CAT 2014: TCS set to replace Prometric as new CAT testing agency

In an important development, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) looks set to be appointed as the next testing agency for the annual Common Admission Test CAT 2014. The exam has been conducted by Prometric India, the Indian arm of the US testing company for the last five years, since 2009. Confirming this development with MBAUniverse.com, director of a leading IIM informed, Yes a decision has been made to appoint TCS as a new CAT testing agency. A formal signing up will be done very soon.

Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) is an Indian information technology (IT) service, business solutions and consulting company headquartered in Mumbai. It has been actively soliciting more projects in the education sector.

Soon after it was decided to make CAT as an online exam in 2009, Prometric was assigned to conduct it. But last few years have seen many ups and downs in the fortunes of CAT. While the relationship had a false start in 2009, when a major crisis broke down due to technical glitches in CAT centers, of late the numbers of CAT test takers have dropped significantly.

The number of CAT registrations has come down since 2009. There were 2, 41,000 registrations for CAT 2009 which dipped to 2, 04,000 in CAT 2010. The number increased to 2, 05,000 in CAT 2011. CAT 2012 witnessed a rise in the number of registrations which were 2, 14,000 but CAT 2013 which got 194,516 registrations.

Earlier in November 2013, the Indian Institutes of Management and their CAT testing partner, Prometric, had announced the successful conclusion of the Common Admission Test 2013 (CAT 2013). A total of 194,516 candidates completed testing in 76 test centers across 40 cities over a 20-day testing window from 16 October to 11 November 2013. Not all the registered number of candidates took the CAT 2013 and the total number of absentees in the test was more than twenty thousand.

To Prometrics credit, the agency has ensured a secure testing experience to CAT takers, after the 2009 debacle.

For CAT 2014, IIMs and TCS will have two critical tasks at hand: first, to increase the number of CAT 2014 test takers, and second to conduct CAT 2014 smoothly. A section of CAT watchers believe that CAT has been unable to expand its base beyond its core audience and the brand CAT needs a makeover to attract more women candidates and non-engineers.

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MBAUniverse.com will keep you updated on this important development. Stay tuned.