Applying for CAT isn’t a cakewalk

On Day 1, IIM Aspirants Face Technical Problems While Filling Up Online Applications

Hemali Chhapia | TNN

Mumbai: The application process for signing up to take the Common Admission Test of the Indian Institutes of Management may have gone online, but little has changed for aspirants. Agitated students said that they could not call back the form if a mistake crept in, they were asked to buy another form by shelling out Rs 1,400.

Students had to buy vouchers before they could log in and register themselves online. Despite the fact that registration opened on Wednesday and would go on till October 1, sources said that thousands of aspirants submitted their applications as they wanted to book a seat for the last slot — 3.30 pm on December 7. In fact, the prime slot is no longer available to aspirants wanting to write the test from Delhi, where there are close to 14,000 seats available per slot across computer testing centres. This year, the IIMs will conduct the CAT online for ten days from November 28; there are two slots available per day, but each student can take the exam only once.

“Students had a lot of complaints regarding the registration process. It was not user-friendly. After details were punched in by students, there was no validation on whether the information given was enough or wrong,’’ said Arks Srinivas, director TIME, a coaching class. What got the goat of most management aspirants was that not enough testing centres had been listed in some big cities; Mumbai has only five centres.

Srinivas added that the form also notes that students have to fill in their names as they appear on their SSC (class X) certificate. However, the site does not accept a form if the box for surname is left blank (several south Indians do not have a second name), leaving students like Vanita from Bangalore in a quandary.

“My SSC marksheet only has my first name. But the CAT online form insists on a surname and also states that my details must match with what has appeared on my SSC marksheet. My form was not accepted without the second name,’’ said a hassled Vanita from Bangalore, who works for an IT firm.

Task force to unite all edu regulators set up
New Delhi: The process for replacing UGC, AICTE and National Council for Teacher Education by the proposed National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) and a national testing scheme on the lines of GRE for university admission has begun. A task force, set up by the HRD ministry for the purpose, will also advise the government on the creation of 14 world class innovation universities. The task force will oversee how the transition to the new regulatory body will take place.

Central school fees up

New Delhi: Studying in Central Schools will now be costlier as the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sanghthan has hiked the fees by three times from October. Kapil Sibal defended the new fee regime on the grounds of the monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 per child being given to the central staff. AGENCIES CAUGHT IN THE NET

IIM aspirants say they could not call back the online form once a mistake crept in the CAT application. They were asked to buy another form by shelling out Rs 1,400

Students said after details were punched in, there was no validation on whether the information given was enough or wrong

They complain that not enough testing centres have been listed in big cities like Mumbai
Applications are not accepted online if the box for surname is not filled. Several south Indian students who don’t have a second name are in a quandary