CAT still can’t get mouse act right

Technical glitches led to exam cancellations for the second day on Sunday at some centres holding the IIM entrance test being held online for the first time this year, reports HT Correspondents.

Technical glitches led to exam cancellations for the second day on Sunday at some centres holding the IIM entrance test being held online for the first time this year.

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Exams were cancelled in 50 labs holding the entrance test to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). More than 2,000 candidates could not take the Common Admission Test (CAT) on day two.

Prometric, the US-based agency conducting the exam, shut 50 computer laboratories across 24 centres in 13 cities to repair the technical faults encountered the previous day.

It blamed the snags on a virus attack that the anti-virus software at the testing centres could not handle.

Ramesh Nava, vice-president & general manager, Asia Pacific, Japan & Africa, Prometric, said: “Candidates are our first and foremost priority and we are making every effort to provide all CAT aspirants an opportunity to test.”

Satish Deodhar, convener of CAT and faculty IIM-Ahmedabad, said: “We, along with Prometric, are trying our best to work out the rescheduled dates as early as possible and students will be duly informed.”

Students are yet to receive any communication from Prometric so far.

Though admitting that such glitches are expected as the test is being conducted online for the first time, IIM Ahmedabad Director Samir Barua said that as the agency assigned the responsibility, Prometric should have ensured error-free deliverance. “Primarily, it (the online deliverance) is their responsibility,” he told HT on Saturday.

There were numerous complaints. Neha Jha, who took the test at a south Delhi centre, said: “Throughout the test, the computer kept hanging, affecting my concentration.”

In Lucknow, some candidates raised slogans against what they called mismanagement and indifference to their problems. “It is supposed to be a coveted test for entry into India’s best business schools. But what we have seen in the last two days is simply shocking,” said Prince Ganguly, a candidate who took his test at the Azad Engineering College centre.