CMAT 2016: Exam to create MBA admission opportunity for 1 lakh aspirants

The announcement by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to conduct CMAT after a gap of 1 year on January 17, 2016 after making it a yearly exam is all set to create an MBA admission opportunity in a good B-school, for about 1 lakh candidates expected to register and apply for the exam.

Going by the past trend, CMAT the entrance exam for MBA/PGDM courses in 400+ B-schools has been the second largest exam after CAT. Since it used to be held twice a year, more candidates preferred to register and apply for CMAT exploring the opportunity to improve their scores in the second exam for the same academic session. Now with only one opportunity available to register and apply for CMAT 2016, the number of registrations may go beyond the estimated limit and AICTE might have to gear up to arrange test in more test cities and test venues.

AICTE used to conduct CMAT twice a year and the last CMAT was conducted in February 2015 for the admission to MBA/PGDM programmes in 400+ B-schools in 2015. It had been the practice to conduct the first CMAT in September and second in February every year. Those who found their score of Sep CMAT not on the expected lines could register for Feb CMAT again. The candidates had the facility to use their better scores for admission process.

Top B-schools accepting CMAT 2016 scores
Government and Private Universities, highly ranked B schools in thirteen states have been accepting CMAT scores as the only gateway to MBA admissions under the government quota, instead of the State-administered Post graduate Common Entrance Test (PGCET). The states which are likely to accept CMAT 2016 test scores are: Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Good B-schools in India also accept CMAT scores apart from CAT/XAT scores. Following is the region-wise list of good B-schools that would accept CMAT 2016 scores.
The registration for CMAT 2016 is open and those who wish to register and apply for CMAT can do so online between November 3 to December 10, 2015.
Delhi NCR B-schools

Asia Pacific Institute of Management, New Delhi
Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) Specialize PGDM Programs;
BULMIM, New Delhi
Delhi School of Business, New Delhi
FIIB New Delhi
IMS Ghaziabad
Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida
JKLU, Jaipur
NDIM New Delhi
UPES Dehradun

Maharashtra B-schools

SIMSREE, Mumbai
KJ Somaiya, Mumbai
SIESCollege of Management Studies, Mumbai
IES Management College and Research Centre, Mumbai
IMT Nagpur
Durga Devi Saraf Institute of Management Studies (DSIMS) Mumbai
N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research
Universal Business School, Mumbai
Audyogik Shiksha Mandal (ASM), Pune
Balaji Society, Pune
Kirloskar Institute of Advanced management Studies, Pune
MIT School of Business (MITSOB), Pune
ISB&M, Pune

Bangalore-Chennai B-schools

Acharya Institute of Management (AIMS), Bangalore
Alliance University, Bangalore
Amrita School of Business, Coimbatore
Gitam School of International Business, Visakhapatnam
Great Lakes Institute of Management, TamilNadu
IFIM Bangalore
IMT Hyderabad
MS Ramaiah institute of Management, Bangalore
Rajalakshmi School of Business, TamilNadu
SDMIMD, Mysore
VJIM Hyderabad

Apart from the above following are a few of the prominent B-schools who will also accept CMAT 2016 scores

BIMTECH Bhubaneshwar
DMI Patna
XISS Ranchi

Admission process after CMAT 2016 results
AICTE has clarified that it will provide the detailed merit list to the respective State Governments for allotting the students through central counseling or otherwise as per their notified admission procedure for MBA and as per Court directives for PGDM. In case there is no central counseling, scores awarded will be used for admission in the AICTE approved Institutes/University Departments.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the government appointed regulator for technical education in India started conductingCombined Management Admission Test or CMAT in 2012. AICTE recommends all institutes offering MBA and PGDM courses to use CMAT for their admissions. However, number of B schools appearing on the list of AICTE approved Institutions accepting CMAT scores, no more accept CMAT scores. The candidates are advised to go through the admission process of respective B schools where they wish to apply on the basis of CMAT 2016 scores.

The objective of CMAT is not to eliminate the candidates from the process of seeking admission in the AICTE approved management programmes, rather to facilitate the institutions to select the suitable candidates as per their merit.