Dear Students,
LAST WEEK WE ASKED: Do you think conducting CAT throughout the year would help more candidates crack the test?
BEST RESPONSE
Initially, CAT used to be conducted only on a particular day. Since 2009, it's being conducted over a period of time (that too online). The pattern on CAT too is never redundant, which is to dilute the spreading of coaching institutes like mushrooms. In spite of all these facts, the quality of students getting into premier B-Schools hasn't reduced. Thus it can be concluded that conducting CAT throughout the year wouldn't help more candidates crack the test. It all depends on individual's preparation, caliber and the exam temperament.
- Saurabh Kumar, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad.
OTHER RESPONSES
Conducting CAT round the year is no solution to check the dismal performance of candidates in the exam. Concept building, mock tests and consistent efforts are the weapons to combat CAT's sheer audacity. What is needed is to decode the expectations of paper setters which day by day is getting eclipsed by misleading coaching centres and an intangible tryst for success without value addition. Leadership and decision making skills are to be cultivated rather an inventory of numbers and lexicons. Unlike GMAT, CAT is designed according to Indian enrolling format for which one time exam is apt to select candidates.
- Nandish Agarwal, Galgotias College of Engineering and Technology, Greater Noida.
It will help more students in cracking the test because students can select their time and date as per their choice which will give them adequate time to prepare. Conducting the CAT throughout the year will also make it easier for students because there will be predictability as far as type of questions and difficulty levels are concerned making it easier and diluting the quality of the test itself.
- Ashish Singh, Institute of Management Nirma University, Ahmedabad.
Some students crack competitive exam with ease and confidence. But for many, success is not guaranteed even after repeated attempts attended with hard preparation. This indicates more emphasis towards the mindset. I don't support the view of conducting CAT throughout because CAT is kind of exam in which constant quality time spending and practice does matter. Instead of making single genuine attempt with fullest potential students will end up giving exams without improvement. Their attitude will become more casual towards exam. Hence proper approach and strategy in preparation is the only thing which helps aspirant to crack the exam.
- Vivek Patel, Institute of Management, Nirma University (IMNU), Ahmedabad.
Conducting CAT throughout the year would certainly increase the predictability of the paper pattern. Since CAT is the most trickiest, and most unpredictable entrance exam, it would certainly help candidates to crack the test. Also, many candidates have to reappear for CAT or have to accept lower colleges since they don't want to spoil their year. It would thus help them increase their chances to get admission in their dream B schools. But the history suggests that whenever there is a change in conducting the CAT IIMs have faced many technical glitches.
- Karan Uppal, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad.
Management studies have now gone global and such should be the case with the method of taking the exams for the same. CAT should be in similar lines as GMAT i.e. it should be taken throughout the year. This will not only enhance the aspirants' chances of clearing the exam, but also detach the luck factor. Further, it would stamp out the one year waiting period which adds to the anxiety of the CAT aspirants. There would be less pressure on the technical system which has failed miserably in the previous years.
- Harsh Nathani, IMNU, Ahmedabad.
Conducting CAT throughout the year would provide flexibility to CAT aspirants in terms of planning their attempt and would also aim to relieve the stress which they otherwise face to either perform exceptionally well or wait for another whole year to appear again for it. Prestigious and world over accepted tests like GRE, GMAT etc. have also been conducted in similar fashion throughout the year across the globe and following the same fashion will help IIMs to garner global recognition too. All that IIMs need to ensure is a robust and reliable infrastructure which always has been a concern.
- Tushar Shah, School of Petroleum Management, PDPU, Gandhinagar.
The idea of conducting CAT throughout the year will obviously boost the result statistics in favour of students. This proposed model would enable the CAT takers to select exam date as per their convenience rather than having limited testing window. Also, if someone is unable to give his best due to some reason then that person will not have to wait for as long as a year for second opportunity. Thus, with this, we can have more aspirants to crack the exam though the toughness of CAT is much vaunted among the applicants.
- Shivam Chhabra, Integral University, Lucknow.
Linear-on-the-fly testing method (round-the-year) is a welcome change, both for the student community as well as working professionals. By removing the time constraint, IIMs will surely be able to capture a larger market share, as it will provide the flexibility of scheduling the exams as per convenience instead of the restriction to schedule within a 20 days window. This will make CAT a more standardized test. Before executing this concept, IIMs should assure that the test is glitch free and there are sufficient psychometrically tested questions. The CAT will soon be competing with exams like GMAT on a global level.
- Kanchan Agrawal, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad.
Organizing CAT through the whole year would surely downgrade its value. From this, only the revenues from CAT form fees would increase. Even coaching institutes have same practice paper for CAT. If the students want to really crack the CAT, then the current system of coaching is already pretty good for them. Moreover, students wouldn't be able to schedule the preparations for CAT properly. Therefore, according to me, conducting CAT throughout the year wouldn't help more candidates crack the test.
- Nirav Ravindrakumar Dave, Amrut Mody School of Management, Ahmedabad University, Ahmedabad.
Currently CAT is a one time shot and students desperately need to hit the bull's eye in order to crack the CAT and a secure a seat in the IIMs. Failing this, the candidate won't be able to apply for CAT for another year. If IIMs change the rules of the game and conduct CAT throughout the year, many students will get another golden chance to hit the bull's eye and secure a seat in the IIMs.
- Harsh Mehta, St. Kabir Institute of Professional Studies, Ahmedabad.
Irrespective of the number of times CAT is conducted during a year, the seats at the management institutes will remain unchanged. The intake of these institutions might improve qualitatively but not quantitatively. A candidate taking CAT will have higher probability to get a good score if he genuinely has prepared well and has the aptitude that is required for cracking it. One bad day will not result in a candidate waiting an entire year to prove his/ her mettle. However it will also lead to uncertainty, among candidates who have already scored well in one attempt, of someone scoring higher.
- Shivang Ganatra, IIM Ranchi.
Conducting CAT throughout the year would be an extrapolated version of the current format wherein it is being conducted within a window of 20 days. The candidates would definitely benefit from the leeway available in selecting a suitable time for taking up CAT. Apart from bringing about a surge in the number of candidates appearing for the exam, the proposed format would also prove to be a major boon for the aspirants who are working professionals. The standard computerized format would further ensure consistency and equity in picking up the best managerial brains from the country.
- Rimika Mittal, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad.
Conducting CAT throughout the year is a debatable issue. Candidate can prepare at his will and give exams at the time suitable to him. It is in tune with global exams like GRE, GMAT which will increase CAT's global viability. Yet, a permanent infrastructure, for conducting exams, has to be in place. Also support staff has to be kept annually. Organisers need to have sufficient psychometric test questions throughout the year. Exam fees have to be increased. Also, they need to ensure viability of conducting computer-based test round the year (i.e. probability of technical glitches increases).
- Archita Gupta, NL Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai.
The CAT being offered in a 20 day window serves the purpose of being a good entrance test for IIMs whereas the GMAT is taken by the students around the world, which helps the international universities keep a common scale for evaluating the multi-national talent. The objectives of the two are very different, it will be a good thing to have the capability of conducting a test of similar level, but one must remember the purpose of the two being different, hence purely aping the GMAT wont be of any help to CAT.
- Ameya More, IMNU, Ahmedabad.
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