Soon, you may get to bell the CAT round the year

IIMs mull new-format pilot test for computer-based evaluation next year

Come 2014, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) may conduct a pilot test to gauge the success of a round-the-year computer-based Common Admission Test (CAT). However, the CAT Committee at IIMs is waiting for the successful completion of the 20-day window computer-based CAT 2013 beginning October 16 before taking any decision.

While the CAT committee at the IIMs and their test service provider, Prometric, have had an intention to make CAT such that it could be taken anytime during the year, no concrete step has been taken.

“I am still studying the reports of all the past computer-based CAT since 2009 to understand the kind of progress that we have made and the issues to deal with. Let’s first be done with the current year’s CAT in October. After that, we are thinking if we can conduct a pilot test and try out a round-the-year CAT,” said Rohit Kapoor, convenor-CAT 2013 and chairperson-admissions at IIM-Indore.

Earlier in 2010-11, similar talks of making CAT an online perennial test, on the lines of the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test), were held within the CAT committee, though nothing fructified.  However, according to sources within the committee, this could be a possibility in the near future.

When CAT was first launched in 2009 in the computer-based format, against the conventional paper-pencil format, the IIMs were forced to conduct the test in two phases within a span of two-three months, due to technical glitches. Over the years, while the technical glitches have more or less been done away with, the IIMs are yet to ensure the viability of conducting a computer-based test round-the-year.

The other major step towards enhancing CAT is taking it abroad.

Sometime back, the IIMs had received enquiries from B-schools in Dubai, Sri Lanka and other Asian countries to conduct CAT for them, with an intention to use CAT scores for the latter’s admissions. However, nothing has been decided on that front.

“That decision has to be taken by the directors of all the IIMs. It was not part of our agenda during the recent meeting, where we decided the test dates for this year,” said Kapoor.

The then CAT convenor for 2010, Himanshu Rai of IIM Lucknow, had told Business Standard there were plans to take CAT “offshore”, citing that taking CAT abroad would help the IIMs tap best global practices.

Meanwhile, for this year, Prometric will develop and deliver CAT 2013 for the IIMs. Four new testing locations, namely Surat, Udaipur, Thiruvananthapuram and Vijayawada, will be added for CAT 2013, increasing the number of such  locations to 40.

“Getting to know the dates well in advance of the registration and testing window will enable candidates to prepare better for a successful future. As always, our focus remains on conducting the test in a fair and secure manner,” Kapoor added.

The CAT vouchers will be available at select Axis Bank branches from July 29 to September 24. The registration window will be open from July 29 to September 26.

CAT IN THE NET

• The IIMs did away with paper-pencil format and launched the 10-day computer-based CAT in 2009
• Unlike GMAT, CAT is conducted within a limited period of 20 days in October or November every year
• IIMs working on helping candidates take the computer-based CAT anytime during the year
• IIMs have also received enquiries from B-schools in Dubai, Sri anka and other countries for conducting CAT abroad