CAT online: what it means

The IIMs intend to take CAT online from 2009. Many are enthused about it, but also warn of the demerits.

How about chasing the CAT (Common Admission Test) with a mouse? Well, the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are thinking of conducting the test online from 2009. The institutes had issued a pre-qualification bid on March 31 inviting service providers, information technology firms specialising in assessment and testing services, for taking the test online.
Reports say the IIMs are going in for the online test to handle the increasing number of applicants. A total of 2.3-lakh candidates took the test last year. It is expected that 3-lakh may appear in 2008 and more in 2009.

The IIMs have said that they will retain complete control over the test. One thing is sure — CAT will no longer be a one-day affair. According to reports, the online tests can be taken over say, 15 days or more. Foreign students will be able to take the test locally rather than flying down to India for doing so. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are online.

Those favouring online CAT say the IIMs can work on these models and adapt the test to the Indian situation. When the examination is spread over days, several question papers with the same level of difficulty have to be set. Some believe that online formats cannot guarantee this. Burhan Hussain, student of IIM, Kozhikode, feels that an online CAT may help resolve issues that had plagued the exam in the past, such as paper leakage and candidates abroad having to travel.

Gautam Bhat, another student, notes that the online format is a step in the right direction, given the fact that CAT is the most competitive entrance test with so much at stake and with a need to continuously improve and align the process with the times.

Many point out some demerits of going online. One of the serious concerns is security.
Burhan says that the online format is thought to be safe, but it can be hacked.
Some people cite the example of an institution that could not successfully conduct an admission test in 2002 because of a snag in connectivity. However, the Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT) and the Manipal University examinations are conducted online.

Snapping of the Net connection, power failure and a hanging computer can hamper a candidate’s performance. These may not be major issues, but can upset the mental framework of even a well-prepared student.

What about building up the huge physical infrastructure needed to seat students in centres across the country? Getting this done in a year is doubtful.

And then, how computer-savvy are the candidates, especially those coming from rural areas? It remains to be seen if the online test centres will help students familiarise themselves with computers before the test as in GMAT sessions. How will one read the passages in the reading comprehension questions in the verbal ability section? Scrolling up and down to read and re-read? Then, much depends on the ease with which one can handle the mouse.

Another major issue will be the rise in the test fee. Already, CAT application costs Rs.1,100. Radhika V., an IIM-K student, says that as CAT goes online, the downside may be that it could get more expensive. “With the multiple applications an MBA aspirant has to make, this will almost certainly add to the burden,” she says. But it is hoped that the IIMs may go for only a marginal increase and the test cost will be within Rs.2,000.

It is not known if the date of examination can be chosen by the candidates or the authorities will fix the date for each of them.