Fate of CAT 2009 to be decided Today

IIM directors are scheduled to meet the Union HRD Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal today. A concerned human resource development ministry is likely to evaluate the options to restore the credibility of CAT 2009 entrance examination that has been ravaged by glitches that troubled thousands of candidates.

The planned meeting is the first between the B-schools and the government since the CAT was ravaged by technical glitches during the first computerized version of the test. The IIM directors are likely to come to the meeting accompanied by some CAT organizing officials from the faculty of the institutes, according to media reports.

The meeting comes at a time when pressure is mounting on the IIMs to scrap this year’s computerized test and re-conduct a paper-pencil version. The faculty associations of the IIMs in Bangalore and Calcutta have both resolved in favour of re-conducting the test — in a paper-pencil form, as reported by a section of media.

The ‘CAT Candidate Care Support’ of Prometric Testing is sending a mass mailer to all the CAT 2009 test takers expressing ‘SORRY’ as well as ‘CONGRATS’ at one go.

The mailer says ‘Thank you’ to all the registered CAT 2009 test takers “for being part of the historic launch of the computer-based CAT” and in the same letter expresses its helplessness in what happened to the mental frame of CAT 2009 test takers. In a very apologetic tone it says, “We know how important this test is to you, and we regret the circumstances that occurred this year. The administration of the exam may have fallen short of your expectations, as it did ours.”

The mailer has congratulated all the test takers who have somehow managed to give the test: “For the more than 2.15 lakh candidates who have successfully completed their exams, we would like to say congratulations on being among the first test-takers of the computer-based CAT”.

Empathizing with the harassed candidates the mailer further says, “We empathize with the candidates who have not been able to complete the test despite the rescheduling efforts and extension of the testing period. To date, we have been able to contact and reschedule exams for more than 17,000 affected candidates, and majority of them have since completed their test. We are in the process of identifying candidates who may have experienced pre-mature termination of the test, or were unable to test within the testing window, and we will contact them to schedule a retake.”

The mailer clearly indicates that the current air of confusion will prevail for a longer term than expected. The IIMs and Prometric had recently announced that new test dates for remaining candidates and affected candidates will be announced in a fortnight. It says, “Please note that we are conducting a rigorous forensic analysis to ensure that every test result is valid and appropriate. Our work will not be done until our review of the situation is complete, the problems are identified, a plan is in place to ensure they don’t happen again, every candidate has taken the CAT, and all of the results are validated.”

Only God knows how much time will Prometric take to do the “rigorous forensic analysis”. This will certainly add salt to the wounds of all the CAT 2009 test takers, who have given the test and who are going to give the test.

The mailer also shares some ‘gyaan’ with the dejected CAT 2009 test takers, “Computer-based testing has a transformative impact on education by expanding access, enhancing the test development process and making results more representative of a student’s capabilities”. This certainly goes above the head!

In a move to make the mailer more trustworthy, the parental angle has also been roped in. It says, “To your parents, we would like to assure them that we will conduct a thorough review and ensure that every candidate has been given an equal opportunity for the CAT.”

This assurance would seem farcical to all the parents who have seen tears coming down from the eyes of their children.