Private colleges start admission process using their own metrics

Mumbai University is waiting for clarity from the government. File pic

How to go ahead with admission to first-year degree courses in the absence of traditional Std XII board grades? As the public universities and colleges still figure this out as they await clarity from the state government, private institutes have already come up with a solution. While one institute has started provisional admissions based on combined results of Std X and Std XI, another university will take in candidates based on its entrance test.

Will the measures being adopted by the private educational institutions set the tone for a new trend of admissions to first year degree courses? Educationists mid-day spoke to, said the 800 colleges affiliated to the Mumbai University (MU) has no option but to wait and see how things unfold.

"Private universities have the liberty to take such a step. Their target audience is minimal when compared to public universities due to obvious reasons of affordability. This makes it more important for public universities like MU to declare their plan of action for admission to first year degree courses," said the principal of a MU-affiliated college from the Eastern suburbs.

Dr. Ashok Wadia, principal of Jai Hind College, said, "As an autonomous college, we can have our own admissions process. But the MU has to decide the eligibility criteria, especially now, in the absence of uniformity in Std XII scores. Until now, admission to all our courses were based on Std XII marks."

Talks underway

A senior official from the MU's administration said, "There is a continuous dialogue with the government to smoothen the process of degree admissions in the absence of uniformity in Std XII marks." The official also shared the pressing demand of different universities to hold a Common Entrance Test (CET). "Whatever the process may be, it will clearly be a push towards a new normal for admissions, in alignment with new education policy and global trends," the official added.

Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani, provost, HSNC University

While the MU official believes new rules will be an adaptation to the changing policies, private institutions have not only thought about new ways, but have also implemented them.

At S K Somaiya College, the process of provisional admissions has already begun. CA Monica Lodha, director, S K Somaiya College at Somaiya Vidyavihar University, said, "We believe that marks of one exam cannot define a student's talent. The current situation has rather provided a room for us all to explore other viable options. We have begun the process based on candidates' marks in Std X and Std XI combined." In just the first phase of the admission process, the college has received about 12,000 applications for 15 undergraduate courses.

Procedure must start

Dr Shubha Pandit, principal, K J Somaiya College of Engineering, elaborated that they could start the admission procedure because of the "status of private university". But, the time has come to break the watertight boundaries in education. Profile of a student is more important than marks obtained in one board exam."

Dr Shubha Pandit, principal, K J Somaiya College of Engineering

At Dr. Pandit's college, phase one of provisional admissions has begun with candidates' JEE scores in the first two attempts. It would also consider the score of the entrance test to be organised by Preeminent Education and Research Association (PERA) - a consortium of multiple private universities of Maharashtra.

Admissions on

PERA President Dr. Mangesh Karad said, "We held an entrance test even last year, when we got over 1,000 applications. We expect more this year. Amid an absence of clarity on Std XII results and other entrance exams, this has worked really well for students."

At HSNC University, too, the admission plan is all set. Provost Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani said, "We have decided to proceed with in-house students who wish to take direct admission in Arts, Science or Commerce. This will certainly be in alignment with the admission criterion."

Dr Ashok Wadia, principal, Jai Hind College

Admissions at SVKM's NMIMS University are also going as per schedule. Dr. Meena Chintamaneni, registrar at the deemed-to-be university, said, "Instead of focusing on students' board exam scores, the school has decided to start provisional admissions based solely on our test scores, keeping in mind the eligibility stated by various statutory bodies. We intend to commence the academic year for Undergraduate programs from August."