Much before the CAT does, the Management Aptitude Test (MAT) of September 2009 will be the first exam to go computer-based. Here is a FAQ on the computer-based MAT as answered by AIMA’s Wg Cdr V S Bejoy (Retd), who is in charge of MAT.

The MAT exam is taken in total by around 4 lakh MBA aspirants per year, which makes it the largest attended MBA entrance exam of India, bigger than the CAT. The exam is held four times a year in February, May, September and December and is accepted by tier-2 and 3 private business schools across India.

Why did MAT choose to go online?

The paper-based test has limitations and logistical problems in terms of execution. There are heavy costs in printing, security of papers, sealing, transporting the answer papers back for evaluation, scanning, etc. The costs and complexity are relatively lower in computer-based tests.

Also, the computer-based format is futuristic and eventually all tests will go online.

However, we do not want to put people who are not comfortable with computers at a disadvantage so for the September 2009 MAT, we are providing both the options of a paper-based test and computer-based test open for a candidate. The candidate can choose any option.

The paper-based MAT will be conducted on September 6 and the computer-based MAT will be conducted over a period of days starting from September 7. The number of days will depend on the number of people who sign up for the computer-based test.

How many cities are you conducting the computer-based test in?

We have earmarked 30 cities for the computer-based test but the final list of centers will be decided based on the number of people who choose the computer-based option in that city. We have kept a minimum threshold of 200 interested candidates for a city to qualify as a computer-based test center. Else, the candidates will be asked to travel to the nearest city.

Would the computer-based test question papers be different for each day and from the paper-based test? How are you ensuring that the difficulty levels are maintained across each test?

The question papers would certainly be different each day. We are drawing the questions randomly from a huge bank like in the GMAT exam so there is no shortage of questions. We have studied question data from previous years of MAT to correlate between types of questions and how many times they are attempted in order to assess their difficulty level. We’ll use this sort of data to keep difficulty levels same across question papers.

Can one go back and forth across questions and sections in the computer-based MAT?

Yes. The computer based format will exactly be the same as the paper-based format in terms of the exam taking experience. Just that instead of darkening an oval on an OMR sheet, the candidate will be clicking the answer with a mouse. The candidates taking the computer-based test will be provided with a rough paper for working out their answers.

When would MAT go completely online without an option of a paper-based test?

I cannot say that now, but eventually our plan is to take MAT fully online because that is what the future demands.

Wg Cdr V S Bejoy (Retd) is Director, Center for Management Services, All India Management Association.
MAT September 2009 will be held from September 6, 2009 onwards. Last date to buy form is August 10. See http://www.aima-ind.org/mat_general.asp for more.