The Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Minister has taken a significant move towards reforming the state’s higher education system and announced that the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) will now be conducted twice a year from the 2026-27 academic session. The move is taken by referring to the national Joint Entrance Examination Main (JEE Main), which gave opportunities to engineering aspirants two chances to improve their performance and get admission to their preferred courses.
Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil announced on Tuesday that, following a review meeting with the State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell—which oversees various higher education entrance exams in the state—MHT-CET will now be conducted twice a year.
Mr Chandrakant Patil explained that, “At the national level, two JEE entrance examinations are conducted, giving students two opportunities. Similarly, students in Maharashtra will also get two opportunities through these two entrance exams.”
From When the MHT-CET is Conducted Twice
Beginning with the 2026 admissions, the MHT-CET will take place in two sessions: one in April and another in May. Students must appear in at least one session to be eligible for admission to professional courses, while taking both exams remains optional. For those who attempt both, the better score will be considered, following the JEE Main model used for national engineering admissions.
Why is the MHT-CET Conducted?
MHT-CET scores are used to determine eligibility for engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, architecture, and other professional programs. The exam is typically held in April and divided into sessions for PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) and PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology). Under the new system, each group will have two exam opportunities in the same academic year.
A Higher Education Department official said this change aims to make the process more student-friendly and flexible. The new format provides a second chance to those who miss the first exam or want to improve their scores, whereas previously missing the single annual exam meant losing an entire year.
The state also plans to apply this two-attempt system to the MBA/MMS CET—the postgraduate management entrance test—traditionally held only in April. It will now be conducted in April and May, too, allowing candidates to take one or both exams with the higher score used for admission.
Officials mentioned that conducting exams twice yearly will reduce student stress and better align Maharashtra’s admissions process with national best practices. The decision is a major step toward fairness, flexibility, and opportunity for all aspirants across the state looking for higher education.
Officials noted that holding exams twice yearly will reduce student stress and better align Maharashtra’s admissions process with national best practices, marking a major step toward fairness, flexibility, and opportunity for all aspirants statewide.
