On day 2, CAT chaos worsens

 
The standardised test, which determines admission to the country’s prestigious Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and many other B-schools, is being held in a staggered online format for the first time. Sunday was day two of the 10-day schedule.

The test was cancelled at the Garden City College (GCC) on Sunday, but Prometric, the American firm which developed the computerised test system, committed more faux pas on day two. The firm, which has a $40-million contract with the IIMs forwarded a mail to some candidates late on Saturday evening, stating that the tests were rescheduled for Sunday morning.

Around 30 candidates, who were not able to take the test at Vivekananda Degree College on Saturday, turned up at the GCC on Sunday, thanks to the mail circulated by Prometric. To their disbelief, they found that the test stood cancelled.

Amit, a final year student from M S Ramaiah Engineering College, whose semester examination begins on Monday, said: “They have messed up the whole test. I have travelled 30 km to GCC only because I was informed late on Saturday evening that my test was rescheduled for Sunday,” Amit said.

On Sunday, while the organisers posted an update on their official website announcing the rescheduling of the exam in 49 labs in 24 centres across India, there was no direct communication, either through mail or SMS to the students. In many cases, students reached the test centres when they were told to go back home.