All set for online CAT — a different test for each candidate

“There are several methods to ensure each student gets a differently presented question paper. There’s a whole lot of software that will randomly present questions in each level of the CAT exam.

While workload on IIM faculty will significantly decrease with the online exam,we will not leave all to the testing agency. We plan to depute some faculty members at each centre for physical monitoring of examinees besides external security features like pupil checks and finger-printing checks to ensure the right candidate appears for the exam. The first year,in fact,will be the toughest for all IIMs as switching to online format is a big change,” an IIM Director told The Sunday Express.

While about 95,000 candidates took CAT in 2003,the number rose to about 250,000 in 2008 — a 163% hike. This severely strained the IIM administrative system and so the switch to the online format. The nature of the test,however,will remain the same and CAT candidates can carry paper and pencil for rough work and will be able to go back and forward in the online format as well.

While biometric checks will increase the cost per examinee,the IIMs’ first condition with the testing companies in the fray was on keeping the entrance fee as near the existing cost as possible. However,a hike of Rs 100 or so in the entry fee may still have to be accommodated . The increase in the entry fee,however,is not going to mean big businesses for the top notch B schools. While all the revenue earned from conducting the CAT went to IIMs so far,their share will come down substantially this year with the testing company cornering the lion’s share.

“The total fee collection after holding the CAT is usually Rs 30 crore,of which nearly half is used up in holding the exam itself. That leaves some Rs 2 crore for each IIM. This year that amount will come down. We expect some Rs 10 crore to be left for the IIMs to share. However,this revenue loss has its dividends too in the form of a massive saving of precious faculty time”,said another IIM director.

Prometric,meanwhile,is readying for the big exam.

“All test centers where the CAT is delivered will employ Prometric’s Identity Management (biometric) solution,digital image capture of all candidates and digital video recordings of all testing activity. Candidates will be able to test during a 10-day testing window across 23 Indian cities where hundreds of secure computer-based testing centers specially prepared for the CAT exam are strategically positioned throughout the country. The exact number of examinees that can test in any one location will be determined by the testing needs in each city.The exact timing of the exam,as well as the number of test questions per candidate,will be announced soon. An on-screen timer will continuously advise candidates as to the amount of time remaining. Scores will be made available to examinees several weeks after the end of the 10 day testing window”,Jodi Katz of Prometric told The Sunday Express.