What does the CAT aim to test?

[dhruv.dingliwal]

Hi to All Fellow Puys,
"After a long long consideration we come to the conclusion that the matriculation examination is a big big botheration to the indian nation whose main occupation is cultivation"...

Am starting this thread, to share with others, as to what exactly is it that Common Admission Test, conducted by the six , err... seven IIMs, aims to test...?
IS it Aptitude? .... IS it Attitude?....

Oh... Is it both... Give me another one!

Cheers,
Dhruv

[dhruv.dingliwal]

On the basis of my CAT experience, I would present a hypothesis:
If IIMs conduct CAT on 3 Sundays, (either consecutive or non-consecutive), just like any mock CAT, keeping the overall perceived difficulty level of paper uniform, the results will throw some interesting information....!
If we compare the number of students who qualify for GD-PI call in each of these attempts in a grouped manner... we can surely see a lot of deviation...

Please do post your valuable opinions, fellow puys..
Dhruv

[neetugw]

It's all about Attitude, you just got to fight for 2.5 hrs in the examination hall by keeping your head cool and selecting the proper questions.

[hurricane]

Originally Posted by dhruv.dingliwal

On the basis of my CAT experience, I would present a hypothesis:
If IIMs conduct CAT on 3 Sundays, (either consecutive or non-consecutive), just like any mock CAT, keeping the overall perceived difficulty level of paper uniform, the results will throw some interesting information....!
If we compare the number of students who qualify for GD-PI call in each of these attempts in a grouped manner... we can surely see a lot of deviation...

Please do post your valuable opinions, fellow puys..
Dhruv

Hi,

I think its pretty dumb to discuss soemthing like this.

Take it as a selection (or rather rejection procedure) procedure to fill the IIM seats.

If you try to read too much into what its testing, its testing aptitude (with a bit of luck involved).

Regards

[sukhi29]

how good are you at grasping things. Its not about learning at all. Ratta maarna hota hai bass

civil services is much better

[The0ne]

although i m not a master as i did not crack it but acc. to me...... 1. time mgmt (under pressure-cooker situation) 2. decision making (still clueless)

[dhruv.dingliwal]

I thank all for the ideas expressed...
@ hurricane: I don't want to express doubt upon the intentions of IIMs, but the only thing that prompts me to start this thread is that, if I compare CAT vis-a-vis GMAT,
1. Ask a sample of 100 odd people to write GMAT and CAT three times and I am sure that the results of GMAT would be much more consistent than those of CAT.
If you actually want to test the aptitude and the pressure handling capability, then why is there a chance or luck factor involved?
IIMs are by far the most respected B-schools in India and they should aim to select the best of the students... I have also worked part time as a faculty member with TIME and feel pained to see that quiet a good number of deserving candidates, who have proved themselves against the challenges of a good number of mocks, fail to make their mark coz of the whims of the day...
To quote a personal experience of my own, in CAT 2007, when the invigilator came to me for the attendance signature, she found that the form number and qtn. paper no. were not as per the seating plan... she found that she had mistakenly swapped the papers between me and the guy sitting behind me.. Puzzled, she left us wondering for 10 mins and consulted IIM contact person for the solution... and asked both of us to swap our seats as well... All this was 20 mins into the CAT paper.... I was really upset with this mismanagement and goof-up ...
I won't like to take this as an excuse ... but how is CAT measuring the best aptitude?
Dhruv

[hurricane]

Originally Posted by dhruv.dingliwal

I thank all for the ideas expressed...
@ hurricane: I don't want to express doubt upon the intentions of IIMs, but the only thing that prompts me to start this thread is that, if I compare CAT vis-a-vis GMAT,
1. Ask a sample of 100 odd people to write GMAT and CAT three times and I am sure that the results of GMAT would be much more consistent than those of CAT.
If you actually want to test the aptitude and the pressure handling capability, then why is there a chance or luck factor involved?
IIMs are by far the most respected B-schools in India and they should aim to select the best of the students... I have also worked part time as a faculty member with TIME and feel pained to see that quiet a good number of deserving candidates, who have proved themselves against the challenges of a good number of mocks, fail to make their mark coz of the whims of the day...
To quote a personal experience of my own, in CAT 2007, when the invigilator came to me for the attendance signature, she found that the form number and qtn. paper no. were not as per the seating plan... she found that she had mistakenly swapped the papers between me and the guy sitting behind me.. Puzzled, she left us wondering for 10 mins and consulted IIM contact person for the solution... and asked both of us to swap our seats as well... All this was 20 mins into the CAT paper.... I was really upset with this mismanagement and goof-up ...
I won't like to take this as an excuse ... but how is CAT measuring the best aptitude?
Dhruv

Hi Dhruv,

CAT is not measuring the best aptitude.

First of all we must remember that the IIMs and all top MBa colleges in India are spoilt for choice. They will always get more than they need.

And with the sudden rise in CAT applicants 1.4 lakhs in 2004 to 2.3 lakhs this year, do you think iims have much of choice than to put a test which is as arbid as the CAT.

True CAT is not a standardized exam. Infact if i take it again, i may not even get a single call.

But truly speaking IIMs are not bothered about that. Infact they can't afford to bother so much. If they start bothering about who is deserving and who is not, they would never get required number.

In a country which can put up new reservations after 60 years, don't you think its futile to blame the IIM profs.

Rather than finding the purpose of CAT, why don't you yourself give a more better way of selecting a few 1600 from 2.5 lakhs aspirants.

Don't tell me GMAT. Half the people won't be able to take the test for lack of infrasttructure and facilties.

Dude, these things have been thought over and over again by people who are far more learned and intelligent than we are.

And i feel bad to say that this is the most effective way if not the most best way

[dhruv.dingliwal]

@ hurricane:
That's where my problem lies. Why is it that IIMs be allowed to act in a whimsical manner? After all a major part of their funding is still from taxpayer's money...
I accept that there is not sufficient infrastructure for GMAT and implementation of Online CAT will be a major challenge for IIMs, but can this be taken as an excuse for the the nature of CAT paper...? How many IIM students are actually from rural areas or those who are not capable to take an online exam?

However, I also feel there should be a properly designed psychometric test after the aptitude test and on the basis of overall performance outlook, should a candidate be called for GD-PI.
The idea is to see that IIMs provide a fair chance to the deserving ppl to get in rather than leave it on their luck to help them..
Dhruv

[inkypinkyponky]

In my personal opinion the topic we are trying to discuss has been beaten to death through discussion. You can argue similarly for any entrance test in India today all engineering, medical entrance etc.
Most of the test follow similar pattern couple of hours on a given day and boom Russian roulette starts rolling. You never know if you will win or not.

But frankly this is the best way there is. They atleast try to shortlist more people and then give them chance to prove themselves in GD/PI.

Another point is if IIMs start focusing more on CAT; the research output which is already pathetic will fall further.