The Maharashtra CET Cell has announced a big change for students planning to join engineering and pharmacy courses. From the year 2026 , the MHT CET exam will be held twice a year. This means students will get two chances to appear for the exam, once in April and once in May .
This new system is like the one used for the JEE Mains exam. It aims to help students perform better. If a student does not do well in the first attempt, they can learn from their mistakes and try to improve their score in the second attempt. This increases their chances of getting admission to their desired courses.
Each year, more than 5 lakh students take the MHT CET exam for engineering courses (PCM group). Around 2 lakh students appear for pharmacy courses (PCB group). This change will benefit lakhs of students across Maharashtra.
MHT CET 2026 Important Dates
Here are the key dates for MHT CET 2026 and other related exams:
| Event | Date |
| Class 12 Board Exams | February 10 to March 11, 2026 |
| MHT CET 2026 Session 1 Exam Start | April 11, 2026 |
| MHT CET 2026 Session 2 Exam Start | May 14, 2026 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Registration Last Date | November 27, 2025 (Ongoing) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Dates | April 2 to April 9, 2026 |
| MHT CET 2026 Registration (Tentative) | December 30, 2025 |
How Two Attempts Will Help Students
Having two attempts for MHT CET offers several advantages:
- Chance to Improve: Students can evaluate their performance after the first exam. They can then work on weak areas and aim for a higher score in the second attempt.
- Less Pressure: Knowing there is a second chance can reduce stress during the first exam. This can help students focus better.
- Good Time Gap: The first MHT CET exam starts on April 11 , which is about one month after the Class 12 board exams end (March 11). The second attempt begins on May 14 , giving students another month to prepare after the first attempt. These gaps provide enough time for revision and focused study.
MHT CET Exam Structure and Syllabus
The MHT CET question paper is based on the Maharashtra Board textbooks for Class 11 and Class 12. The exam gives 20% weightage to the Class 11 syllabus and 80% weightage to the Class 12 syllabus.
A key point for students is that the MHT CET exam does not have negative marking . This means marks are not deducted for wrong answers. This can reduce worry for students and encourage them to attempt more questions without fear of losing marks for incorrect responses.
The difficulty level of MHT CET is similar to the JEE Mains exam. Therefore, having two attempts aligns MHT CET with national-level exams and provides a fair chance for all students.
Clash with JEE Main Dates
Students who plan to take both JEE Main and MHT CET exams need to note a potential clash in dates. The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 exam is scheduled from April 2 to April 9 . The MHT CET 2026 Session 1 exam starts very soon after, on April 11 . This short gap of just one day might be a challenge for students transitioning between these two important exams. Students should plan their travel and preparation carefully.
Registration Information
Currently, registration for JEE Main 2026 Session 1 is ongoing, with the last date to apply being November 27, 2025 . The application process for MHT CET 2026 is expected to start around December 30, 2025 .
