CAT process need more safeguard, strong action needed: IIT Bombay

Amidst inflated CAT Score Scam turning out to be a fiasco on part of IIMs, top B-schools who use CAT scores for their admission process ask for more safeguard in the process and tough action against those involved in the CAT score tampering.

In this interview with MBAUniverse.com, Dr Gajendra Kumar Adil, Head of Department, Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management (IIT Bombay), says that strong action is needed to respond to this crisis which is a collective problem. However, Dr Adil believes that there will hardly be any impact of this one-off incident if IIMs ensure a smooth CAT for next academic year.

MBAUniverse.com was first to break Inflated CAT Score Scam on June 24, 2013.

The HoD of Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management in this interview also talks on the number of candidates, with inflated scores, who entered the GD/PI shortlist and final selection list of the institute.

Interview:

Q: Have you received any formal communication from IIMs on the inflated CAT scores? What have they advised or asked for?
A: Yes, we have received formal communication from convener CAT 2012 (on behalf of IIMs) on this. They have asked us to update the records and they are investigating the matter.

Q: How many of the 80 candidates listed in the IIM notification did get into the admission process of your institute (GD/PI short list & final selection list)?
A: As many as 12 of these 80 candidates were shortlisted for GD/PI in our institute. However, in the final selection list only one was there (that too in the waiting list) but the candidate did not take admission in our institution.
Since no one has got finally admitted in our institute, we do not need to take any immediate action on this issue.

Q: After this goof up, what is your reaction on the process of CAT and handling the prestigious MBA entrance test by IIM?
A: I think that the process and the handling of entrance test require more safeguards against tempering. Besides this, a strong action is needed against those who are indulged in this. This would deter such action in future.

Q: How will this episode impact the CAT credibility?
A: If this is a one-off incident (and next year CAT exam is conducted smoothly), there will be hardly any impact.

Q: Since you have a formal agreement involving financial transaction for CAT data sharing with IIMs, will you seek any compensation for the loss of your credibility because of your association and the current embarrassment caused due to the same?
A: We will not be seeking any compensation because this is a collective problem, and moreover candidates have been caught before the beginning of the session, so not much damage has happened.

MBAUniverse.com has also published interviews of IIM Lucknow Director and MDI Gurgaon Director on this Scam. Find the story URL below:

CAT Score scam: IIMs must own this failure, IIM L Director to MBAUniverse.com

http://www.mbauniverse.com/article.php?id=7002

Inflated CAT scores is a failure, recovery now required: MDI Director Dr M P Gupta

http://www.mbauniverse.com/article.php?id=6991