Basic Computer Courses Help Tackle Some Question Types
Hyderabad: The Common Admission Test (CAT) going online from this year has set cash registers of coaching institutes in the city ringing. With an estimated 60 per cent IIM aspirants from the rural parts of Andhra Pradesh not being techsavvy, coaching institutes in the city are making a killing doling out not just online mock CATs but even simple courses on the basics of computer application.
This is the first year when both the CAT application and the test are going online. The online registration of applicants started on September 9.Officials with various coaching centres in the city say they have seen a 15 to 20 per cent rise in the number of rural students turning up for coaching this year as the students are apprehensive of the online test. The test packages being offered to students to familiarise them with computers cost anywhere between Rs 8,000 and Rs 15,000. Most of the students are those who have migrated to the city from districts, many from Medak and Warangal just for CAT coaching. This surge of students at coaching institutes could well be a national phenomenon given that the official website of CAT, www.catiim.in, states that 60 per cent of the students who appear for CAT are from rural areas where internet facilities are limited.
Most of the coaching centres have set up e-labs to cope with the extra rush of students who need to use computers. “There are many who come to the institute to get used to the computer as even the registration has to be done online. Though there are many who are apprehensive about using the system, they realise that with proper coaching and practice, anyone can do an online test,” said Jaideep Singh Chowdhary, product manager, TIME.
He said that there has been an increase in the number of CAT aspirants and this has increased the number of students who come for coaching in TIME. The number of CAT aspirants have increased from 2.8 lakh to 3 lakh in the country. The officials at the coaching centres however, said that students who do not have access to computers will have a disadvantage of not being able to attend certain types of questions. “It is very difficult for a student who is not used to computers to take a two-and-a-half-hour long online test. They will not be familiar with doing online tests which are based on graphs and charts,” said A Vamsidhar, director, IMS coaching centre.
Experts noted that candidates with work experience in the field of Information Technology will have an edge over others. “They are used to spending more time before the system without losing concentration. Since a lot of such candidates will appear for CAT this year, the rural students with no exposure to computers will not have a good chance to crack the test,” Vamsidhar said.
Applicants in a fix over no editing option. Aday after the commencement of online registration for CAT 2009, IIM aspirants complained that the web page for registration does not have any option to edit mistakes. The applicants who want to make changes on their registration form will have to purchase another voucher of Rs 1,400 and register a second time. Some of the coaching centres in the city have requested the IIMs to include the option of making changes in the form.