Ahmedabad: CAT students are still unclear on whether the IIMs will be considering another online test or will it revert back to the old fashioned paper pencil method. According to sources close to the development, opinions have changed over the last five days, especially with the number of candidates affected by computer glitches rising to 20,000, reports Economic Times.

On Sunday, Prometric, the agency responsible for conducting the computer-based MBA entrance exam, gave a presentation to the IIM directors and members of the CAT committee in Mumbai. The presentation was essentially about data from CCTV recordings and computer logs to know the magnitude of glitches. However, the officials refused to say whether any conclusion was reached on the 10-day test that had to be extended by one-day. "The important thing is that, we now have the data. We will analyze it and then take a decision (on whether re-test would be held in the old format). It is too early to comment on anything else," said IIM-B Director Pankaj Chandra.

The Mumbai huddle is seen as a preparatory exercise before the crucial MHRD meeting scheduled for Wednesday. It may be mentioned here while the directors of IIM-Ahmedabad and IIM-Bangalore are not in favour of scrapping the test, the heads of other five IIMs prefer a re-test. With doubts raised over the fairness of the test, there is a consensus among other IIMs (except IIM-A and B) that a re-test would silence all critics. "This is not to say that it is the end of road for computer-based tests. This, being the first year, we faced a lot of hurdles. But we see a lot of gains in the new format. So, next year, we would be better prepared," said an IIM Professor.

It is feared that a re-test may throw the entire academic schedule haywire. If the IIMs decide to hold the test in the old format this year, the CAT organizers would take at least two more months to accommodate 2.41 lakh candidates at various colleges and institutes across the country. The admission process would also be delayed, leaving lesser time for the 2010-11 academic year.

The first demand for scrapping the online exam came from the coaching centres on the fifth day. The trainers form a prominent stakeholder, as close to two lakh candidates take tutorials for the career-defining exam that opens doors to seven IIMs and over 150 B-schools. Apart from the technical glitches, the trainers said, questions were repeated handing out an unfair advantage to those taking the test in the later slots.