Binet Kamat Test (BKT) .

Introduction

​ The Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT) is an Indian adaptation of the

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, designed to measure general intelligence across different

age groups. The Binet-Kamat Test traces its origins to Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon’s

first intelligence test (1905), which was developed to identify children needing special

education in France. The test was later revised by Lewis Terman at Stanford University

(Stanford-Binet Scale, 1916), introducing the concept of IQ.

​ In India, S. K. Kamat (1967) adapted the Stanford-Binet Scale to suit the Indian

population, making adjustments in language, content, and cultural relevance. The

Binet-Kamat Test was developed at the University of Bombay, modifying the test to make it

more applicable to Indian educational and social contexts. It is widely used in India for

assessing intellectual functioning in children and adults, particularly in clinical, educational,

and research settings. ​

​ The Binet-Kamat Test consists of tests arranged in increasing difficulty levels,

spanning from mental age 3 years to 22 years. The test follows an age-scale format, meaning

different tasks are designed for specific age groups. The test includes memory tests (e.g., digit

span, object recall), comprehension tasks (e.g., understanding social situations, explaining

concepts), arithmetic and numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning (e.g., vocabulary, analogies),

as well as non-verbal tasks (e.g., pictorial and spatial reasoning). ​

​
 The Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT) has remained a widely used tool in India

for many years, owing to its simplicity, accessibility, and cultural relevance. One of its

biggest strengths is that it is straightforward to administer, score, and interpret, making it

especially useful in clinical and educational settings. Unlike some standardized intelligence

tests that require extensive resources, the BKT is cost-effective and requires minimal

materials, making it a practical choice in settings with limited access to expensive testing

tools.​

Another major advantage is that the test has been modified to align with the linguistic

and social contexts of the Indian population, reducing biases that might arise from using

intelligence tests developed in Western countries. Its broad age range applicability, from

childhood to early adulthood, adds to its versatility, allowing professionals to use it for a

variety of assessment needs. Additionally, it is particularly effective in identifying intellectual

disabilities and developmental delays, making it a valuable tool for diagnosis, intervention

planning, and special education support.

While the Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT) has its strengths, it also has certain

limitations that affect its accuracy and relevance. One of its biggest drawbacks is its reliance

on the Ratio IQ formula (IQ = Mental Age / Chronological Age × 100), which is now

considered outdated compared to the Deviation IQ method used in more modern tests like the

Wechsler Scales (Roopesh, 2020). This older scoring system can sometimes lead to inflated

or misleading IQ scores, especially for individuals at the higher and lower ends of the

intelligence spectrum. Additionally, the test has a higher standard deviation (SD = 18.7)

compared to the SD of 15 used in newer intelligence tests, making it difficult to directly

Another key limitation is its heavy reliance on verbal abilities, which makes it less

effective for individuals with language impairments, learning difficulties, or limited literacy

skills. Since the test has not been updated in decades, its relevance in modern psychological

assessments is questionable. This is particularly concerning given the Flynn Effect, which

shows that IQ scores tend to rise across generations, meaning that older tests may no longer

provide an accurate measure of intelligence. Additionally, some test items feel outdated or

culturally irrelevant—for example, references to old currency denominations or traditional

social roles that may no longer hold the same significance, potentially leading to confusion

for the child and impacting their performance.

Aim of the test

​ The Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT) is developed to evaluate general

intelligence, measuring an individual’s cognitive abilities, intellectual capacity, and mental

age. As an adaptation for the Indian population, its main objective is to offer a culturally

relevant intelligence assessment, reducing the biases found in more western-based IQ tests.

The test plays a crucial role in identifying intellectual disabilities, developmental delays, and

giftedness by estimating IQ based on mental age. It is extensively applied in clinical,

educational, and psychological contexts to support the diagnosis of learning difficulties, the

development of interventions like special education programs, and the assessment of

cognitive abilities in both children and adults.​

Materials required​

​ The materials required for administering the Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT)
include a comprehensive test manual that provides detailed instructions on test

administration, scoring, and interpretation across different age groups. Record booklets or

scoring sheets are essential for documenting responses and calculating raw scores, which are

converted into mental age and IQ scores. Stimulus cards and visual aids are used for tasks

involving visual recognition, while verbal instruction cards ensure consistency in delivering

verbal prompts during the test. For instance, for the Aesthetics Comparison item at age level

5, a standard picture card consisting of 3 different pairs of faces is required. ​

​ Physical objects, such as coins or pencils may be required for tasks involving motor

or reasoning skills. A stopwatch or timer is necessary to measure time-limited tasks or

response times, ensuring accuracy as per the test’s protocol. Typically, all physical materials

including visual cards are present in the standard BKT box. Additionally, writing materials

like pencils, erasers, and paper are used for recording responses or completing tasks that

require written answers. These materials are vital for standardized administration and reliable

interpretation of the test results.

Procedure

​ The Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT) is administered individually in a

standardized manner to ensure the accuracy and reliability of results. The examiner begins

by creating a comfortable environment to put the child at ease and ensure that they are

motivated and willing to cooperate. Baes on a clinical interview with the child, the clinician

determines the age level where the individual is expected to pass all items, and the test begins

with items at this age level. However, if the child fails multiple items at this level, the
examiner moves to a lower age level until a Basal Level at which all items are passed, is

established.

The child is presented with a series of verbal, numerical, and performance-based tasks

in order of increasing difficulty.For each item or task, the clinician provides standardized

instructions to the child as given in the test manual, and concurrently, records the child’s

responses on the scoring sheet, while also noting any significant qualitative observations. The

test is continued until the individual fails all items at a given age level, establishing the

terminal, which marks the limit of their cognitive ability, at which point the clinician

terminates the test. The test also includes a few alternative items for each age level to

enhance flexibility in assessment and address individual variations, language challenges, or

comprehension difficulties. These items replace standard test questions only when the

original ones are inappropriate for the test-taker due to cultural, educational, or sensory

constraints.

An important precaution to be taken in administering the test is to ensure that the test

is conducted in a quiet, well-lit, and distraction-free environment. The test must be begun

only after rapport has been adequately established to ensure effective assessment. While the

clinician must, especially when necessary, encourage the child to respond but they must avoid

giving any hints or leading them toward the correct answer. The clinician must also maintain

neutral facial expressions and tone to avoid influencing response, especially in tasks such as

digit-span test, for instance.

Scoring and Interpretation

specific scoring criteria given in the test manual for that item is met or not. For instance, in

case of Item 2 at age level 3, the child is required to name certain familiar objects presented

to them. The manual specifies that out of the 5 objects, the child must be able to name a

minimum of 3 correctly, for a score of ‘1’ to be awarded, otherwise the child is assigned a

score of ‘0’ for that particular item.

​ After terminal age has been established and the test has been terminated, the child’s

Mental Age (MA) is determined based on their performance across the different age-level

items, following a structured scoring procedure. Since at the Basal Level, the child is able to

pass all items, they are automatically credited with full points for all previous age levels.

Thus, for example, if the basal age is established at 8 years of age, then the child receives full

credit until age 8.

As the test progresses beyond this level, each correct response contributes fractional

age credits, which are then added to the Basal Age Level to determine the final Mental Age

(MA). Depending on the number of items present in the test at a particular age level, specific

items hold differential credits. For instance, at age level, the test includes 6 compulsory items,

excluding the 2 alternative items, then each item is equivalent to a credit of 2 months of

mental age.

Once the terminal age is established, the scoring process stops, and the accumulated

age credits are summed to derive the MA. Thus, if the test-taker establishes a basal level of 8

years and earns additional age credits equivalent to 1.5 years, their final MA would be 9.5

years. After mental age has been determined, this value is then used to calculate the
Intelligence Quotient (IQ) using the Ratio IQ formula. The following formula is used to do

so: ‘IQ = (Mental Age / Chronological Age) × 100’. For instance, if a 10-year-old child (CA

= 10 years) has an MA of 9.5 years, their IQ score would be 95.

The revised norms for the Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT) focus on adjusting

the IQ scores to align with current global standards, such as those recommended by Wechsler

and the World Health Organization (WHO), which use a mean of 100 and a standard

deviation (SD) of 15. Traditionally, the BKT used a ratio IQ with an SD of 18.7, leading to

inflated or underestimated IQ scores depending on the score's distance from the mean. To

address this, the adjustment formula suggested in the paper converts BKT IQs to match a

deviation IQ system with an SD of 15.

The adjustment formula is as follows:-

Adjusted IQ = [100 - (100 - BKT IQ)/18.7 ​×15].

Adjusted MA = (Chronological Age/100) ​× Adjusted IQ.

This adjustment ensures that scores are more comparable to modern IQ scales and

reduces the chances of misclassification due to the BKT’s wider SD. Additionally, for more

accuracy, it has been suggested that age-specific means and SDs be used for adjustment

rather than a fixed value of 18.7 across all age groups, as the mean IQ and SD vary

significantly with age in the BKT’s original standardization sample​. Thus, the same

adjustment formula mentioned above would be used, however age-specific SDs would be

substituted instead of taking ‘18.7’ as the standard mean value.

ranges to interpret the individual's cognitive abilities. Higher IQ scores indicate superior

intellectual functioning, while lower scores suggest cognitive delays or intellectual

disabilities.

Table with the IQ ranges and their corresponding classifications in the Binet-Kamat Test:-

IQ Range Classification

Very Superior IQ above 137

Superior IQ between 125 and 136

High/Average IQ between 113 and 124

Average IQ between 87 and 112

Low/Average IQ between 75 and 86

Borderline IQ between 64 and 74

Mild Intellectual Disability IQ between 38 and 63

Moderate Intellectual Disability IQ between 19 and 37

Severe Intellectual Disability IQ below 19

References

●​ Prasad Psycho Corporation. (1972). Manual for the Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence.

Bangalore, India: Prasad Psycho Corporation.

●​ Roopesh, B. N. (2020). Binet Kamat Test of Intelligence: Administration, Scoring, and

Interpretation – An In-Depth Appraisal. Indian Journal of Mental Health, 7(3),

180–199. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru.