Dear Sir,

The CAT is the pre-eminent competitive exam in the country for thousands of aspiring youngsters to secure admission to the best B-schools in the country. Every year, students pin their hopes on doing well on the CAT and securing a chance to brighten their career prospects. So, it is imperative that the conduct of the test is fair to all candidates. The CAT is not only a test for admission to the IIMs but also for admission to more than a hundred other institutions, who believe in the sanctity of the test and the process of conducting it.
Currently, many students have come to us for a resolution of the various issues, which they have faced at the current examination. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide answers. Students have also reported that they have been unable to reach the Candidate Care Number provided for query resolution.
Every additional day brings forward new issues with respect to the conduct of the test, adding to the uncertainty in the minds of the students who have taken the test as well those who are yet to take it.
There has been assurance for the candidates whose test has been rescheduled and as promised by the CAT authorities, students are getting information on their new test date and venues.
But, as stated by many students, the bigger problem that merits to be addressed is the way the test has been conducted for candidates who have already taken the test. Based on a student survey conducted by IMS, we would like to point out multiple issues faced by candidates during the administration of the test. The following problems raise grave concerns on the sanctity of the test and the test evaluation process:

1. Delay in the start of the test: Quite a few of the test-takers have reported a delay of up to 3 hours. This delay not only added to their anxiety but also ensured that these candidates were not able to take the test with a fresh and alert mind, an absolute necessity for a test like the CAT.
2. Invigilator issues: Invigilators in many test centers were not appropriately trained to handle candidate queries or manage the test-taking process in their centres. While a few invigilators baffled the students by giving incorrect/confused instructions, others showed apathy towards the candidates’ need for a proper test-taking environment by chatting within the test lab.
3. Test software navigation: Students have reported that they were instructed not to use the “REVIEW’ button. This instruction has forced some students to lose precious time while navigating in the test, thus putting them at a disadvantage compared to candidates who used the review button.
4. Test Software and Hardware Interruptions: Candidates reported an interruption in their test due to various technical glitches like power failure, software speed, early termination of the test, sudden computer shutdown, system hanging and system errors popping up.
5. Unfair advantage: Despite disclaimers on the official CAT-IIM website, reportedly as per student feedback there have been open discussions on the test content on both offline and online forums. If true, this would give an unfair advantage to the participants in such discussions thus violating the basic objective of any test.
6. Re-taking the test: Many candidates who assumed that they had completed the test are being recalled to re-take the test. This is causing anxiety amongst students who have completed the test – as to whether their scores have been accepted at all.

It is evident that despite all efforts there has been a setback in conducting the exam in a manner that is fair and appropriate for all candidates. We therefore request you to initiate action or at the least give a clear indication of how you intend to resolve these issues to ensure a level playing field amongst candidates.
One may argue that the final percentage of students who have faced the above problems may not exceed 5 percent of the total test-taking population, but one needs to remember that only 2 percent of the overall test-taking population advances to the next stage!
We are witnessing a setback to the standing of the CAT and the IIMs amongst the MBA aspirants. We therefore urge you to take appropriate action and restore the faith in the admission process of the IIMs, and the CAT in particular, which has always been a standard for B-School aspirants.

Thanking You,

Kamlesh Sajnani
Managing Director
IMS

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