The Cat Story

This is not a story about my pet cats Dyna and Tintin. They also have a cute love story that I will share some other time. J But this time its a story about the Common Admission Test(CAT). The first hurdle to reach the b-school one loves. Till 2008 this exam was conducted with paper pencil. Which means lakhs of question papers and OMR sheets were printed. And maybe an idea struck to the people organizing CAT that lets save paper and go online. After all being eco-friendly is the buzz in the air so how could CAT be behind in proving that they are also eco-friendly.

Well having an exam online has other benefits also like manual computation is not needed. With the help of the software the scores will be recorded automatically so it would lessen the burden on humans. Definitely no one is against online system. India is progressing and we should make use of computers to make our lives easier. We should use computers only to make our life easier and not become a slave of this machine.

This is a true story and the events of this story started from 9^th September 2009 and the story is still going on. The registration window opened for CAT opened from 9^th September and the last date of registration was 1^st October. This time instead of buying a CAT brochure (bulletin) from AXIS bank; one had to purchase CAT vouchers. After that instead of filling up a OMR form with details one had to fill an online form. Also with the online system there was no need to send the form through speed post. As already mentioned the benefits of online system our data got recorded automatically. But in this registration also there were issues. A person filled Jharkhand as the native state but the online system took Andhra Pradesh as the native state. So the registrations were stopped and the dates got extended for online registration.

Somehow the registration process closed successfully. The online CAT exam was to be held in 10 days and each day there were 2 slots. During the registration people selected the suitable date and time for exam. But some of them didn’t know that the date and time selected by them wont be suitable for the CAT server and it would crash because of technical glitches. The 10 day window of exam started from 28 November 2009 and was to end on 7 December 2009. I was lucky enough to witness as to what happens when a exam gets cancelled.

Being in job I could give the exam only on weekends and I love Sundays for exam so I selected 29^th November as my exam day. Though I wanted to give a little later and select 6^th December but I was a little late. 29^th November at 3:30 PM I took the print out of admit card to my center, Silicon Institute of Technology, Patia, Bhubaneswar. On the first day of exams there was no news of cancellation from Bhubaneswar center maybe because the exam was not cancelled at the whole center but only 1 lab. I was the lucky one to be given that lab. Though we were asked not to take pencil or pen leave aside other things. Only our presence with an admit card and id proof was needed at the center. Still I had taken pencil and pen in case of any emergency. Anyways I was asked to deposit that also to the center. Now instead of guiding the candidates in my lab to the exam place we were taken to a classroom. At the beginning everything was fine because we were asked to come 2 hours before the exam i.e. 1:30 PM.

We relaxed and waited for the next announcement. It was 3 and no sign of anyone organizing the exam but only the students doing timepass. Then the tension started building up. People started roaming around and started talking about the exam. In the process I also started having conversation with the fellow candidates. I spoke to 2 girls one came from Rourkela while the other came from Vizag to give the exam. Finally at 3:15 PM a lady from Prometric appeared in our class. Prometric is the one who has designed the exam software for CAT. And in India they have partnered with NIIT.

The lady called out few names and took them to the lab. It was 3:30 PM and I was still waiting for the exam to start. The 2 girls were equally tensed as to whether their exam will happen or not. To calm them down I said that yesterday the exam started little late. Though I was also not sure as to what was happening. Finally the lady came back and we were asked to proceed to the lab and we found few familiar faces. People who had gone before us were also sitting in the lab looking at each other. Yes even their exam was not started. We were asked to occupy the seat. There was nothing to do and with the way things were going on I could sense that the exam has been cancelled.

Finally the Prometric lady announced that due to technical glitches it would take time for the exam to start. One guy from Prometric was on phone and trying to do all sorts of permutation and combination, manipulations to start up the online system. But god had other plans and all his efforts went in vein. He gave up the battle of starting the online exam. It was 4:30 and we knew that our exam has been cancelled. One guy had come from Hyderabad to give the exam and he was really angry. Wonder why he had not registered for an Hyderabad center. Anyways whatever be the reason it was a real pain for those who had come from far off places just to give CAT 2009 online exam. Also for them coming back again for the exam would definitely be difficult. The girl from Rourkela had taken leave from office. Even if the exam got scheduled in between she could not extend her leave. Everyone had thought of some convenience but because of technical glitches the CAT exam was going to get inconvenient for few people.

At 5 PM the lady finally appeared again and declared that the exam has been canceled because of technical glitches. We were asked to collect our belongings. Also asked to get in touch with the CAT Prometric Helpdesk for getting the exam rescheduled. We were handed over a sorry note saying that due to technical glitches your exam could not be held.

Getting in touch with Prometric was another hard challenge. Their number was always busy so I decided to drop a mail. But these people were so busy that they could not check the mails. Wonder why then they had the contact us facility on the site when the things were to be done over phone only. CAT organizers knew that in this 10 days window it would be hard to schedule exam for everyone and extended it by a day. Finally I could get in touch with the Prometric fellows over phone and talk to them. They said that even after extending the exam for one day they would have to schedule it again sometime later. The exam was not just being rescheduled for those who could not take up the exam because of technical glitches but also those who had complained that their exam got over early because of end button. Or any other problem they would have faced during the exam.

The MBA exam communities like Bell the Cat on orkut would not have been so active any year as it has been active till date. People would come up and discuss their exam experiences. Not just experiences but also the questions giving a benefit for those going to take the exam in the later slot as the questions got repeated in the later slots. Wonder why couldn’t CAT come up with more question banks and have a fair exam. Also wonder what benefit these people got by discussing their questions in such online forum. Infact one person had posted a complete set of questions in an online blog. It’s a different story that now that blog has been deleted. But I am sure it would have been helpful for many people giving the exam.

Was I able to give the CAT again? Definitely I was but getting my exam rescheduled was also not easy. Immediately after the first phase got over the CAT organizers made an announcement (without any loud speaker but on their site) that they will have a second phase in January 2010. The second phase dates decided for the exam was 30^th and 31^st January. I kept calling helpdesk and they kept giving the same answer that it would be rescheduled. Thankfully I knew few people whose exam also got cancelled because of technical glitches. And I got the news that people have started getting their admit card.

I again called up the CAT helpdesk and this time they had a new story to tell me. According to them my lab was shifted on the same day and for them I was an absentee. For them it was true that earlier my exam was scheduled in the lab in which exam got canceled but they had again rescheduled my exam to some other lab. I was in shock with the news. I was angry, frustrated and wanted to kill the lady talking to me over phone. Still with a calm tone I said “Do you think I am fool to go and sit in the lab where the exam got canceled. If you want I have a proof that my exam got canceled. I was given a regret letter from the center.” The lady would have thought I would lose the battle and keep the phone. On hearing this now she went into a shock and said mail us a scanned copy of admit card. I said “I will mail a copy of admit card. Along with that I will attach the admit card sent to me.” She said ok fine and we kept the phone.

At lunch I came back and the first thing I did was to mail the copy of regret letter and admit card to the retake id given to me. Also immediately I called up at the helpdesk to make sure that they received my email. Once I was assured that they had got my mail I went and had my lunch. Days kept on passing and nothing was happening. 30^th was near and I was in a dilemma as to how will my exam be rescheduled. Should I call up the media and tell my problem. After all a person got his exam scheduled this way. His issue was that his exam got over soon. Or should I drop a mail to HRD ministry. I don’t know why but I didn’t want tobe a celebrity on television and opted for the second option.

I dropped a mail to HRD ministry stating my problem with the proves I had for being a genuine candidate to get an exam rescheduled. Though I didn’t get any response from them as I am a common girl(aam ladki). But it sure did help me in getting my admit card as the next time I called up the helpdesk I mentioned that I have dropped a mail to the HRD ministry. The person assured me that I would get an admit card on 28^th January by the evening and I did get the admit card. First it was for 31^st January 10 AM but then they rescheduled it to 30^th January 10 AM.

On 29^th January they mailed and messaged that because of cold waves in some parts of the country the exam would start by 12 PM and we had to reach by 10 AM. With an experience last time I knew there was no need to carry anything and only took the admit card and my id proof. Though in my jacket I had a Vaseline lip guard and my scooty keys. I reached the exam center and immediately I was given a pouch to keep my things. Then I was asked to go for a security check. The lady frisked me as if I was a terrorist who had come to blow up the exam center. She asked me to put the Vaseline lip guard, the scooty keys and even my non-digital normal watch inside the packet. Keeping the watch away was too much for me. If it had calculator or any other gadgets then keeping aside would have made sense. Also what is a need of a gadget when people can memorise questions and share it across the internet.

This time I went directly into my lab. After having a seat I was called up for a face scanning and finger print check. Thankfully like in jail I didn’t have to hold a card in my hand with my name and CAT registration number written on it. Finally when the organizers were sure that no candidate is a replacement of Munna bhai at the exam center the exam started. Though a guy had to show his id prove many a times and he looked like a gunda. Wonder what was the problem with his id card. Also for one guy his mouse was not working with which he was going to bell the cat. After all the hurdles, checks and trust the exam started. Where a demo of how to give the exam was given. I wont comment on my exam as I am not sure how it went.

As I said the story is still going on and now people are waiting for results. Earlier it was stated that the results would be declared on 22^nd January 2010 but since there was a second phase rescheduled on 30^th and 31^st January 2010 the dates have been postponed. After that the CAT site kept saying sometime in mid February. Then it got shifted to last week of February. Even the media has gone mad along with the students and to scare the students more TOI published an article that the results would be declared yesterday. And now the helpdesk has started singing a new song which says exam will be declared in the first week of March.

So many petitions signed by people, so many mails sent to the HRD ministry, so many parents complained, so many candidates complained, Orkut’s Bell the Cat has become a active community with so much of CAT discussions. So many things happening but still people say bhaiya aal izz well. With this I end my CAT 2009 online system the CAT story.

P.S. With this I have reached my half century of blogging and hope like Tendulkar I will make a double century soon. :-)

Pune Terror Attacks

Seems like even terrorists were hit by the recession. There should be some reason for no attacks in India for so long. A country which has been hit by terrorist attacks every year had no major catastrophes after 26/11/08. On that day 10 terrorists created a big havoc in city and for 2 days we saw one of the biggest fights between the terrorists and Indian armed forces. Well definitely this blog is not dedicated to the 26/11 terror attacks.

This blog is about the recent terror attacks which happened in Pune on 13/02/09, a day before the valentine’s day. Though I am sure even after the terror attacks the city wont have stopped with the celebrations of valentine’s day.

I don’t know whether I should compliment the terror groups or feel sorry for the Indian intelligence. Wondering why I am saying so; the reason is quite simple because no one in Pune would have expected a terror attacks. Like it was not expected that there would be a terror attack in Bangalore, or maybe Jaipur, or how about Ahmedabad, or Hyderabad.

I am sure you all do remember the terror attacks in these cities of India. Do we know which city will be the next target? Atleast I don’t know the answer to this question. The only thing I know is that no city is safe. Next could be your city in the hit list of the terror attacks. I just hope whenever my death happens it should not be in some terror attacks.

I hope someday the Indian intelligence is able to grab the terrorists before they actually attack a city. And after grabbing them take some strict action but what can be a strict against people like them who are ready to die. Giving them a death sentence is definitely a very easy punishment for them. Maybe a Nazi torture which Hitler did is needed or some other form of torture so that these terrorists realize the importance of taking away those innocent lives which includes a common person like you or me.

A torture which can make these terrorists feel the pain of the family who lose their loved ones in such attacks. The loved one which could be a kid who doesn’t even understand the meaning of terror attacks. For others these are just stories or news but for those people who have lost someone in these attacks it’s a pain; a sorrow which will remain in their mind forever.

Thankfully I have not lost someone in these terror attacks but whenever I get to hear such news at some part of the country it shatters me. Just burning candles for those unfortunate souls who died in these terror attacks is not going to make me feel safer in this country. When will we get so strong that we will defeat these terror attacks? Or will it be never possible for India? I am not questioning anyone; I am not answering anyone; I am just feeling sorry for all those people who died in the Pune terror attacks.

At last even the terrorist groups were hit by recession and maybe they would have also fired some terrorists because they had to do a cost cutting. The basis of the firing could be the person who was asked to hold the gun was not capable enough to take away the lives of innocent people. Or the person was asked to kill the person s/he loved but s/he could not do that. Or a person fainted as soon as s/he saw blood flowing in front of him/her. Definitely there would be some reason that it took them so long to attack again in India. Or maybe they wanted a break as there were many terror attacks on India in 2008; infact every month there was an attack in India. Below link is the list of all the terror attacks which happened in 2008:

http://richaritwika.blogspot.com/2008/12/bomb-blast-in-india-in-2008.html

May the people who died in 13/02/10 terror attacks at Pune rest in peace.