Over 3,000 management institutes across the country have registered with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and will now accept common management aptitude test (CMAT) scores for admission in the new academic year.

The long-awaited list of institutes has finally been released on the CMAT official website and has evoked mixed reactions from MBA aspirants.

Notable institutes on the list include BITS Pilani, Asia Pacific Institute of Management (New Delhi), IFIM Business School (Bangalore), KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (Mumbai), and the SIES College of Management Studies (Navi Mumbai).

However, several MBA aspirants expressed displeasure at the list, especially with its timing. A Mumbai candidate, who has registered for the CMAT, said, “Many good institutes from Maharashtra are still sticking to the state common entrance test (CET). The CMAT, it seems, will only be a trial run this year. Only when the state CET is entirely scrapped will there be a clear picture on the importance of attempting the CMAT.”

Another candidate said, “The list should have been out much before the registration for the test started. That might have helped us to decide whether to register in the first place.”

An AICTE official said, “All AICTE-approved colleges are expected to accept CMAT scores by default. The list of test centres will be finalised and released soon.”