The Common University Entrance Test (CUET), which was started for admission in universities and especially colleges affiliated to the central universities, is now expanding its purview.
If experts are to be believed, the CUET may soon attain the same recognition as examinations like the NEET and JEE. Forty-five central universities are already under its purview, while discussions are underway with more than 30 state and private universities.
Minority institutions such as the Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University have also recognised the CUET.
CUET is given an important place in the new education policy and steps are being taken at various levels.
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had also discussed about CUET with state universities in the three important non-BJP ruled states -- West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
As per the UGC, the dialogue has been very positive.
Apart from these three states, the UGC has also discussed the subject with several others, including Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Jharkhand and Bihar.
UGC Chairman Professor M. Jagadesh Kumar himself has discussed the subject of CUET with the Vice Chancellors of various state level universities.
Not only state-level universities, but organisations like the Tata University of Social Science, Mumbai, and Gurukul Kangri, Haridwar, have also shown interest in being a part of CUET during discussions with the UGC.
CUET was designed for admission to Undergraduate (UG) courses in 45 central universities. However, the Union Education Ministry wants to make it a pan-India entrance process for UG courses. UGC is in touch with all state and private universities and minority educational institutions for this.
Initially, the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET) was conducted for admission in UG courses across 14 central universities. However, now the newly introduced format of CUET is quite different from the old system.
Earlier, the medium of examination was only in English. But now it will be conducted in 13 languages, which are English, Hindi, Marathi, Assamese, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Gujarati, Tamil, Punjabi and Urdu.
According to eminent educationist C.S. Kandpal, in such a situation, students will not only get the option to take the exam in their mother tongue, but Hindi medium students will also not become a victim of discrimination due to English.
In order to include more students and universities in this process, the last date for completing the registration process has also been extended from May 6-22 by the UGC.
From 2023 onwards, the CUET will be conducted twice a year, and the process is likely to include Postgraduate courses as well from the next year.