Days after the Center shot down Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)’s petition to have it roll out the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for a limited number of undergraduate programs, the varsity’s top academic body on Saturday approved the proposal to to take the admission test for the new academic session starting this year.
A statement from the university said a meeting of members of the Academic Council accepted the recommendations of the committee set up by the Council last December to consider all aspects of the issue.
The meeting was chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and attended by the Registrar, Examiner, Deans of Faculties, Director of Colleges, Chairmen/Chairs of Departments, Directors of Centers and other members of the Academic Council.
“The committee discussed the letter and decided that the university will use the test score of CUET, but the university’s facilities for admission, including internal reservation, the appointment of the vice chancellor for various categories and admissions for students of Bridge Course and Madrasas remain unaffected. The university will hold its own counseling session and conduct its admission test for B. Tech, Postgraduate Courses, Class XI, Diploma Courses, Schools and any other courses not in CUET,” read the statement.
The AMU had written to the Ministry of Education (MoE) on March 28 that it plans to use the CUET score for admission to just eight undergraduate courses — three vocational and five BA programs. Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) from Delhi had also made a similar request and said it will use CUET scores for admission to two vocational and six BA (Hons) courses.
In its response, the Center made it clear to both universities that the CUET, which will be held in the first and second week of July, should apply to admission to all bachelor’s degree programs.
The March 28 letter was AMU’s second letter to the government about CUET. The university first wrote to the Center in February asking for an exemption from the CUET, citing minority status contested by the Supreme Court. In its response, the Center had subsequently argued that the CUET will not have any impact on the AMU’s reservation policy.
Saturday’s AMU statement read: “According to the recommendations of the committee approved by the Academic Council, the University will provide its own guidance – as it has done in recent years, candidates from the Madaris / Institutions recognized by AMU under procedure are also eligible for admission based on the CCUET score – if they meet the eligibility requirements in the AMU Admission Guide and students who have graduated from the AMU Bridge Course (CEPCAMI) are eligible for admission on the basis of the CUET score, if they meet AMU’s established eligibility requirements.”
The statement stated that the internal quota and all nomination quotas (Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe, Backward Class, Children of University Employees, Children of Alumni, Children of Central Government Employees recently posted/transferred to Distant State/Union Aligarh Territory, Physically Challenged, NCC Cadet, Outstanding Sportsperson, Outstanding Debater, Children of Armed Forces who died in combat) will remain intact.
