to Home Ministry from where it is to be referred to the HRD Ministry.