In short: The Maharashtra CET Cell had not published an official MHT CET 2027 schedule as of October 28, 2026. Careers360 reported on October 27 that the December attempt is cancelled and that the two attempts are now expected in March and May 2027, after the Class 12 board exams. An October 9 Careers360 report had called that shift "under consideration", so treat all dates as expected. The PCM paper has 150 MCQs in 180 minutes for 200 marks. Maths questions carry 2 marks each, Physics and Chemistry 1 mark each, and there is no negative marking. This guide covers the pattern, the date conflict, closing ranks, and a plan that works around HSC.
Last updated: October 28, 2026. Dates and the syllabus will be updated when the CET Cell publishes the 2027 notification.
MHT CET 2027 PCM — Quick Reference
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra |
| Official site | cetcell.mahacet.org |
| Mode | Computer-based test |
| Groups | PCM (engineering) and PCB (pharmacy, agriculture) |
| PCM questions | 150 MCQs: Maths 50, Physics 50, Chemistry 50 |
| PCM marks | 200: Maths 100, Physics 50, Chemistry 50 |
| Duration | 180 minutes (Maths 90, Physics and Chemistry 90) |
| Negative marking | None |
| Syllabus split | About 20% Class 11, 80% Class 12 (Maharashtra board) |
| Attempts | Two. The higher score counts |
| 2027 registration | Expected to start in October 2026. Not yet confirmed on the sites I read |
The pattern comes from Careers360 and SciAstra. The Indian Express FAQ agrees there is no negative marking.
Stay on official channels
Use cetcell.mahacet.org for forms, fees and notices. Careers360's news list shows two headlines, which I saw only as headlines and did not open: a September 10 report that the Cell warned colleges against unapproved fees, and an October 19 report that it formed a task force against online misinformation. Do not pay anyone for a seat or a rank.
What Is Confirmed and What Is Not
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| 150 MCQs, 200 marks, 180 minutes, no negative marking | Consistent across Careers360, SciAstra and Indian Express |
| 2 marks per Maths question, 1 mark for Physics and Chemistry | Careers360 only, but it fits the totals (50 x 2 = 100; 50 + 50 = 100) |
| Two attempts, higher score counts | Reported by Careers360 |
| 20% Class 11 and 80% Class 12 | Reported by Careers360, SciAstra and Indian Express |
| 2027 dates | Not official |
| 2027 syllabus PDF | Not released in the sources I read |
| Whether Class 12 marks will enter the merit list | A panel was formed. I found no decision |
The Date Conflict
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Our older comparison guide (written earlier) | First attempt December 15, 2026 to January 15, 2027, second in April to May 2027 |
| Careers360 news, September 18 (headline) | Phase 1 exams likely in December |
| Careers360 news, October 9 | Attempts planned for December 2026 and April 2027. Moving both to March to May was "under consideration". A CET Cell source said it was not final, while HT reported it as decided |
| Careers360 article, October 27 | The December attempt "has been cancelled". First attempt expected March 2027, second May 2027 |
| Careers360 syllabus page, updated October 27 | Still says Phase 1 is expected in December |
So the most recent reports point to March and May, but they rest on media reports and not on a published CET Cell schedule. Careers360's October 9 report adds that a gap of four weeks would be kept between the two attempts and that the higher score counts. The older guide's dates were written before these reports, so use this guide's dates.
Errors inside the date tables
| Where | Problem |
|---|---|
| Careers360 date-update page | Lists the first-attempt result in February 2027 although the first attempt is expected in March |
| Same page | Lists form correction and admit card as "2026" where it means 2027 |
| Same page | Says the exam lasts 2 hours 45 minutes, and lists three papers of 90 minutes each. Three times 90 is 270 minutes, which contradicts the 180 minutes given everywhere else |
I used 180 minutes, which matches the pattern tables.
Where HSC fits
Careers360 reported on September 17 that the Maharashtra Class 12 board exam runs from February 8 to March 16, 2027. If the first attempt falls in March, the gap after your last paper is at most 15 days (March 17 to 31), which is my arithmetic. The real gap depends on the date the Cell announces. From October 28 to February 8 is 103 days, to March 1 is 124 days.
Pattern, Marks and Time
| Section | Questions | Marks per question | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 50 | 2 | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Physics | 50 | 1 | 50 | Shared 90 minutes with Chemistry |
| Chemistry | 50 | 1 | 50 | Shared 90 minutes with Physics |
| Total | 150 | 200 | 180 minutes |
Per Careers360, each section group has its own 90-minute window. Confirm in the brochure whether you can move between sections.
What the numbers tell you (calculated)
| Fact | Working |
|---|---|
| Maths is one third of the questions but half the marks | 50 of 150 is 33.3%; 100 of 200 is 50% |
| One Maths question equals two Physics or Chemistry questions | 2 marks against 1 mark |
| Time per mark is the same in both windows | Maths: 90 / 50 = 1.8 minutes per question, or 0.9 per mark. Physics and Chemistry: 90 / 100 = 0.9 minutes per question and per mark |
So a Maths question can take twice as long as a Physics or Chemistry question, and still be on pace.
No negative marking
There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so leave nothing blank. As an illustration, if each question has four options (the sources I read do not state the option count), guessing 10 blank Maths questions at 25% gives 10 x 2 x 0.25 = 5 expected marks. That is only a gain, never a loss.
Syllabus: Two Lists Disagree
The syllabus follows the Maharashtra State Board for Classes 11 and 12. The CET Cell's 2027 syllabus PDF was not out in the sources I read. SciAstra expected it in the second week of October, and Careers360 on October 27 still said it would be released.
| Subject | Class 11 topics (Careers360 and SciAstra) |
|---|---|
| Physics | Vectors, error analysis, motion in a plane, laws of motion, gravitation, thermal properties of matter, sound, optics, electrostatics, semiconductors |
| Chemistry | Basic concepts, structure of atom, chemical bonding, redox reactions, elements of groups 1 and 2, states of matter, adsorption and colloids, hydrocarbons, basic principles of organic chemistry |
| Mathematics | Trigonometry II, straight line, circle, probability, complex numbers, permutations and combinations, functions, limits, continuity, conic sections |
Class 12 topics: the lists differ
| Subject | Careers360 and Indian Express list | SciAstra list |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | Circular motion, gravitation, rotational motion, oscillations, elasticity, surface tension, wave motion, stationary waves, wave theory of light, interference and diffraction, communication systems | Rotational dynamics, mechanical properties of fluids, kinetic theory of gases and radiation, thermodynamics, superposition of waves, wave optics, alternating current, dual nature of radiation and matter |
| Chemistry | Solid state, solutions, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, kinetics, isolation of elements, p-block, d and f block, coordination compounds, organic chapters, polymers | Same family, plus ionic equilibria, green chemistry and nanochemistry |
| Mathematics | Mathematical logic, matrices, trigonometric functions, pair of straight lines, vectors, 3D geometry, linear programming, continuity, differentiation, integration, differential equations, probability distribution, binomial distribution | Same chapters, with differential equations named in SciAstra's list |
The chapter names in the Physics row are noticeably different, and I could not tell why. There is one smaller difference: Indian Express lists "measures of dispersion" under Class 11 Maths, which Careers360 and SciAstra do not. Until the official PDF is out, study the full Class 12 textbook and the Class 11 chapters above, and treat the topic names as provisional.
Is it the same as JEE Main?
Careers360's FAQ says the syllabus differs: MHT CET follows the Maharashtra board and JEE Main follows NCERT. Indian Express says the two overlap strongly in Physics and Maths. Both can be true, so check chapter by chapter. Our Maharashtra Board guide to JEE and NEET covers the bridge, and the state-board bridge guide shows how to close gaps.
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Chapter Priorities: What I Could and Could Not Verify
Careers360 prints a chapter-wise weightage table with percentages and question counts. I checked whether its percentages match its question counts, assuming a base of 250 questions:
| Result | Count |
|---|---|
| Rows where percentage matches the question count | 11 of 14 |
| Rows that do not match | 3 (Thermodynamics 7.6% against 18 questions, Aldehydes and Ketones 7.6% against 16 questions, Kinetic Theory 7.6% against 18 questions) |
The base of 250 is my assumption, since the table does not state it. The mismatches, a column that maps Wave Optics to unrelated topics, and the table showing only the top rows per subject make me reluctant to reproduce the percentages. Use it only as a hint.
Careers360's list of chapters it ranks high:
| Subject | High-weight chapters named by Careers360 |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | Integrals, 3D geometry, probability, trigonometric functions |
| Physics | Waves, oscillations, wave optics, kinetic theory of gases, electrostatics |
| Chemistry | p-block elements, solutions, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids |
Its separate list of important topics adds calculus, vectors, electromagnetic induction, semiconductors, coordination compounds and solid state. Treat these as a starting point, and build your own list from previous papers.
Marks, Percentile and Rank: Indicative Only
I found no official marks-to-percentile table. Careers360 prints one labelled 2026, which it describes as expected from trends:
| Marks (out of 200) | Percentile | Rank band |
|---|---|---|
| 160 and above | 99.56 and above | Up to about 1,210 |
| 149 to 159 | 99 and above | 1,214 to 3,305 |
| 135 to 148 | 98 to 99 | 3,312 to 6,567 |
| 120 to 134 | 96 to 98 | 6,580 to 13,865 |
| 100 to 119 | 92 to 96 | 13,888 to 23,953 |
| 75 to 99 | 82 to 92 | 23,960 to 50,126 |
| 60 to 74 | 70 to 82 | 50,138 to 93,493 |
When I divided each rank by the share of candidates above that percentile, the implied number of candidates ranged from about 2.75 lakh to 3.47 lakh, so the rows do not describe one consistent pool. The page also writes the top row's rank as "1210+", which I read as "up to". Use the table for a rough sense only. A percentile compares you with other candidates in your attempt, so a score can map to different percentiles in different years.
2025 Closing Ranks
These tables are from Careers360's cutoff page. Lower is harder. The page does not state the round for the COEP table. The second table is titled Open category closing rank, and I read the COEP numbers as ranks too, since the table does not label the unit.
COEP Technological University, Pune, 2025
| Branch | Closing rank |
|---|---|
| Computer Science / Computer Engineering | 858 |
| AI and Machine Learning | 925 |
| Electronics and Telecommunication | 1,133 |
| Electrical | 1,749 |
| Instrumentation and Control | 1,945 |
| Mechanical | 2,088 |
| Manufacturing Science and Engineering | 2,897 |
| Civil | 3,804 |
COEP's Civil closing rank is 4.43 times its Computer Science one (3,804 / 858).
Government College of Engineering, Amravati, 2025 (Open category)
| Branch | Closing rank |
|---|---|
| Computer Science and Engineering | 9,196 |
| Information Technology | 12,891 |
| Electronics and Telecommunication | 18,397 |
| Electrical | 28,037 |
| Civil | 37,591 |
| Mechanical | 43,339 |
| Instrumentation | 45,626 |
How far the Computer Science range stretches (Open category, 2025)
| College | CSE closing rank |
|---|---|
| GCE Amravati | 9,196 |
| Prof Ram Meghe College, Badnera | 54,823 |
| Anuradha Engineering College, Buldana | 62,554 |
| Pankaj Laddhad Institute, Buldana | 70,016 |
| GCE Yavatmal | 84,308 |
Yavatmal's Computer Science closing rank is 9.2 times Amravati's (84,308 / 9,196). Different colleges and branches sit very far apart, so a single "good rank" figure does not exist.
2026 cutoffs
Careers360 says the Round 4 cutoff for 2026 is out at fe2026.mahacet.org, with separate Maharashtra State and All India PDFs for each round. It names Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Pune Institute of Computer Technology and Dwarkadas J. Sanghvi College of Engineering among the top colleges, but its page does not give their ranks. The cutoff PDFs I could not open, so I have not quoted 2026 ranks.
What 2026 Admissions Looked Like
| Item | Figure (Careers360, September 17, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Engineering seats offered through CAP | 2,03,293 |
| Students who took admission | 1,81,927, in 111 courses at 387 colleges |
| Admissions in 2025-26 | 1,66,746 |
| Rise | 15,181, or 9.1% (my calculation) |
| Most opted branch | Computer Engineering, 28,170 admissions (15.5%) |
| Next | Mechanical 19,702, Electronics and Telecom 18,895, Computer Science 18,277, Information Technology 15,219 |
The top five branches took 1,00,263 admissions, which is 55.1% of the total (my calculation). The report adds that the best score across both phases was used in 2026.
Things to Watch Before You Plan
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Class 12 marks in the merit list | On September 17, Careers360 reported a five-member panel with a 15-day deadline to recommend how to weigh Class 12 marks against the CET percentile. I found no report of a decision. If it applies, board marks would matter for rank |
| Attempt dates | A March attempt would sit close to the end of HSC. Ask your school for the HSC timetable and compare it with the CET Cell's notice |
| An investigation | On September 15, PTI reported that the Chief Minister formed an SIT to probe complaints about MH-CET and ordered a forensic audit into an alleged data leak, with action if irregularities are found. I found no further detail |
| Eligibility | Sources differ (see below) |
Eligibility: sources differ
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Careers360 | Class 12 or equivalent, with Physics and Maths. Generally at least 45% |
| Indian Express FAQ | Minimum qualifying marks of 50% for General and 45% for reserved categories |
These differ. Read the clause in the 2027 brochure.
Students from outside Maharashtra
Indian Express's FAQ says anyone can take the exam if they meet the eligibility rules. A community answer on Careers360 (January 2026) says outsiders usually cannot claim state-quota seats through CAP and often rely on JEE Main. That is not an official statement, so confirm the domicile and quota rules in the brochure.
A Plan Around HSC
This is my suggested plan, not an official one. It assumes March and May attempts and HSC from February 8 to March 16.
| Phase | Timing | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | November to December | Finish Class 12 PCM in school order and the listed Class 11 chapters. Do 40 MCQs a day on chapters you finish |
| 2 | January | Chapter tests and error notebook. One full 150-question mock each weekend |
| 3 | February 8 to March 16 | HSC first. Keep one hour a day: 30 MCQs plus formula revision |
| 4 | After HSC until Attempt 1 | Two full mocks a week, each in two 90-minute windows, with next-day review |
| 5 | Between attempts | Fix the topics that cost you marks. Aim to improve, since the higher score counts |
| 6 | Last 10 days | One mock every second day, formula sheets, early nights |
Our HSC last 100 days plan and the HSC science important questions guide help with the board side. For splitting time between boards and entrance exams, see JEE and board exams together.
Mock routine
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before | Run the two windows exactly: Maths in 90 minutes, Physics and Chemistry in 90 minutes |
| During | Answer sure questions first, then guess the rest. Nothing stays blank |
| After | Log each wrong answer by cause: concept, calculation, misread or guess |
| Weekly | Re-solve last week's mistakes without notes |
Is MHT CET your only exam?
For a comparison with JEE Main, see MHT CET vs JEE Main for Maharashtra students. Its exam dates were written before the schedule reports described above, so use this guide's dates instead. To compare what you might study afterwards, see the engineering branches guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the MHT CET 2027 schedule been announced?
Not officially, as of October 28, 2026. Careers360 reported on October 27 that the first attempt is expected in March 2027 and the second in May 2027. Registration was expected to open in October. Watch cetcell.mahacet.org.
Is the December attempt cancelled?
Careers360 says yes, in its October 27 article. However, its October 9 report called the shift "under consideration", and another Careers360 page updated the same day still mentions a December Phase 1. I could not find an official CET Cell notice, so wait for the schedule.
What is the MHT CET PCM pattern and is there negative marking?
There are 150 MCQs in 180 minutes for 200 marks: 50 questions each in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Maths carries 2 marks per question and Physics and Chemistry 1 mark each. There is no negative marking.
Do both attempts count?
Careers360 reports that the higher score across the two attempts is considered, and Jagran Josh's search summary says you may appear in one or both. Careers360's October 9 report also mentions a planned gap of four weeks between the attempts. Check the brochure for the exact rule.
Which chapters matter most?
Careers360 names Integrals, 3D geometry, Electrostatics, Waves, p-block elements, Solutions and others as high-weight. But its weightage table does not fully reconcile, so I did not copy the percentages. Use previous papers to confirm. Maths is worth 50% of the marks.
What rank do I need for COEP Computer Science?
Careers360's 2025 table shows a closing rank of 858 for COEP Computer Science, with 925 for AI and Machine Learning. The table does not state the round or the category, so treat it as a rough guide. The 2026 ranks were not readable in the sources I used.
Will Class 12 marks count in the merit list?
A panel was formed in September 2026 to recommend how to weigh Class 12 marks against the CET percentile. I found no report of its decision. Keep your board preparation strong while waiting.
Related Guides
- MHT CET 2027 vs JEE Main: Which Is Best for Maharashtra
- Maharashtra Board Students: How to Prepare for JEE NEET 2027
- How to Score 90% in Maharashtra HSC: Science, Commerce, Arts 2027
- JEE and Board Exams Together: Class 12 PCM Plan 2027
- Engineering Branches 2027: Which Branch After JEE
- JEE Main 2027 Preparation: Complete Guide
Sources
- Careers360: MHT CET 2027 exam date, application, syllabus, pattern
- Careers360: Is MHT CET 2027 December attempt cancelled (October 27, 2026)
- Careers360: MHT CET exam date 2027 update, PCM and PCB schedule
- Careers360 News: Maharashtra may shift both attempts to after Class 12 boards (October 9, 2026)
- Careers360 News: panel on Class 12 marks in MHT CET merit lists (September 17, 2026)
- Careers360 News: MHT CET 2026 records highest-ever BTech admissions (September 17, 2026)
- Careers360 News: SIT to probe MH-CET complaints (September 15, 2026)
- Careers360: MHT CET cutoff and 2025 closing ranks
- Careers360: MHT CET syllabus 2027
- SciAstra: MHT CET 2027 syllabus
- Indian Express Education: MHT CET syllabus 2027
- Maharashtra CET Cell (cetcell.mahacet.org): the 2027 notification will be the final reference
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