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However it will be unfair to put the entire blame on IIMs' shoulders for "End" icon trouble because once a candidate clicks on the "End" icon, a message first appears on the screen alerting the candidate about exit i.e. by clicking the "End" icon one does not exit automatically.

The cursor emerges indicating at the icon 'NO' and in order to exit the candidate needs to move the cursor to icon 'YES' and click it. Besides, from day 2 onwards, all candidates received constant alerts to be careful while using "End" icon and barely 500 candidates faced this problem over the 11 day test period but the question arises that why such kind of crucial information was not delivered in proper manner to candidates prior to test period. This clearly indicates towards the incompetence of IIMs' theory of management to execute some task in proper manner and such chaos has put IIMs' pride into question whether they really deserve the kind of privilege they receive from the entire world.

Nonetheless, it seems that the authorities not only failed to manage the technical aspects of the test but also did a bad job in training the staffs present at various centers. Apart from technical glitches, the unprofessional behavior of untrained personnel also messed up the examination experience for candidates and although authorities tried their best to overcome the situation by rescheduling the tests for almost 9,000 candidates, the loopholes were clearly visible by that time and damage was already done to the prestige of IIMs.

Against all odd demands to re-conduct the test using previous paper and pencil format, the Directors of IIMs, Advisory Group Members of the CAT Centre, and Admissions Chairpersons of IIMs, unanimously decided to go ahead with the exam because a large 96% of the students completed the test successfully and announced to provide an opportunity to test in the second half of January 2010 to those who experienced difficulties during the test.

Though as per media reports one of the directors of IIM-A Mr. Sameer Barua tried to get hold of the situation by quoting "There are always bound to be problems the first time such a huge exam takes place, especially if it concerns technology", but the fact remains that no thorough checking was done regarding the factors that could obstruct the exam, the servers were unable to take load of so many people taking the test at the same time.

The biggest embarrassment for IIMs occurred when one of the leading training institutes suggested that the IIMs could make a management case study of the CAT debacle for the benefit of their students as a fantastic case could be made on 'how strategy gets defeated if execution is flawed'.

If IIMs desire to maintain their reputation they need to introspect and ensure that in future such disaster will never happen. They can't get away by blaming the vendor Prometric or NIIT. Rather than being limited only to teaching IIM's need to follow and implement what they teach.

Concluded.

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