CAT:Prometric promises new dates for missed candidates

The first-ever experiment of the IIMs to conduct its Common Admission Test (CAT) using computers ran into trouble today with servers crashing in 11 of the 105 centres across the country, affecting over 1500 students who would take the exam again within ten days.

Soon after the exam started, students faced problems in opening the computers at 11 centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Bhopal.

Nearly 2.41 lakh students across the country had registered to take the exam for getting entry into seven Indian Institutes of Management and other elite B-schools.

Doing away with the paper-based system, the IIMs had entrusted the conduct of computer-based CAT 2009 to American firm Prometric. The firm has decided to spread the test over a period of ten days at 105 centres in 32 cities.

"Once the exam started, the screen went blank. We were made to sit in another room and there was no information given to us on what happened," said a candidate here.

Another student said they faced problem when they pressed the 'exit' button on the key board.

Prometric said the tests would be rescheduled within ten days for the affected students.

"It has certainly not been cancelled in any of the test centres. As a result of isolated technical issues, exams of some candidates are being rescheduled and provided with a new appointment via email and SMS," said Soumitra Roy, Managing Director, India, Prometric.