After last year's faux pas during the first-ever computerized version of Common Admission Test (CAT), the Indian Institute of Management-Lucknow (IIM-L), to jointly conduct the online exercise with IIM-Calcutta, this year, is taking no chances for October-November exam.
Last year's online CAT had encountered technical glitches creating a flutter across the country.
To ensure a hassle-free test, to be taken nationally by over 2 lakh candidates in 32 cities, it has been decided that the test period, which was 10 days last year be extended to 20 days, with at least 4 day break in between, for stock taking.
"We certainly are going to be on our toes and have already begun preparations well in advance. The idea is to deliver a glitch free version this year," IIM-L director Professor Devi Singh told HT.
IIM-L's Professor Himanshu Rai, convener of CAT-2010 said, "This year, Prometric, the US based agency, tasked with delivering the online exam, would be taking the exam centers in its control nearly 15 days before the test unlike last year when the centers were taken over a week before. This would provide more time for ground check."
Rai said, "There are certain things which one just cannot predict. However the attempt on our part is to ensure that there are no loose ends."
{{/usCountry}}Rai said, "There are certain things which one just cannot predict. However the attempt on our part is to ensure that there are no loose ends."
{{/usCountry}}This time a major effort would be made to make the students aware of how to go about taking the online test. Candidate help-line centers would thus become operational couple of weeks before the actual test.
Though such centers were there last year too, for the exercise conducted by IIM-Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore, several candidates had complained of language issues -- the main complaint being that the people who took the calls at the help centers weren't conversant with Hindi.
This year, IIM-L and IIM Calcutta have taken care of this aspect as well.
"This year candidates who understand Hindi more too wouldn't have a problem as the people at the help desk would be taking the call, both in English and in Hindi," Rai said.
The CAT result would be declared in January 2011.