Students in trouble as CAT, CLAT clash on May 9

From Mathrubhumi Education Desk

Kochi, Jan 17, 2010: After the clash of the two premier entrance exams recently - the CAT for admission to IIMs and MAT for admission to private management institutes on December 6 - the dates of two more premier entrance exams are set to clash, causing invenience to scores of students who wish to appear for both the exams.

The entrance exams that are set to clash are the Common Admission Test-2010 (CAT-2010) of Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) and the Common Law Admission Test 2010 (CLAT-2010).

The CLAT-2010 is being conducted by the National Law Institute University, Bhopal, for admission to the Undergraduate Programme at eleven National Law Universities and also to the Post-Graduate Programme (LL.M) at NLSIU, NALSAR, NLIU, WBNUJS, HNLU, GNLU, RMLNLU and RGNUL. It will be held from 10 a.m to 12 noon on 9th May, 2010 (Sunday).

One of the three dates of Cusat's CAT is the same, ie. May 9. The CAT for admission to all B.Tech. programmes, 5 year M.Sc. Photonics, M.A.Hindi, 5 year BBA LL.B.(Hons.) and M.A. Applied Economics is scheduled for May 9, Sunday. This being the crucial day of CAT, many students and parents are upset and don't know what to do redeem the situation in their favour.

The only solution being the rescheduling of one of the two entrances, it is still not known who will take the initiative. In the case of IIM CAT and MAT, the students suffered with many of them being forced to skip one of the exams.

Last year the CLAT was rescheduled to a future date after the question paper for the exam leaked out. Since the exam is only for day this year too while Cusat CAT is staggered for three days, it is comparatively easy to postpose the CLAT exam. However it is to be seen whether the authorities concerned will take such a measure. Students and parents are now sending SOS to newspaper offices and websites expressing their helplessness at the tough situation.