CAT 2016 offers the retesting opportunity to selected candidates in very rare cases. It may be you, may be others and may not be anyone depending upon the circumstances calling for the re-test of CAT 2016.
Retest chances
According to IIM Bangalore, the CAT 2016 convening IIM, “Computer based testing is a proven and reliable process that is administered to tens of millions of people each year. As with paper and pencil testing, or virtually every other human endeavour, a very small number of problems could occur that might prevent a test from being delivered and/or a result from being generated.”
In fact CAT 2016 Administration centre has taken more than required steps to ensure that no chance of retest occurs and has ensured with testing partner TCS to conduct error free CAT 2016.
Who is eligible for CAT 2016 Retest?
In case, circumstances or technical glitches call for the CAT 2016 retest to take place, you may get the opportunity to take the test again. Since it will depend on the computer based CAT 2016 which in case does not go the smooth way as claimed by CAT 2016 Test Centre, only the affected ones will be eligible to take the retest.
IIM Bangalore clarifies “In the unlikely event this does occur, every effort will be made to correct the problem, up to and including the administration of another test” So first of all the endeavour will be to get the problem corrected in case it occurs. However, if it is not of that nature that can be corrected during the testing session, a re-test will be conducted.
Even after emphasizing that the computer based CAT 2016 exam is the best testing process, CAT 2016 centre has kept the provision for re-test open in case there are certain unanticipated technical issues coming up during the exam.
Earlier in 2010 when the retest for CAT 2009 was conducted for more than 2000 candidates, following type of candidates were eligible for CAT retest-
-- CAT takers, who encountered technical glitches like frozen computer screen, blank screen, and improper display of data or graphic elements were eligible to go for the retest;
-- Candidates who could not take the test due to closure of their test labs and were not given a rescheduled date;
-- Candidates who were rescheduled but could not appear for the test because of notice period of less than 48 hours;
-- Candidates who could not take the test as it was rescheduled in a different city from their earlier choice were all eligible to appear in CAT retest
-- Students who faced disruptions such as pressing the end/quit button within the first 120 minutes and were not rescheduled, were allowed to sit for the exam. Candidates in this category were given the option of taking or not taking the CAT retest. If the candidate in this category did not choose to take the rescheduled test, his/her score from the 1st phase of testing was retained.
Retest only for selected test-labs or test venues
The test venues in the test city where the technical issues occur and hamper the smooth conduct of CAT 2016 may be subjected to retest. Accordingly, it could be 1 or 2 testing labs and not the entire test venue or even if it is a test venue it should not be expected that the candidates in all the test venues in the test city will have to go for retest.
CAT 2016 Retest: When to expect
CAT 2016 exam is scheduled to be held on December 4, 2016 and in case a few of the testing labs or test venues need to be put to retest, it may not be held before 15-20 days. You can expect the retest in the last week of December 2016 or first week of January 2017, if needed.
Another important factor that will determine the date of CAT 2016 retest is the number of candidates who have to go for retest. If the number is low, CAT 2016 retest can be conducted within a fortnight but in case this number is high enough, the retest can be held after a month or so from the date of first test.
Factors compelling for CAT 2016 Retest
In case there are minor technical glitches like system does not work for some time, your particular node gets stuck, you will get proportionate time as the timer on your screen will start from where it got stopped. So there is no issue except that you may have to spend more than 3 hours inside the testing lab instead of fixed 3 hours.
But, following factors may call for CAT 2016 retest-
-- In case the system at the test venue does not get activated as there is some major fault in net connectivity which cannot be corrected at the material time
-- The test venue is not accessible due to some major riots, curfew, flood or some other prohibitory orders
-- Test not visible on the computer screen inspite of long waiting, and the problem is not corrected within reasonable time,
-- Sudden System failure at the test venue which despite best efforts remains unsolved
-- In all above and other situations, CAT 2016 exam centre may have to resort to Re-test in some other day after making due announcement.
CAT 2009: Had retest on January 30 & 31, 2010
CAT in its computerised format had to reschedule the exam earlier also. In 2009 when IIM Ahmedabad convened the first computerised CAT with testing partner Prometric, the technical glitches called for the rescheduling the CAT exam. Hundreds of the candidates had to go for retest while many others had to spend 8 to 10 hours before their computer screens as their Nodes were not working and they had to continue waiting for the test to become visible from morning till evening.
More than 2,000 candidates could not take the CAT in time because of technical glitches in the system. All these candidates had to appear in retest on January 30 & 31, 2010.
In case CAT 2016 is subjected to retest at certain test venues, candidates will be allowed with the same Admit Card. The CAT 2016 retest will be of same difficulty level with same testing pattern.
CAT 2016 gateway to PGP 2017-19 in 20 IIMs and other top B-schools is to be conducted on December 4, 2016 in 2 sessions. Registration process for the exam is proposed to be closed on September 22.
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