After the first ever computer-based CAT 2009 was conducted and the scores are out, Prometric, the test conducting organization has come up with the ‘development and scoring processes’ of the exam. The answers to the questions which were looked for during the exam have been finally given by Prometric, that too post the exam!  

Forgetting the hard times that the CAT 2009 test takers had to go through Prometric has announced in the release issued: “Prometric is pleased to assist the IIMs in applying internationally accepted industry standards to the CAT 2009.  These standards are equivalent to those used in admissions tests, worldwide.  And we are very pleased with the result,” the testing organization has said in the communication.

Prometric has further mentioned --  ignoring the cries of the unsuccessful candidates who could not qualify in CAT 2009 and who are not satisfied with the results -- in the release that the content of the exam was developed by individual experts for the three sections, namely Verbal Ability, Quantitative Ability and Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning.

To put all stop to further queries from unsuccessful candidates Prometric has said, “Post-administration analysis was conducted by credentialed psychometricians to confirm the validity of the examination scores and to ensure that every candidate was provided a fair and equal opportunity to display their knowledge.”

“Prometric and the IIMs followed industry standard procedures to evaluate the results. The outcome demonstrates that the exam was created at the appropriate difficulty level to allow the IIMs to differentiate between the highest performing candidates and those who ranked below them, in order to identify the most qualified candidates for interviews and subsequent graduate school admission,” says Mr. Soumitro Ray, Managing Director, Prometric India.

Scoring system for CAT 2009
The CAT 2009 takers, who were absolutely unaware about the scoring system of the test, can now know the methodology behind their scores. “Prometric employed an industry-standard, psychometrically-sound approach to the scoring process for all IIM candidates,” says Prometric. There are three steps in which the scores are derived. They are, calculating raw scores, equating raw scores and scaling raw scores.

-- Calculating Raw Scores
Prometric informs that for every correct answer, the candidates were awarded three marks and for every incorrect answer, there was negative marking of one mark. However, there was no negative marking for questions which were not attempted.   

-- Equating the Raw Scores
“Equating is a statistical process used to adjust scores on two or more alternate forms of an assessment so that the scores may be used interchangeably,” Prometric has explained.

-- Scaling the Equated Raw Score
In order to appropriately interpret the raw score, the scores are placed on a common scale or metric.  In the IIM scaling model, sectional scores can range from 0 to 150 whereas the total exam score ranges from 0 to 450. “Four scaled scores are presented for each candidate: an overall scaled score and three separate scaled scores for each section. As the three sections evaluate three distinct sets of knowledge and skills, scores do not correlate across sections. A high score in one section does not guarantee a high score in another section. Percentile rankings are provided for each individual section as well as for the overall exam score,” Prometric elucidates.

-- Maintenance of the uniform difficulty level
According to Prometric, the exam was designed in such a way so that IIMs can choose the appropriate candidates. “The CAT exam was developed to accurately identify top performing candidates and that design makes use of a scaled score range of 0-450. In order to appropriately identify the top performing candidates, the CAT exam was, by design, very difficult,” Prometric elaborates.

Prometric has emphasized on the fact that the difficulty level of the questions was such that no candidate would have been able to score full 450 or 100 per cent. They also mention that had the paper been that easy, the purpose of IIMs would not have been served.

“The exam design accomplished the goal of identifying the top performing candidates who were, indeed, ranked at the top of the list. If the exam were designed to be substantially easier, it would be theoretically possible for a candidate to achieve a score of 450,” Prometric says.

For more details, click on the following link of the CAT IIM website:
http://www.prometric.com/IIM-CAT/CAT_DEV.htm

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more on CAT 2009!