Admissions to MBA, MMS all set to be delayed further

The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to share its final verdict on the autonomous status of the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) next week.

Admissions to master of business administration (MBA) and master of management (MMS) courses in the state have been further delayed, as the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday decided to share its final verdict on the autonomous status of the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) only next week.

Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai. (HT file photo)

While the apex court was already hearing a petition filed by management aspirants, the state common entrance test (CET) cell, the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) as well as the higher and technical education department of the government of Maharashtra have now filed a fresh petition challenging the Bombay high court’s decision of July 25, which directed the state to rework MBA and MMS admissions.

“The SC bench heard all parties in extensive sessions on Wednesday as well as Thursday and have decided to deliver the final verdict on Monday,” said an advocate, representing management aspirants in SC.

The issue first came to light in the first week of July, when nine students from the state approached the Bombay high court on the CET cell’s decision to consider JBIMS as a home institute (without its autonomous status), which meant 70% of its seats went to students of the home university (University of Mumbai), whereas the remaining 30% seats were divided equally between students from other state universities and those outside Maharashtra.

On July 25, the HC directed the state to rework MBA and MMS admissions by treating JBIMS as an autonomous institute.

Following this, 39 management students, who were admitted at JBIMS under the 70% home-university quota, filed a plea in SC, arguing they risked losing their seats in an autonomous college, if the admissions are reworked.

The CET cell, which held back the first college allotment list for management programmes in view of the ongoing matter, has decided to maintain status quo on admissions until further notice from the SC. Aspirants, meanwhile, are upset with the delay in admissions. “It seems the process will continue till mid-September. By that time, most of our summer internship opportunities would be lost,” said Kshitij Kapoor, a candidate from Delhi.