The Supreme Court gives a nod to conduct the separate entrance test by IRMA for the academic year 2013-15. While clarifying that the permission was given in proper facts of the case and it will not act as a precedent for IRMA or any other institution, the apex court also asked the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to consider having an all india common entrance test for all institutes offering Postgraduate Rural Management courses.
A Bench of justices R M Lodha and A R Dave, ordered, "Having regard to the facts of the case and that substantial progress has been made fro conducting the exam for PGDM course and further that the exam is scheduled for Nov 11, we permit the petitioner to hold the admission exam as already fixed,"
Highlighting that students interests has to be dominant in relating to the admission and entrance tests, the bench found favour with a proposition that the AICTE should design a common entrance test for all such institutes that offer rural management courses.
Advocate Harish Salve, who appeared for IRMA, had requested the court to allow them have a separate entrance test at least for this year and that the AICTE should mull over designing a separate common entrance test for Rural management courses. Appearing for the AICTE, advocate Rakech Dwivedi submitted that they were not averse to any fresh idea and that the AICTE will consider the suggestion.
The bench will now take up the matter after six weeks. IRMA last month filed a petition against AICTE, which has asked B-schools to take any of the five exam that include CAT, MAT, CMAT and XAT.