In Discussions Over Conducting CAT 2009 Again

According to a report from The Telegraph - a Kolkata based newspaper, The Indian Institutes of Management are considering a proposal to scrap this year's computerised Common Admission Test (CAT) and re-conduct CAT 2009 in the original pen-and-paper examination format to select students for the upcoming academic year of 2010.

Sources claim that The directors of the seven IIMs are discussing a proposal to scrap the glitch-plagued computer based test that has proved embarrassing. This news report follows an announcement made by the IIMs, which on Monday upheld the decision to continue with the ongoing CBT module of CAT for 2009.

The Telegraph's sources however talk of a different situation possibility and are quoted as follows - "We are under serious discussions to see whether scrapping the computerised test midway will help us regain some of the confidence generally associated with CAT,” the director of one of the IIMs said. The proposal — put forward today by a director at a meeting of the institute heads — has been accepted "in principle" by most directors as the "best damage-control option".

But at least one IIM director expressed reservations over scrapping the computerized test, the sources said. The director said the IIMs should persist with the computerised test this year. His concerns reflect worries among a section of the organizers that scrapping the computerised test mid-way would be tantamount to an admission of failure. The institutes are likely to take the final decision over the next couple of days, the sources said, following which the directors will inform Prometric.

The IIMs have only once before re-conducted CAT — in 2003, when law enforcement agencies found that the test paper had been leaked. The test was held again within three months. The IIMs have a five-year contract with Prometric — the US-headquartered testing service provider — and not utilising the company’s services this year could be construed as a waste of funds. The proposal under consideration of the IIM directors does not involve discarding the computerised test option for the future — the format will be used next year.

Rescheduling CAT in the original pen-and-paper format will mean that all students who have appeared for the computerised test which started on Saturday will have to reappear for the paper based test again.

As of today, Well over 8,000 candidates could not take the test because of various hardware and technical glitches. With Five more days are left in the 10-day testing window period, The fate of all IIM aspirants hangs in balance as authories concerned try to come to a unanimous decision.
The last announcement made by the IIM's on November 30th categorically assured candidates that those who could not take the test would get another opportunity to take the test within this year's CAT 2009 test window period. The same announcement also mentioned that responsibility for rescheduling cancelled test slots will be taken up by Prometric.

But IIM officials are arguing that their biggest fear revolves around questions that are already being raised about the standard of candidates picked through a selection process under criticism for its lack of uniformity.

Questions have been raised over if it is fair for some students to be forced to take the test a second time when others need not. Most students who could not take the test because of the glitches have not yet been told when their computerised test will be rescheduled.

Several candidates who could take the computerised test have complained that their computers ran slower than those of other competing candidates, placing them at a disadvantage in the timed test.

There have been reports wherein timers did not appear on some computer screens; Mark/Unnmark & review buttons not having worked for others; Computers restarting while candidates are in the process of taking a test; Disturbances at test halls where computers crashed and many other such technicalities which have raised some serious concerns over how this year's Common Admission Test would be Fair one to assess student admissions.

While it remains to be seen if CAT 2009 will be reheld this year as a paper based test, Candidates surely will be wondering what's going to happen to their MBA dreams.

Source - http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/