Demand grows for scrapping online CAT

The faculty associations of IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Kolkata have passed separate resolutions, seeking scrapping of the test. A few thousand students could not write the test due to virus attack and other technical problems. Unhappy over the way the CAT was conducted, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has convened a meeting of IIM directors on Wednesday to express its concerns.

Higher Education Secretary Vibha Puri Das will chair the meeting of IIM directors to discuss the issue in detail, an HRD ministry official said. HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has already expressed displeasure over students facing problem during the computerised test. The issue was raised in Parliament when BJP members criticised the government for the fiasco.
The test, which was supposed to be taken by 2.41 lakh students, was conducted by an American firm Prometric in a staggered manner over 11 days. However, all the candidates could not appear in the test due to the “virus attack”.
It is understood that the IIM directors are divided over whether they should scrap the computerised CAT.

The IIM directors met in Mumbai on Sunday and discussed the issue in detail. IIM Ahmedabad Director Prof Samir Baruah and IIM Bangalore Director Prof Pankaj Chandra have opposed the idea of scrapping the test, sources said.