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)

CAT Retest for few

CAT II a second chance of Hope

The Common Admission Test (CAT) was held from November 28 to December 8, 2009. CAT was conducted in major cities of India and during these 11 days. Around 2.4 lakh candidates applied for the test of which 2.15 lakh took the test successfully in the first phase, the IIMs and Prometric said. “Over the course of 11 days in the first phase, tests were administered over 17,000 computers in 361 temporary testing labs at 104 centres in 32 cities throughout India.

But, this time CAT was different from the previous CAT Exam because that was the first time when CAT went online. CAT was conducted online, so due to the first attempt many students faced many problems. During all these eleven days news of glitches in the exam reported from different places. The aspiring students who were unable to give the exam due to the technical problems were given another chance. Many students those who miss the first attempt now feeling a bit relaxed and anxious about the exam.

The IIM have announced that the second phase of CAT will be held on 30th and 31st January, 2010. In this second phase the candidates identified for a re-test will receive a notification about the same from Prometric by January 10, many are uncertain about how the second phase will play out. The website has also given detailed information on those who are eligible to take the test. CAT takers, who experienced technical glitches like frozen computer screen, blank screen, and improper display of data or graphic elements and were not given a second chance, will also be eligible to complete their test. The website also pointed that in case of students faced disruptions and could complete the test in more than 140 minutes of clock-time (actual test-taking time), should also get their tests re-scheduled.

The students those who are going to take this exam second time have some doubts in mind related to the exam. Some students feel that there were several questions which were repeated in the first phase. If the second phase contains similar questions, it will be an advantage for those students, and prove totally unfair for others.

The results, which were to be announced on January 22, have now been pushed back to the third week of February, thanks to the second phase of tests. “If the final results are announced by February-end, then the final selection after Group Discussions and Personal Interviews (GDPI) will happen only by mid-May.

Several management institutes, which conduct admissions before this date, will now be forced to wait for the CAT result. In this regards, many students may miss the opportunity to get admission in other management institute too if he/she miss to score a good rank for IIMs. Due to this rescheduling of the exam some students may get advantages and at the same time some may face disadvantages. But at the end of this we all wish that all should went well this time and the aspiring students who got the second chance to try their luck for IIMs will get success this time.