The IIMs are making an attempt to conduct a glitch-free common admission test (CAT) this year by introducing changes in the process.
For students aspiring to get into the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), here is some good news.
The IIMs are making an attempt to conduct a glitch-free common admission test (CAT) this year by introducing changes in the process.
There will no change in the paper pattern, but several new initiatives have been taken to avoid the technical errors that plagued examinees last year. By August 22, an advertisement announcing the online registration process for CAT will be published.
Prometric will continue to administer the CAT for the second consecutive year. But this time, instead of NIIT, it will have Everon and Merit Track as technology partners. “We will take over control of test centres at least three weeks prior to the exam. Last year, some of the centres were handed over to us with less than two days to go for the test to begin. We later found out that some of these centres had used pirated software to run the programme. This year we will ensure that we are less dependant on the centres,” Himanshu Rai, convenor of CAT 2010, said. This year’s test will be co-ordinated by IIM-Lucknow.
Rai added that the back-end system will be completely overhauled and buffer facility will be provided to ensure data transfer in the event of a computer crash. “We are also planning to stage events across the country to train students in the process of registration and examination. Demonstration modules will be uploaded on the website much in advance to give students ample time to get a first-hand feel. There will be several interactions with them before the exams in October,” he said.
“We have learnt from the first year’s chaotic experience. We have studied most of the queries and will answer them on the CAT website. The student care centres will also be modified, with Hindi-speaking people attending calls,” Rai said. Last year, several students had problems communicating on the helpline as only English-speaking people took the calls.
The exams will conducted over 20 days as opposed to last year’s 10 days. And the 20 days will be staggered over a period of one month.
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