CAT 2010 to be held at fewer centres

The Common Admission Test (CAT), mandatory for seeking admission to the premier Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and over 120 top B-schools, will be held across 32 cities -- the same as last year -- but the number of test centres will be less.

The decrease in the number of venues is because of an extended testing window for this year.

The examination, which was made computer-based for the first time last year and held for 11 days, was riddled with problems, especially in the first three days. US-based testing agency Prometric was roped in to conduct the computer-based CAT.

"The testing window has been extended to offer students a greater choice of dates. We will reduce the number of CAT centres per city to ensure a better experience for the students," Prometric India MD Soumitra Roy told reporters here today.

Prometric is also finalising multiple technology partners to execute CAT 2010 unlike last year, when homegrown information technology company NIIT was its sole IT partner.

"We are taking every step possible to ensure a successful administration for the CAT 2010 candidates. To avert potential overlaps in schedule with college exams, Prometric has recommended an earlier testing period. The final dates and details on registration and scheduling will be announced officially by the IIMs," Roy added.

Besides the eight IIMs, over 120 management schools registered with CAT use the exam score for admitting students.

While 216,000 candidates could satisfactorily appear during the 11-day testing window last year, over 7,000 took the test in January this year during the second phase, as they could not appear in the first phase due to virus attacks and other technical glitches.

The number of testing centres and technology partners will be finalised by the end of this month and the IIMs are expected to publish the first advertisement for the test by end-August.