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The use of computer and technology is omnipresent these days. There is almost no area left where one does not find the use of both of these things. The companies which are engaged in different businesses also need to computer for various reasons. In this scenario the recruiters can also not be left behind, and they also have some assessment tools among which one is CBT. The recruitment is the area where one needs to be highly careful as the staff plays a leading role in making or braking of any organization. If one hires the people who are not much suitable for different positions, they may not be able to act efficiently which can lead to the fall down of the company also.
To meet the requirement of various positions the recruiters use computer-based assessment tools which are highly reliable and able to offer the desired results in terms of the people with required skills and talent. The skill is an attribute that cannot be known by personal interview and that is why one needs to carry the candidates through some tests which can offer quantifiable results and make one hire or reject a candidate.
A test which is conducted using a computer is generally known as CBT or computer based test. The candidates can select from different options when it comes to multiple choice type questions and they can move to the next or previous questions after pressing the suitable arrow keys on the screen. When there are different sections involved in the test, different tabs will be provided, and this will help the candidates to navigate easily. For these reasons, the computer-based test is gaining a lot of popularity.
Why CBT is better than OMR based written test?
The written test had some drawbacks as human error crept in and it took a lot of time. The entire process of evaluating the papers and announcing the result and selecting the candidates became a tedious process. However, the computer-based test is very easy to conduct, and it is possible to get results immediately without any hassles. For this reason, companies are showing interest in the Computer Based test and avoiding the written tests.
Variations of computer-based test
Companies usually like to customize the test as per their individual requirements and computer-based tests can be easily customized. Depending upon the requirement of the company, the difficulty level of the test can be set and multiple-choice patterns and other varieties of questions can be included. It is also very easy to modify the different sections of the test at any stage.
The popular option used in this test is the multiple-choice type questions and the recruiters can select the questions as per their requirement. After selecting the topics, the difficulty level is set depending on the job profile. It is also possible to include a negative marking option,and this will increase the difficulty level of the test.
Another format is to deploy the practical test that will ask the candidate to perform a certain task by which their skills in the technical aspect can be analysed. It can be a time bound test and marks can be assigned based on the overall performance of the candidate.
It is also possible to mix different formats and candidates can be asked to solve practical as well as multiple choice questions. In this case, the test can be divided into different segments and each section can be assigned different time limit and marks based on the requirement of the company. The result is calculated after taking into account all the different parameters and the recruiters can filter the candidate as per this outcome.
When every topic in the relevant subject has to be covered in the test, it is possible to group them into different sections and separate marks can be assigned for such sections. It is also easy to set a time limit for each section and also for the overall test.
Process of conducting computer-based test
After implementing the computer-based test in the recruitment process, certain steps have to be followed. Many companies have good expertise when it comes to conducting such tests for hiring the suitable candidates for their organization. The different steps involved in conducting CBT are as follows:
The initial step begins with registration and a page is created online where candidates who wish to take the test can enroll themselves after providing the suitable details. The registration form will contain the basic details like educational qualification and other options can be specified by the recruitment team. When suitable selection criteria are mentioned in the registration page, it becomes easy for the candidates to apply for the relevant position based on their education and educational qualification.
The next step is to prepare the paper test by including the suitable topics of the relevant subject. The format can be selected at this stage and questions can be grouped into different sections based on the requirement of the recruitment team. At this stage, the recruitment team can decide on including the multiple choice pattern questions or the practical test.
After this, the examination can be conducted by selecting the suitable venue. It is a good option to have a good place that will hold all the candidates and suitable infrastructure including computers and other gadgets have to be arranged. When there is a need for recruiting candidates in bulk, they can be split into different groups and different slots can be provided for them. It is also a good idea to have a team of experienced recruiters at the examination venue as they can resolve any issues that may arise at the spot.
The next step involves providing the results for the test and this can be easily done through the computer-based test. It may take some time depending on the selection criteria set by the recruitment team.
The computer-based test brings transparency into the entire process and makes it easy for the recruitment team to hire the suitable candidates.
