Not in their worst dreams did management aspirants imagine that their attempts at the Common Admission Test for entrance into prestigious business schools would become so bizarre. First unable to take the exam on scheduled dates, many have received last minute intimation that their test would be conducted in far off cities.

Students from cities like Bhopal, Faridabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad were bewildered when they received e-mails or text messages informing them that their CAT would be taken at centres in far-off cities,

Prometric is the firm administering the computerised exam on behalf of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) who till last year conducted the test on paper.

Over 8,000 management aspirants could not take the CAT which went online for the first time this year when a virus struck the computer system, stalling the examination at over 40 centres across the country.

One such candidate is Jay Kumar, a final year engineering student from Bhopal who could not take the exam Nov 29 when it was scheduled. "I was told then that authorities would tell me in 48 hours about a reallotted test time and place," he said.

On Thursday, Prometric sent an e-mail to Jay stating he had been accommodated in a morning test slot Dec 6 -- but in Guwhati's TIT college centre.

Jay tried the number early Friday and was told to reach the TIT centre for the 3.30 slot where there was availability. He finally entered the centre at 1 p.m. to take the test.

Around 240,000 people had registered to take the staggered exam this year during a 10-day schedule ending Dec 7.