Entrance test for PG medical courses from next year

The Medical Council of India (MCI) will hold an all-India level examination for admission in post-graduate medical courses across the country early next year. This will be the first common entrance test for post graduate medical courses.

According to the MCI, the syllabus for the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET-PG) will be that of the MBBS, and further information in this regard would soon be put on its website.

“The Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission to Medical Post-graduate Courses across the country (NEET-PG) shall be held in Jan-Feb 2012 for admissions in the academic year 2012-2013,” a notice issued by the MCI said.

“The Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) would be based on the MBBS syllabus as well as the knowledge that needs to be acquired during internship. The distribution of questions, model questions, and method of tie breaking for ranking would be placed on the website in the due course,” the MCI said.

The MCI's decision to hold a national level examination for admission in undergraduate and post-graduate courses was opposed by various stake holders.

A student has to take over a dozen examinations for one medical seat, despite facing problems like the clash of dates and multiple fees. Various students' bodies have demanded single examination for PG medical entrance on the lines of All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE).

Every year about 40,000 students are admitted to undergraduate programmes and some 19,000 for postgraduate courses. There are close to 300 private and government controlled medical colleges in the country.

Online registration for CAT

Online registration can be done from August 17 to September 28 for the Common Admission Test (CAT), 2011 of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) scheduled between October 22 and November 18.

A good CAT score leads to admission to the postgraduate programmes in management conducted at the IIMs in Kozhikode, Tiruchirappalli, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Indore, Kashipur, Lucknow, Raipur, Ranchi, Rohtak, Shillong, and Udaipur.

Aspirants should buy an IIM-CAT 2011 voucher from select Axis Bank branches by paying Rs.1,600 (Rs.800 for those belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) from August 17. The voucher is essential for the registration on www.catiim.in.

CAT 2011 centres include Hyderabad, Vishakapatnam, Kochi, Kozhikode, Coimbatore, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi. The revised online test of two hours and thirty five minutes will have two sections. The first section is of quantitative ability and data interpretation and the second, verbal ability and logical reasoning.

The objective-type multiple-choice questions carry a score of three each, but each incorrect answer means losing one mark from the total marks scored. A candidate can take the test only once during the 20-day testing window on www.catiim.in.

The minimum qualification for appearing in the test is a Bachelor's degree in any discipline with at least 50 per cent marks. Those appearing for the final-year degree examination may also register for the test. The test results will be announced on www.catiim.in on January 11.

Several other business schools use the score for screening applicants for group discussions and personal interviews for admission. For registration details, visit www.catiim.in.

Admissions to the Fellow Programme in Management (FPM), equivalent to a Ph.D. programme, at the IIMs in Kozhikode, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Indore, Lucknow, Raipur, Ranchi, and Tiruchirappalli is also based on the CAT score. For details, visit www.catiim.in

Management entrance test

The Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS University), Mumbai has invited applications for its national-level Management Aptitude Test (NMAT- 2011) for admission to the MBA core course and those with specialisations, including actuarial science, banking, capital market, human resource management, and pharmaceutical management, and postgraduate diploma courses in management. The centres include Hyderabad, Kochi, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, and Delhi.

Those with a degree in any discipline taken in the first attempt with minimum 50 per cent marks may apply.

However, for MBA actuarial science, the entry qualification is a Bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics, engineering, economics or computer science with minimum 50 per cent marks in aggregate in the first attempt.

For the pharmaceutical management specialisation, the qualification required is a degree in pharmacy, science, life sciences, MBBS, BDS, BSMS, BHMS, BAMS, B.Sc. or M.Sc. biotechnology with 50 per cent marks in aggregate in the first attempt.

Those appearing for the final-year degree examination may also apply.

Registration for the test can be done up to October 10. The registration fee is Rs.1,650. Details can be had from www.nmat.org.in.