The Hindu : Front Page : Technical glitches in CAT registration

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Friday, Sep 11, 2009
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Technical glitches in CAT registration

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: With the registration for Common Admission Test (CAT) opening on Wednesday, candidates faced a lot of problems beginning with the CAT voucher and glitches in the registration process on the web.

Students alleged the voucher required for registration was of poor quality and even the slightest pressure was damaging it. “Even if we scratch gently, the code isn’t visible rendering it useless which means we have to buy another voucher spending Rs.1,400,” alleged K. Sandhya, an engineering student.

The technical glitches in the CAT website also gave students a harrowing time. According to Manek Daruvala, Director, T.I.M.E, a reputed training institute, received many calls on Wednesday with regard to problems in registration process.

Until Thursday evening, candidates were unsure whether they could correct errors in their application form. Following complaints from T.I.M.E and other students, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) rectified the problem and students were told that they could make changes in their form a week before the registration closed.

However, questions on whether the students who have already purchased another voucher would be refunded remain unanswered. “Yesterday, the website said that we can’t make changes and so I went ahead and bought another voucher,” said M. Krishna, another student.

With over 15,000 students appearing every year from the State itself, many wonder whether the eight centres located in and around Hyderabad would be sufficient. “On the first day itself, JNTU-Kukatpally centre reached its maximum limit.

If other centres too get their slots filled students may have to go to neighbouring cities, which is unfair,” says Mr. Daruwala.

The distance of the centres from the city too may pose a problem. “We are expected to appear two hours before the exam and that means I have to start at 6 a.m. to reach my centre located 60 km from the city,” points out S. Pavan, an aspirant.

Rationale

Right to Information (RTI) activist Rakesh Reddy Dubbudu also questions the rationale behind having centres so far away. “They didn’t seem to take into consideration the expenses to be incurred by those living in other cities and districts,” he said.

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