Released on = February 26, 2007, 2:25 am

Press Release Author = M Gopalakrishnan

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = The 54-year-old Academy, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
(MAHE) will now is known as Manipal University. Manipal University has always set
itself apart from other universities by using technology in all aspects and by being
a student friendly digital campus. Also for the admissions to professional courses
there will be online entrance tests from the coming academic year.

Press Release Body = Bangalore, 26th February 2007: The Manipal Academy of Higher
Education (MAHE) will now be known as Manipal University. The 54-year-old Academy
reached this decision in December 2006 and the change will affect all MAHE campuses
globally. From the coming academic year Manipal University will also introduce
online entrance tests for admissions to their professional courses.

Speaking about the name change from MAHE to Manipal University, Dr. H.S. Ballal,
Pro-Chancellor, Manipal University said "In 1993 MAHE was granted the privileged
status of a university by the Indian government. The word 'Academy' does not
indicate the status of a university and this has led to some confusion in the minds
of people of foreign countries. Deemed Universities were not hitherto permitted by
the University Grants Commission which controls the Deemed Universities, to prefix
or affix the word 'university' to their name. Taking note of this fact and based on
our request, the UGC has, by its Notification No.F.6-1(II)/2006 (CPP-I) dated 13th
September 2006, permitted Deemed to be Universities to use the word 'university' in
their name provided it is indicated along with the name that the universities are
established under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 to distinguish the Deemed to be
Universities from universities established by the legislature. The Manipal Academy
of Higher Education has, in pursuance of the UGC Notification and approval by its
Trust and Board of Management, changed its name to MANIPAL UNIVERSITY by a
Notification dated 20th December 2006. We believe that this new identity will help
us attract more students especially from foreign lands".

Manipal University has always set itself apart from other universities by using
technology in all aspects and by being a student friendly digital campus. In the
last academic year, Manipal University had conducted online exams for admissions to
postgraduate medical and dental courses. Online entrance examinations will now be
conducted for admission to courses such as MBBS, BDS, BE, BPharm, BSc Nursing, BHM
and BA in Journalism. To conduct these exams, Manipal University has adopted the
latest technologies and is giving its prospective students an added advantage of
taking the exams online. This is a testimony to the fact that Manipal University is
one among the best forward looking universities in India.

Speaking on the online entrance exams for admissions to MBBS, BDS, BE and other
professional graduate programs, Mr. Anand Sudarshan, Group President Manipal
Universal Learning, said "This move of introducing online tests has been made
keeping in mind students who often have to face the probability of taking two or
more entrance exams on the same day. This will mean that, invariably the student
takes up only one entrance exam and this reduces his prospect of having more
choices. We at Manipal University will now allow candidates to schedule tests at
their own convenience and allow them the flexibility. Those writing other tests will
not have any difficulty, since the online test will be held over a period of time
and not on a single day. Unlike other entrance examinations, the students can choose
the test schedule that suits their individual requirements. This gives the student
the freedom to choose the location, date & time of his choice of giving the Online
Entrance Test".

The online tests will be conducted at 19 centres which have been ergonomically
designed with the latest computers for every student, high security communication
network for electronic delivery of the test and use of bio-metric and hi-tech
monitoring systems to prevent impersonation and foul play. Each computer is fitted
with a web camera, which will take an image of the candidate every 20 minutes.

About Manipal University:
Manipal University was recognized as a University by the Government of India in
1993. Among the foremost colleges and Institutions in India, the Manipal University
colleges are highly regarded in their sphere of expertise, be it MIT (Manipal
Institute of Technology) for engineering, or KMC (Kasturba Medical College) for
medicine. Manipal University today ranks as one of India\'s premier multi-dimensional
educational institutions.

Students from over 51 countries worldwide come seeking education in this culturally
diverse campus of Manipal. The township of Manipal comprises of two universities,
24, professional colleges, affiliated institutes and numerous primary and high
schools. Thousands of students study in Manipal institutions situated in Sikkim,
Mangalore, Nepal, Malaysia and Dubai.Degrees from Manipal are recognized worldwide,
making it a Mecca of educational services.

Please refer web site http://www.manipal.edu/index.htm for more information

Web Site = http://www.manipal.edu/index.htm

Contact Details = Sonali- 98440-42850 / Ashwini- 98801-98013 / Trupti- 94482-77228