PG students will have to take the commerce examination for admission to the government colleges offering MCom

Updated on: Saturday, January 05, 2013

Commerce graduates will not be exempted from appearing in the Common Entrance Test (CET). Postgraduate students will have to take the commerce examination for gaining admission to the government colleges - affiliated to any of the state universities - offering MCom courses.

"We have kept commerce as one of the subjects in the admission test. Though a BCom graduate may have completed honours in accountancy or finance, he will have to take the examination under one generic syllabus which will combine all aspects of commerce. We have already selected 44 honours subjects in which CET will be held," said a member of the CET committee that is giving final shape to the exam structure. is preparing recommendations to give final shape to the examination structure.

"A postgraduate aspirant will be allowed to appear only in the honours or major subject in which he or she has graduated. If they prefer to alter their subject at the postgraduate level or take up a multidisciplinary course, it will have to be done in the university only after securing a CET score," he added.

The CET committee has decided to structure the examination on the lines of GATE - the entrance test for MTech programmes in the country. "At present, we are preparing the syllabus for each subject. In all likelihood, the examination will only consist of have multiple-choice questions (MCQs) with some exceptions in the language section. A Weimer sheet will be provided to the candidates to take back home so that they know their mistakes and can compare the answers," said a university official who is also on the CET committee.

Phalguni Mukherjee, the convener of CET committee and secretary of West Bengal State Council of Higher Education, said, "We are in the process of developing the examination framework which may include commerce among the 44 honours subjects. A final shape will be given during the next meeting at the end of this month."

It has, however, not yet been decided if the model answers will be uploaded on the website. "We will have to take a call," added the official.

Several state universities are, however, skeptical about the proposed examination. In Jadavpur University, a committee has already submitted its report after talking to all stakeholders. The report will be discussed by the executive council - the university's highest decision-making body. A senior JU teacher argued, "Most departments in JU do not agree with the concept of CET."

Partha Pratim Biswas, EC member and secretary of Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA), said, "There is something unique about each university which may be harmed if CET is introduced. There is no common syllabus.

If students from various backgrounds are tested on a common syllabus, their aptitude will not be tested. Their knowledge may not be compatible with JU's academic requirement. Each university has a different characteristic and frames its syllabus depending on its strength and weakness. CET will actually kill the uniqueness of the state universities."

He added, "Outside students should be given a fair opportunity to study in JU. But an acceptable criteria should be in place for admission. Through debates and discussions, a common platform has to be reached on the percentage of reservations for home students in the PG courses."

PG students will have to take the commerce examination for admission to the government colleges offering MCom

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