Common Admission Test (CAT) , the highly anticipated exam, will seemingly not see any major change in its pattern, even though the mode will shift from paper to a computer-based one. The candidates will be divided into 20 batches with two batches sitting for the test everyday over a period of 10 days. Prometric, the firm entrusted with the task of conducting this year's test, has said that CAT will be held in 20 possible sittings across 23 cities. However, irrespective of the delivery mechanism, the pattern of the exam for admission to MBAs in the prestigious IIMs will remain more or less the same.
While the infrastructure needed to undertake this task will be determined only after the actual number of aspirants is known, the mammoth task might require about 15,000 computers. Prometric, given the enormity of the task, hopes to leverage their experience at the international level for the CAT exam and is working closely with the IIMs in this regard. It has also conducted computer-based examinations like GMAT and TOEFL. The IIMs announced in April that the CAT would be held through computers. While a computer-based system is expected to speed up the process of evaluation, it will enable IIMs and more than a hundred other Indian B-schools that rely on its scores to quickly take a decision on admissions. It will also provide greater flexibility to candidates in selecting the date, time and location of the test to suit their needs.
