AMU announces CUET for admissions to all undergraduate courses

|HT|

The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Saturday announced that it will adopt the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) for admissions to all undergraduate courses, while maintaining that the internal quotas offered by the university will remain intact. The decision was taken during the University’s academic council (AC) meeting held on Saturday. “The AC approved the proposal of joining the common entrance test for all undergraduate courses for the current academic session,” University spokesperson Shafey Kidwai said.

The CUET does not cover engineering and medical courses.

AMU had initially decided to maintain the status-quo on its admission policy as the case on its minority status is ‘sub-judice’. However, on March 21, the Centre made it mandatory for all central universities to take undergraduate admissions solely on the basis of CUET.

The ministry of education on March 15 had written a letter to vice chancellor Tariq Mansoor stating that the subjudice matter “does not bar AMU from participating in any test for selection of candidates”. The Ministry also assured that the CUET will not take away AMU’s “power to admit students of its choice” as per the existing university norms. AMU reserves 50% seats for students of university-recognised Madaris/institutions/ schools in various undergraduate courses.

AMU public relation officer (PRO) Omar Peerzada said that the AC has decided that the University’s provisions for admissions including internal reservation, Vice Chancellor’s nomination to various categories and admissions to students of bridge courses and Madrasas will remain unaffected. “The University will hold its own counselling session and it will conduct its admission test for BTech, postgraduate courses, Class 11, Diploma Courses, schools and all other courses not in CUET,” he said.

AMU offers one-year bridge courses for the students from Madrasas before mainstreaming them to University education.

The AC also resolved that the University will conduct its own counselling process for undergraduate admissions for CUET qualified candidates. “Candidates of the Madaris/ Institutions recognised by AMU as per procedure will also be eligible to take admission on the basis of CUET score—if they fulfill laid down eligibility conditions in the Guide to Admission of AMU and students who have graduated the AMU Bridge Course (CEPECAMI) will be eligible to take admission on the basis of CUET score, if they fulfill the laid down eligibility conditions of AMU,” the University said in a statement. CUET, a computer-based exam, will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in the month of July. The registration process for the test has already been started by the NTA.

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