FAQs for PMP

8/7/2019 FAQs for PMP

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FAQs

1. What is PMI?

Project Management Institute (PMI) is the worlds leading not-for-profit projectmanagement professional association, with over 125,000 members worldwide. There

are 75,000 plus PMPs in the world till September 2004. URL of its Website ishttp://www.pmi.org

2. What is PMBOK?

A Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) is a globallyrecognized standard for managing projects in todays marketplace. The PMBOK

Guide is approved as an American National Standard (ANS) by the American NationalStandards Institute (ANSI). PMI is committed to the continuous improvement and

expansion of the PMBOK Guide, as well as the development of additional standards.

3. What is PMP?

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is the worlds mostrecognized professional credential for individuals associated with projectmanagement. In 1999, PMI became the first organization in the world to have its

Certification Program attain International Organization for Standardization (ISO)9001 recognition.

4. What is the process to write PMP certification exam?

Become a PMI member cost $129 + local chapter fee (optional)

Mandatory training of 35 contact hours in project management (forSatyamites, no fee). This can be in classroom or e-learning mode.

Submit PMP examination form online fee $405 for PMI members

Receive eligibility letter from PMI (For eligibility see the next question)

Contact Prometric Center in your city to schedule the appointment forthe exam

Execute, succeed and celebrate

5. What are the eligibility criteria (educational and experience) to write

PMP Certification test?

Applicant must have 4500 hours of project management experience (must have

lead or directed projects) within the immediately preceding 6 years (at the timeof applying) within the five process groups (initiating, planning, executing,

controlling and closing).

Minimum of 36 non-overlapping or unique months (if you have worked on

multiple projects) of project management experience within the immediatelypreceding six year period (at the time of applying)
http://www.pmi.org/http://www.pmi.org/


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Minimum of 35 contact hours of education (or, e-learning) in project

management which cover all knowledge areas or PMBOK

6. Where I can get 35 hours contact hours of education covering nine

knowledge areas specified in PMBOK?

Associates (applicants) can acquire 35 contact hours of education in projectmanagement from any of the following:

Classroom training

PMI Registered Education Providers (REPs) (Satyam is the Registered

Education Provider)

E-learning available through internet and intranet (specially suitable for on-site

associates)

7. How can I apply for the certification?

You can apply online or through snail mail. However, snail mail takes quite a long

time for the processing. But, if you apply online, the application is done faster withintwo weeks.

8. What does the exam covers? And what is the exam like?

The exam mainly covers nine knowledge areas and five project management process

groups which are covered in the PMBOK.

The PMP exam contains 200 objective type questions with four options. The duration

of the exam is four hours. The PMP exam tests knowledge, application and analysisof applicants in the filed of project management.

Out of 200, 25 questions will not be counted for your score. These 25 questions arepre-test questions. However, you will not know which 25 questions will not be

counted for your score. You need to score 143 out of 175 uqestions.

9. What is the approximate percentage of exam questions in each PM process

group?

PM Processes Number of questions Percent of questions

Initiation 19 10.9

Project planning 40 22.9

Project execution 47 26.9

Project controlling 37 21.1

Project closing 16 9.1

Professional responsibility 16 9.1

Total 175 100


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10. Do I need to study more than the PMBOK to pass the exam? If yes, can you

suggest some reference material for preparing the exam?

Yes. Though some people with lots of experience use only the PMBOK, most

applicants find invaluable the aid of a couple of additional books.

There are lots of materials available on the Internet to prepare for the examination.

However, the most commonly used reference materials (other than PMBOK) include

1. PMP Exam Prep (5th edition) Rita Mulcahy

2. PMP Project Management Professional Study Guide Kim Heldman (Indian

Edition available BPB Publications)

3. Project Management: A Systems Approach to planning, scheduling and controlling

(8th Edition) Harold Kerzner

4. Fast Track CD Rita Mulcahy (test simulation)

5. PMP Exam Practice Test and Study Guide (5th Edition) J LeRoy Ward

As mentioned earlier, there are so many other books available which can also be

useful. However, these are sufficient to clear the exam.

11. Does PMI audit applications for PMPs?

Yes, it does. A fixed percentage of accepted applications are audited by the PMI

Certification Department. During the audits, applicants are asked to submit

documentation such as copies of their university degrees and signatures of theirsupervisors for their project experiences documented on their Experience Verification

Form. It has happened in Satyam several times.

12. What are the advantages of being PMP certified?

Following are the advantages of being PMP certified:

Demonstrates proof of professional achievement

Certifies that you have FORMAL knowledge of the methodology of PM, rather than

just relying on hard work and organization skills

Distinguishes you from other PM candidates

Increases your marketability

Screening tool for companies looking for PM candidates

Provides opportunity for advancement

Raises customer confidence

Average PMPs gets paid higher than non-PMPs in the open market

13. What all information PMI asks for while filling PMP application form and how much

time does it take to process it?

Applicants are required to document their project management experience in

experience verification form. A separate experience form should be used for each


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project. In each project, applicants must mention the number of hours spent on eachPM process group (initiation, planning, executing, controlling and closing).

PMP exam application forms are processed within 10-14 business days and within 2-

3 days after the completion of the processing the applicants are sent eligibility

letters. Eligibility letter indicates that the candidate is eligible for taking the exam.

14. Where are Prometric Centers located? And what facilities do they provide?

Ahmedabad (8902)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

301-302, Abhijeet-II, Mitha Kali,6 Road, Ellisbridge,

AhmedabadPh: 91-79-6561088

Chennai (8909)


No 15, 2nd Floor, Romar House,Jagannathan Road, Nugambakkam,

Chennai 600034Ph: 91-44-2824187

Allahabad (8903)


119/25A, Mahatma Gandhi Marg,Civil Lines, Allahabad 211001

Ph: 91-532-2622477

Hyderabad (8908)


Avenue 1, Street 20, Plot 1672,Road #12, Banjara Hills

Hyderabad 500034Ph: 91-40-23308504

Bangalore (8904)


Maini Sadan, 1st Floor,No 38 Lavelle Road, 7th Cross,

Bangalore 560001Ph: 91-80-2292553 / 54

Mumbai (8921)


Marwah House, Saki Vihar Road,Saki Naka, Andheri (E)

Mumbai 400072Ph: 91-22-28573160 / 28573171

Calcutta (8906)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.Flat 1/C, 1st Floor, Sukh Sagar Bldg,Sarat Bose Road,Calcutta 700020

Ph: 91-33-24852792

Trivandrum (8912)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.PTC Towers, 2nd Floor,SS Coil Road, Thampanoor,

Trivandrum 695001Ph: 91-471-2338662

Prometric Centers are very strict. You are not allowed to take anything in theexamination hall even your wallet. You can only take your handkerchief with you.

You will be provided pencil and calculator in the examination hall. However, you areallowed to take breaks (as many as you want) during the four hours period. But

these breaks will be counted in your time to take the exam.

15. How many hours of study do I need?

It depends on how well you already know the subjects for certification. The range of studyhours is somewhere between 100 and 150 hours.

16.Can I take the exam again, if I fail to pass the exam in my first attempt?

Yes, you can. However, you will have to pay additional fee to PMI to write the examagain.


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Re-Examination Fee member of PMI in good standing $275Re-Examination Fee non-member of PMI $375

You cannot take the exam more than three times in a year.

17.Can I accumulate PDUs before passing the exam?

No, you cant. You can accumulate PDUs only when you become PMP.

18.How long my PMP certificate is valid after qualifying the test?

Your PMP certificate is valid only for three years. To use the PMP tag further, youshould satisfy PMIs Continuing Certification requirements (CCR). The PMI CCR

program emphasizes on ongoing educational and professional development of PMPs.PMPs must accrue 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) during each CCR cycle.

19.How CCR cycle is calculated or determined?

A PMP's first CCR cycle begins on the date he successfully completes the certificationexamination and ends on December 31st of the third full calendar year following the

year of their examination. For example, an examination date of July 31, 2004 results

in an expiration date of December 31, 2007. All following renewal cycles are exactlythree years in length beginning on the first day after the prior cycle's expiration date.

Using the previous example the next renewal cycle would be 1 January 2008 through

31 December 2010. For reference, each PMP's renewal cycle dates are listed on theirPMP certificate along with their unique PMP Certification number.

20.How Can I earn PDUs to satisfy PMI CCR requirements?

21.Can I refer experiences of some other PMPs giving details of all anxieties he/she

faced?

PMBOK, PMI and PMP are trademarks, service marks or certification marks of the Project ManagementInstitute, Inc. USA.
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FAQs for PMP