MHT CET, MBA CET to be conducted twice a year from 2026: Maharashtra government approves revised format
The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT CET) and MBA CET will now be conducted twice a year starting from 2025, the state government announced on Tuesday. The decision was confirmed by Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil following a review meeting with senior officials of the State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell.This change marks a major structural update in the state’s higher education entrance system, aligning Maharashtra’s testing framework with the national Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main), which also offers candidates two attempts each year.
Meeting chaired by Minister Chandrakant Patil
Announcing the decision via an X (formerly Twitter) post, Minister Chandrakant Patil said that the change aims to give Maharashtra students two opportunities each year to qualify for admissions in technical and professional streams.The review meeting was attended by:
- B. Venu Gopal Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher and Technical Education Department
- Dilip Sardesai, CET Cell Commissioner
- Dr. Shailendra Devlanakar, Director of Higher Education
- Dr. Vinod Mohitekar, Director of Technical Education
- Ashok Mande and Pratap Lubal, Deputy Secretaries, Higher Education Department
Officials from the State CET Cell and other senior representatives of the department were also present.
MHT CET revised examination pattern
Under the new system, the first CET session will be held in April 2026, followed by a second session in May 2026.
- Appearing for the first session will be compulsory for all students seeking admission to professional courses.
- The second session will be optional, allowing candidates another chance to improve their performance.
- For students who appear in both sessions, the higher of the two scores will be used for admission purposes.
The revised pattern will cover entrance exams for the PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) and PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) streams under MHT CET, as well as the MBA/MMS CET for postgraduate management courses.
Objective behind the two-attempt system
According to officials, the revised format is intended to make the examination process more flexible for students and reduce academic setbacks caused by missing or underperforming in a single attempt.Currently, MHT CET is held once a year, typically in April, and serves as the eligibility test for admission to engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, architecture, and other professional undergraduate programmes. The new structure will allow students to appear twice within the same academic year, improving access and reducing the risk of losing an academic year due to illness or scheduling conflicts.For management aspirants, the MBA/MMS CET will follow a similar pattern, with two sessions each year. Candidates can choose to appear once or twice, and the best score will determine their admission eligibility.
Implementation plan and next steps
The State CET Cell will release detailed guidelines regarding the application process, exam schedule, and score normalisation for the two-session format in the coming months. Examination centers, logistics, and evaluation timelines are also expected to be adjusted to accommodate the new system.Officials stated that this change will streamline the examination calendar, reduce pressure on students, and align Maharashtra’s testing approach with national best practices. The move is seen as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to modernise higher education administration and expand opportunities for aspirants across the state.
