Acceptance of IB in Mumbai University for Engineering?

[IB Grad]

I have passed my IB diploma with maths and physics at SL and chemistry at HL. I want to get admitted to electronics and telecommunications engineering, but am facing problems obtaining the eligibility certificate. Mumbai University says that physics and maths need to be at HL and chemistry needs to be at SL for EXTC and that I am not even eligible to apply for engineering. Is this true? If not, how do I get around obtaining the eligibility certificate?

[dessskris]

this is true in most universities. for engineering, you need to, or you MUST have Math HL and Physics HL. you can have Chem at any level or not take it at all, depending on which branch of engineering you want to take up.

if you don't even meet the requirements, I suggest applying to universities where subject selection doesn't matter; or apply for a different major.

[Arrowhead]

Yeah that's very common in India because even though the Universities of Mumbai are kind enough to recognise the IB, most of them have very, very stringent requirements. I know that most engineering students who want to continue studying in India after doing the IB are generally encouraged to pursue non-conventional diplomas (PCB HL and Maths HL/SL). This is something you should have looked into before moving into the IB. I know that most IB schools clearly tell you that IB is good for University study outside of India, not when your plans revolve around getting into National or Mithibhai or some such. You could've saved yourself so much work and energy had you just chosen to do Science after 10th.

But anyway, no use crying over spilt milk, without Maths and Physics HL, Engineering in any of the Mumbai Universities is out of the question. The only way you can get in is if you apply some sort of pressure or influence that your family may have with one of the boards of some University. Outside of that, you could always apply and hope that the complete ineptitude of the admissions' officer will surface and he won't know the difference between HL and SL (but I doubt that). Beyond that, I would start making contingency plans if I were you, call in some favours, get in touch with the Universities and make enquiries, ask the school to do something for you or help you in some way, or start looking for courses that do not revolve around Engineering.

What puzzles me is if you wanted to go for Engineering or Science in general in India, why would you not take Maths and Physics at HL?

Anyway, best of luck and I hope everything works out for you!

Arrowhead.

[IB Grad]

Is it also applicable for autonomous institutes?

[Arrowhead]

Is it also applicable for autonomous institutes?

It's worse with independent Unis because while the reservation factor and similarly stringent requirements don't set in as poignantly, there are other powers at play there. Most independent Unis ask for "donations," a friend of mine had mediocre scores in her CETs and was still asked for nothing less than 5 lakhs as 'tokens' to the school for admission. She waited an entire year and redid her CETs and is now studying Medicine one year later at Navi Mumbai. This is a common practice at all private Unis in India, save a remote few where it is lesser, but in those Unis competition is fierce and with an IB Diploma , your chances are slim to none.

Tbh, you've really screwed yourself over and I would simply start making calls to Universities or going there and speaking to someone in-charge. But you do realise that with something as cut-throat as Engineering in India (especially Mumbai), every .1% makes a difference. Most private Universities are reticent to accepting the IB Diploma at all because it gives no exact measure of your performance. To them, a 7 means nothing and they need to know what your exact percentage score is because the cut offs are sometimes as high as 95% and I am sure you know that. One of my cousins got a 92.something in the CBSE Board for 12th and he didn't get into the Engineering college of his choice because he missed the cut off by 2% and this was 2 years ago when the grades weren't as inflated as they are now.

Ask your school for help and get your parents involved. Unless you find a University (private or public) that is more open to the IB Diploma (which could happen since my information is at least 2 years old and a lot has changed since then), your only option is to prepare enough funds for a 'token'.

How much did you get in the IB anyway? Or if your results aren't out yet what was your predicted score?

Best of luck!
Arrowhead. Edited August 9, 2014 by Arrowhead