International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) - Shelby ...

chemistry, biology, and English in the higher secondary certificate examination.
Graduate Admission
Admission into master’s programs generally requires a bachelor’s degree in a related
discipline with a Second Division Pass and a mark of at least 50% on the Indian scale.
Some selective institutions may require a higher minimum mark (e.g. 60%) or a
bachelor’s degree in the First Division. Entry into some professional programs is highly
competitive; applicants must write a separate entrance examination in addition to meeting
all the other requirements. Following are some examples of graduate entrance
examinations.
Since 1988 the All India Management Association (AIMA) has been conducting a
Management Aptitude Test (MAT) on a national basis every year in the months of May,
September and December. MAT functions as a national entrance test for admission to
Master of Business Administration (MBA) and equivalent programs such as Postgraduate
Diploma in Management (PGDM) and Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology
and Management (PGDITM).
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an All-India examination
conducted by the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and the seven IITs. Many
universities and colleges adopt GATE as the national admission test for their graduate
programs in engineering, technology, architecture, and pharmacy, such as Master of
Engineering (ME) and Master of Technology (M.Tech). The Ministry of Human
Resource Development also uses the examination to allocate scholarship/assistantship for
ME and M.Tech students.
Since 2004 a Joint Admission Test to MSc (JAM) has been conducted by IITs for
applicants to their Master of Science (M.Sc.) and M.Sc.-Ph.D. dual degree programs.
Programs and Credentials: General Education
In awarding degrees, universities must adhere to the standard nomenclature as approved
by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The UGC website provides a list (updated
in 2003) of 142 approved bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. Certificate and diploma
courses are also available at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Since a first degree
holder is called a “graduate” in India, “graduate education” in Indian terminology refers
to undergraduate education, and “postgraduate education” is used to refer to graduate
education.
Certificates and Diplomas
Undergraduate certificate and diploma courses, sometimes called “graduate
certificates/diplomas” in Indian terminology, are available in a wide range of specialized
or vocational fields such as engineering and technology, teacher education, nursing,
pharmacy, foreign languages, fine arts, business, and hotel management. The length of
the programs varies from six months to three years. Entry is normally based on the
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