CIC wants IIMs to disclose CAT scores

NEW DELHI: If the Central Information Commission (CIC) has its way, candidates sitting for the common admission test (CAT) can have access to their exact score.

Stopping short of directing the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) from revealing individual marks scored in CAT, the CIC recently "recommended" that the institutes could consider disclosing marks under each category of tests. This is the second occasion on which CIC has asked for transparency in disclosure of examination marks and evaluation processes, the first being UPSC.

The case involving CAT comes close on the heels of a CIC decision directing IIM, Bangalore, to reveal its evaluation process and how it arrived at its merit list. The twin decisions could open the floodgates for RTI applications by aspirants who are keen to know their scores.

It, however, remains to be seen if IIMs will act on this advisory when many examination conducting authorities have challenged CIC directions in courts of law.

The decision was taken after appellant Sameer Arora applied under the Right to Information (RTI) Act for information regarding the exact number of attempted answers which matched with the key answers. Arora had petitioned IIM, Ahmedabad.

In its response, the institute authorities informed Arora that CAT was jointly conducted by all IIMs and, therefore, any one IIM did not have access to the information which was confidential and kept in a sealed cover.