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LATEST
NEWS |
| 24th
September 2010 / Times of India / Bangalore Edition |
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 CAT will be error-free : Prometric
Bangalore: When the premier Indian Institute of Managements introduced computer-based test last year for its prestigious Common Admission Test, little did they expect that it would run into rough weather.
Servers crashed in various centres and the rescheduled dates and venue created havoc with students academic schedules. But all that is past. Prometric, global provider of testing and assessment, is set to make CAT 2010 glitches-free for over two lakh students when they appear for the coveted test.
Soumitra Roy, managing director, Prometric India, elaborated on various measures taken to make hassle-free CAT 2010.
What went wrong in CAT 2009
Last year in many colleges, they had used unlicensed softwares. In some cases, the licence had expired but they had not got it renewed. This time, we are ensuring that licensed version of software is installed.
What measures have been taken to avoid glitches this year
We have taken candidates feedback, including their views posted on blogs. Last year, students had no clear instruction. So, this time, we have introduced CAT 2010 short videos including registration and scheduling process, test day process etc. Last time, there were some problems with the quit button. So, this time if a student accidentally clicks the quit button, the computer will ask for Yes or No.
How many candidates have registered this year And, how many test centres are there across the country
As on today, 1.75 lakh applications have been sold. CAT 2010 will be held in 33 cities, 247 labs, 78 test centres and more than 9,000 computers will be used. Last year, 17, 000 computers were used and the test was held in 300 labs, 32 cities, 104 testing centres. This year there will be a 20-day testing window period.
In case a candidate encounters a problem, what measure have you taken
If a candidate encounters a problem, s/he will be put into a contingency seat, where s/he can take the test from the point s/he had left. If there are too many technical glitches, students will be given venue and test date within testing window period.
What are the security measures
We will check the identity of students through Biometric system. Last year, some candidates went around the country taking test. We took all the data and have given it to the IIMs. This time, in all the test centres, audio and video installations are in place to avoid students indulging in any kind of malpractice.
What is CAT practice test
The CAT practice test will be available on www.catiim.in at least a month before the start of the testing window to familiarise students. The test will have a tutorial followed by 12 sample questions. The tutorial will explain navigation around the screen such as question number, on-screen timer, next button, previous, mark, review and quit test options. Students can review the marked and also incomplete questions.
How do the sample questions work
Each question will have four answer option. The students can also change their answers by clicking on any other circle. Three points were awarded for each correct answer and one negative mark for every wrong answer. If a candidate has selected an answer and wants to change it, s/he can always do that.
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