The outsourcing bug has bitten the Indian Institutes of Management. Clearly embarrassed by the serial leaks in the recent past, the IIM dons have arrived at the conclusion that the only way to secure the Common Admission Test is to outsource it -- at least parts of it.

The decision to outsource, as early as the year 2005, was taken at a meeting of the directors of all the six IIMs held in Indore on December 4, where a proposal drafted by the CAT Group, consisting of representations from all the institutes, was discussed.

IIMs: Triumphs & Tribulations

The CAT Group, which independently takes decisions regarding the administration of the CAT --- by which candidates to the prestigious institutes are selected --- consists of the chairpersons of the admission and financial aid committees in the six IIMs.

With the number of examinees showing a huge jump in recent years, making the logistics of holding the test even more daunting, the CAT Group has been attempting to hand over a substantial chunk of the process to private entities.

A document in the possession of Business Standard reveals that an expression of interest has been invited by a team of the six chairpersons of the admissions and financial aid committees for the administration of the test in 2005.

"The IIMs are seeking the services of an organisation that has the capability and capacity to undertake the tasks of printing and processing application forms for the CAT and undertaking associated tasks like issuing hall tickets, organising venues and conducting the test on a specified day in about 25 cities in the country," says the EoI draft document.

However, the EoI draft document, which has been approved by the IIM directors, does not mention whether the question paper, too, would be outsourced.

Despite repeated attempts made by Business Standard, the chairperson of IIM Ahmedabad's admissions and financial aid committee, Vijay Sherry Chand, was not available for comment, while Director Bakul Dholakia could not be reached.

However, a source close to IIM-A, said, "The decision has been taken by the CAT Group and an EoI also has been invited by the same entity. The directors who met in Indore during the first week of December, worked on the proposal mooted by the CAT Group. The directors decided to make an attempt to reduce pressure on the employees of the IIMs."

According to a source in IIM Lucknow, the question paper would be set by the CAT Group and senior IIM faculty, a system that been continuing since 1977. The printing of the test papers may remain the responsibility of the IIMs.

The CAT paper leak of 2003 is still being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

The source in IIM Lucknow also said the last date for responding to the EoI is January 14, thus giving only a fortnight to interested bidders to respond, following which the final processing of the submissions would take place in March 2005.

"By March 2005, a meeting of the board of governors of the IIMs would take place and the board would need to pass a resolution to ratify the CAT Group's decision before awarding the contract to private parties," the source said, adding, "There is also the possibility the examination fee would be hiked from Rs 1150 currently, as outsourcing would be a costlier option."