Sunday, February 14, 2010

Second Phase of CAT and Related Matters

The first phase of CAT 2009 was from November 28th to December 8th, 2009. The second phase of CAT 2009 will be on January 30th and 31st, 2010.

All candidates identified for the re-test in phase two would have received notice of their eligibility from Prometric by now. They will receive another notification informing them of the time and location for their test by January 23rd, 2010 at the latest. The results of CAT 2009 are likely to be declared by the third week of February 2010.

Equity and fairness requires that candidates who faced disruptions during the test be given an opportunity to complete the test while not requiring those who completed the test successfully to take the test again.

The following candidates would be scheduled for a test in the second phase of CAT 2009:

1. those who could not take the test due to planned or unplanned closure of their test lab and were not rescheduled later in the first phase. (This does not include voluntary no-shows.)
2. those who were rescheduled but could not appear for the test because of notice period of less than 48 hours.
3. those who were rescheduled but could not appear for the test as they were rescheduled in a city different from their original choice.
4. those who pressed the End/Quit button within the first 120 minutes during the first three days of the testing window and have not been rescheduled yet. (If a candidate in this category chooses not to take the rescheduled test, then his/her score from the first phase of testing will be retained.)
5. those who completed the test in more than 140 minutes of clock-time* due to computer disruptions. (If a candidate in this category does not appear for the rescheduled test, then his/her score from the first phase of testing will be considered null and void.)
6. those who completed the test in 136 minutes to 140 minutes of clock-time* due to computer disruptions would have an option to take the rescheduled test. (If a candidate in this category does not appear for the rescheduled test, then his/her score from the first phase of testing will be retained.)
7. those who experienced difficulties due to various kinds of disruptions such as frozen computer screen, blank screen, and data/graphic elements not displaying properly; identified through site reports recorded at the test labs and have not been rescheduled yet.

(* Clock-time refers to actual elapsed time from the start of the test to the end of the test for a candidate. This is different from the time indicated by the count-down timer which was displayed on the computer screen.)

The above criteria have been arrived at based on the analysis of calls and emails received from the candidates; site reports filed by the site managers; computer logs; and information gathered from websites and blogs. The rescheduling (based on the above criteria) and the psychometric equivalences that will be established across the tests address all issues of equity and fairness raised in various forums (including those pertaining to candidates getting additional clock-time).

( source http://www.catiim.in)

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