IIM Bangalore is shortly going to decide on the modalities to conduct CAT 2016 as well as the exam structure and the contents. Based on the last year CAT, many of the CAT 2016 aspirants have approached MBAUniverse.com demanding changes in CAT 2016 with a request to convey their suggestions to IIM Bangalore for its consideration while finalizing everything on CAT.
Agreed that it is the prerogative of IIM Bangalore to take decision on all the aspects of CAT 2016 but the aspirants are the major stake holders and without them there is no relevance of the exam. Besides, their suggested changes are not out of place and can be considered favourably by the CAT 2016 exam convening committee headed by Prof Rajendra K Bandi, faculty at IIM Bangalore and convener CAT 2016 as well as the testing partner TCS.
Justify No age bar: Amend Registration form
The CAT registration form despite now allowing the people who completed their graduation as 2 years course as per the then existing pattern, does not have correct space to accommodate the issue in the registration form. The registration form in last year CAT did not allow to move further unless the information was filled in the following format
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Month/Year of Course Commencement: |
July 1974 |
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Month/Year of Course Completion: |
June 1977 |
CAT 2016 aspirants who are above 50 years of age but still wish to pursue PGP from an IIM have suggested that since they have the 2 years graduation degree as per the old pattern as existed in most of the Indian universities, they should be allowed to appear in CAT 2016.
Although this was allowed from the year 2014 after MBAUniverse.com raised the issue before the then CAT convening IIM Indore, CAT 2016 aspirants have requested that the arrangement should continue and must not be changed this year but registration form should be amended accordingly http://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/7969/CAT-2014-age-bar
However, due amendment in the CAT 2016 registration form should be made as it does not validate the 2 years of graduation and while completing the registration form one has to enter 3 years duration for bachelor’s degree although it was completed in 2 years.
CAT specifies that there is no age bar to appear in the exam but till 2013 there was hidden age bar as with 2 years of graduation you were not allowed to appear in the exam. It may be noted that in middle 80’s, Universities in India had switched over to 3 year graduation pattern from the earlier existing 2 year graduation degree course.
Those who did their graduation in the old pattern remained out of CAT registration purview. Even during past 2 years, although 2 years of bachelor’s degree was allowed but the candidates had to fill in 3 years duration.
Responding to the query at Q.34 in Registration FAQs for last year CAT ‘I have done 10+2+2 degree, how should I enter my degree marks, since there is no provision for 2 years duration under bachelor degree’ IIM Ahmedabad that convened CAT last year advised “Enter the bachelor degree marks, under bachelor degree field with the duration as 3 years and select year of commencement and completion accordingly. Note: This pattern and degree should be recognised by UGC, AIU or equivalent bodies for eligibility to CAT 2015.” Same response was given to the candidates who had done 10+1+1+2 degree and raised the query how to enter my degree marks.
2 days test window suggested for CAT 2016
Before the CAT 2016 group committee meeting, the aspirants raised this issue and through MBAUniverse.com requested IIM Bangalore to conduct CAT 2016 in a 2 days test window instead of 1 day.
The reasons cited by them are that sufficient gap between their other exam like NMAT by GMAC; IIFT and CAT is needed. They have to go for rescheduling the other exam and have to incur higher expenses and re-plan their journey. It may be noted that registration for NMAT by GMAC and IIFT would begin much earlier than CAT 2016. It is very much possible that the test dates for longer duration exam may clash with CAT 2016. Besides, there are limited test centres for IIFT entrance exam. As such candidates find it difficult to rush from one city to other overnight. http://www.mbauniverse.com/article/id/9533/CAT-2016
Designate Noida as Test Centre
Hundreds of candidates have requested to designate Noida in Delhi NCR as one of the test centres for CAT 2016. In fact till 2013 Noida continued to be one of the test cities for CAT exam. But since 2014 the test venue has been only Greater Noida which is around 25-35 Km away from Noida.
Besides Noida is well connected by Metro, Govt regulated bus service and other numerous public transport system.
On the other hand, you need to have your own vehicle to reach Greater Noida in time as there is no Metro connectivity as of now nor there is strong network of public transport system for Greater Noida. Candidates have to make a big hole in their pocket by shelling out a good amount of money, if they choose to travel even by an auto-rickshaw or taxi as the fare is also not very well regulated and when you are in need, you may expect any irrelevant fare hike. It is suggested that Noida should be designated as one of the test centres along with Greater Noida.
Re-design CAT 2016 with 2 sections or make it 4
Splitting of Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning from their respective Quant and Verbal sections and clubbing the duo forming a separate section did cost many otherwise high scorers as they could not qualify on the minimum required percentile in DILR section.
Many candidates who performed well in Quant and Verbal sections found it difficult to clear the threshold limit in newly created DILR section. Sharing their concern, they clarified that DILR questions are always tricky and time consuming. Earlier they were clubbed to other sections and the support system worked well. In the new pattern both DI and LR questions have found place in same section. According to them, if IIM Bangalore and testing partner TCS can mull over this issue, it would be better if both DI and LR parts are clubbed back to their parent sections or in case it is not possible, both of them should be separated and placed as separate sections with more time limit to solve.
Remove Sectional Time Limit
CAT aspirants were jubilant when they were allowed to toggle between the sections in 2014 exam. The time constraint was imposed again in last year CAT. It was a tough time for the candidates who attempted one section a few minutes before the allotted time limit but could not move on to other section. It so happened that due to this time constraint they lost their threshold percentile in one of the three sections despite scoring high overall percentile of 99+ and were not even shortlisted by any IIM.
Such aspirants who are planning to appear again in CAT 2016 are worried what more tough changes could be there in coming exam. It would be a good aspirant friendly change, if the sectional time limit is removed and the test takers are allowed to move between the sections in CAT 2016.
Last year CAT was convened by IIM Ahmedabad which brought about tremendous changes in the exam and not only changed the structure and time duration of the exam but the shape and contents of the test were totally transformed. Going by the same standard and in view of the ever changing face of CAT, it is very much expected that CAT 2016 would bring yet more changes and surprises. The notification for CAT 2016 is proposed to be out in the last week of July 2016.
IIM Bangalore is well known for its different academic rigour, admission criteria. High percentilers in past CAT exams are the testimony to the fact that despite scoring 99.9 many of them were not shortlisted by IIM Bangalore but those who had excellent academic profile, quality work experience and other innovative ideas were shortlisted despite their low percentile in CAT. You will be required to begin your preparation keeping in view the prospective changes in the exam.
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