Guinea Pigs for the Rest or The First Timers

Change is a part of life. To change for the better, to improve, is human nature. Examination patterns and syllabus always change to bring about their better and newer versions.
The new patterns bring with them a new level of difficulty or sometimes brand new types of questions. Obviously, these changes are periodic and may be considered normal. But tell me why the f*** do they have to change every damn thing for our (my) batch.

Let’s start with the beginning…

2004 – 10th Standard CBSE Board Examination:
The whole syllabus was changed for our batch. This included new books for most of the subjects. The scholars at CBSE revised the syllabus for Science, Maths and Social Studies. There was confusion as to what the pattern of the new paper would be. I remember our teachers prepared us for the worst. We went through horrendous pre-boards scoring a percentage as low as 70%. In the end, the boards turned out be easy, easier than our expectations atleast.

2006 – The next stage - +2, IIT & AIEEE:
Till 2005, the prestigious JEE was conducted in two steps, Screening and Mains. Screening test was based on objective pattern and the Main Exam on subjective pattern. However, when our turn came to give the JEE, it was a single stage exam which included 3 papers of two hours each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (purely of objective type). Not only were there new types of questions, the level of difficulty was altered, with questions being easy, medium as well as difficult. The fact that IIT never releases a sample paper amplified the stress on those who were to give the exam.

Now CAT 2009 is going online.

I have to give the 2009 CAT. An online CAT would bring mixed results. GMAT, GRE and SAT have been online tests since a long time. So there is an easy access to simulation tests such as those provided by Princeton Review and Kaplans. In case of CAT, we would not have any of these simulation tests. Even the institutes such as IMS, Bull’s eye etc. will have to come up with brand new test software. Though institutes that provide coaching for GMAT and GRE will have an edge, one cannot predict the pattern for the online CAT. It could be a Computer Adaptive Model like the GMAT and GRE or it could be a random set generated each time from a master bank of questions.

Clarification on IIM website: “An article appeared in Business Standard dated February 4, 2008 which gives an impression that a decision has been taken that IIMs will introduce online CAT from CAT 2009. This is totally incorrect. In view of increasing number of candidates, IIMs are considering various alternatives for modifying the process of conducting CAT, if necessary. Online testing is one of those alternatives. The proposals are at the preliminary stage of discussion.”

However, the clarification does not say that CAT 2009 won’t be online. It may be, then again it may not go online our time around.

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