Dry run for CAT 2010 this year

CAT 2010 will serve as a test not just for the candidates, but also for the whole system of computer-based testing in India. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), along with their US-based partner, Prometric India, who are conducting the online test, are keeping their fingers crossed, in the hope of avoiding the technical glitches that marred the test last year. If technical problems recur this year, there would be great apprehension about the use of the online system of testing.

“Technical glitches last year raised doubts about the feasibility of using computer-based testing. CAT 2010 is a time for both IIMs and Prometric to redeem its lost glory,” said a retired professor of IIM Bangalore, who did not wish to be named.

There has been a significant drop in the numbers of candidates registered for the CAT this year. Prometric India released data that showed that 2,04,267 candidates registered for CAT this year; last year, the figure was 2,41,000.

The technical glitches also drew undue attention to the whole testing process. This year, many candidates feel a need to be equipped with information to navigate the online test. Some worry that their chances of admission to a prestigious business school might be marred not by poor performance in the CAT, but the inability to deal with the testing process.

“Last year’s test was a nightmare, hope this year the whole thing is better organised,” said Subodh Sen, a candidate.

Soumitra Roy, managing director, Prometric India, said that the problems that occurred last year were mainly caused by the use of unlicensed operating systems and out-of-date anti-virus software tools at many test centres. As a precaution, the organisers have taken special care to check that all centres administering the test have licenced and updated software tools. Even the hardware has been upgraded at the centres, said Roy. Over 9,000 computers spread across 240 laboratories in 78 test centres at 33 cities will be used to administer the CAT.

Source: DNA

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Posted by musicking on Oct 27 2010. Filed under Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry