MHT CET Eligibility Criteria 2026: Class 12 Percentage, Age Limit
Maharashtra Common Entrance Test 2026 ( MHT CET )
Exam On - 11 Apr '26 - 19 Apr '26
Appearing for MHT CET 2026? Check the eligibility criteria of MHT CET 2026 prescribed by the authority below. Given here are details on MHT CET class 12th percentage required, age limit and other important conditions of eligibility criteria.
MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria will be released soon by the State Common Entrance Cell, Maharashtra, along with the official brochure. Candidates can check below all the eligibility conditions for MHT CET released by the CET Cell in the previous year (2025). There are very low chances of any revision in the MHT CET eligibility criteria 2026. Changes, if any are brought, will be updated here once announced by the CET Cell.
The eligibility criteria includes minimum requirements on nationality, age limit, qualifying exam, qualifying marks, candidature type, etc to be eligible for the exam. Candidates are advised to check the eligibility criteria before applying for MHT CET 2026.
MHT CET 2026 application form is likely to be released in March. The last date to fill the application form will be April. The exact MHT CET 2026 registration dates will be announced in March. MHT CET 2026 exam will be held held twice in April and May. Read the following article to know more about MHT CET 2026 eligibility conditions such as domicile, age, educational qualification, qualifying examination, and subject combinations.
- MHT CET Eligibility Criteria 2026
- MHT CET 2026 Candidate Type
- MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Direct Admission
- FAQs regarding MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
MHT CET Eligibility Criteria 2026
Nationality of a Candidate: The candidate should be an Indian national.
Age Limit: The exam conducting authority has not prescribed any age limit for candidates to appear for the exam.
Qualifying Examination: The candidates must have passed Class 12 or the equivalent examination from a recognised board/university with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as the compulsory subjects. Candidates appearing Class 12 board exam in 2026 are also eligible to appear for the exam.
Minimum Marks Required: General category candidates are required to secure a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in Class 12 exam whereas the valid percentage for SC/ ST/ OBC candidates is 45%.
Higher and Technical Education department in the year 2023 announced that 50:50 weightage will be given to CET score and Class 12th marks for admission to undergraduate professional courses in Maharashtra state from the academic session 2023-24. As per this criteria, marks of class 12 and MHT CET will be considered for preparing the merit list in 50:50 ratio. Only those candidates who will have their names in the merit list will be considered for admisison.
Official website for applying to MHT CET 2026 is cetcell.mahacet.org. Interested candidates can apply for MHT CET 2026 exam have to fill the application form only from the official website. The application form will be released tentatively in December last week, 2025.
MHT CET 2026 Candidate Type
There are different types of candidature for students aspiring to appear for the MHT CET 2026 exam. The details for candidature type are given below:
All India Candidate
Candidates who don't have a domicile of Maharashtra and are seeking admission into the engineering colleges in the state fall under this category.
The Candidates having Indian Nationality are eligible under this category.
Minority Candidate
The Candidates belonging to a particular Linguistic or Religious Minority Community from the State of Maharashtra and as notified by the Government of India fall under this category.
As per Maharashtra CET Cell , there is no age limit for candidates applying for the exam. It is must as per MHT CET eligibility criteria that candidates have either passed class 12 exam or they are appearing in class 12 exam.
The general category candidates must score at least 25% of marks in MHT CET. For SC/ ST candidates, on the other hand, minimum qualifying marks required in exam is non-zero score.
As per the information shared by the Maharashtra CET Cell, a total of 6,75, 377 candidates appeared in the exam out of total 7,25,052 registered candidates. The group-wise number of students appeared in MHT CET 2024 are
Groups | Registered | Appeared |
|---|---|---|
PCM | 3,14,675 | 2,95,577 |
PCB | 4,10,377 | 3,79,800 |
Other State Candidature (OMS)
The Candidates having a Domicile Certificate/Residential Certificate/Residence and Date of Birth Certificate issued from the competent authority other than Maharashtra state are eligible under this category.
Jammu and Kashmir Migrant Candidates will be considered as OMS candidates.
MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Direct Admission
- NRI/OCI/PIO children or the children of Foreign National or Indian workers in the Gulf countries are exempted from appearing for MHT CET 2026. However, candidates belonging to Maharashtra State Candidature or Minority Candidature have to appear in MHT CET 2026 for admission in BE/BTech.
- All India candidates may or may not appear for the exam because JEE Main scores shall be preferred over MHT CET 2026 scores for admission to BE/BTech.
- Candidates belonging to Maharashtra State Candidature, Minority Candidature and All India Candidature have to appear in MHT CET 2026 for admission to BPharm/PharmD.
It is mandatory for all the candidates to fulfill the MHT CET 2026 eligibility criteria before taking admission to institutes of Maharashtra. In case of failing to meet any eligibility conditions at the time of admission, their candidature may get cancelled.
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FAQs regarding MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Q. Will the students going to appear in the qualifying exam (HSC/12th) in March 2026 be eligible to apply for MHT CET 2026?
A. Yes, you are eligible to apply for MHT CET 2026. But you have to provide your provisional mark sheet of class 12th during the time of admission.
Q. In case a student got a compartment in class 12, can I apply for MHT CET 2026?
A. Yes, such students can apply for MHT CET 2026 but their admission will be finalised only if they clear the compartment in that subject.
Q. What are the requirements of the minimum mark in Class 12 to apply for MHT CET 2026?
A. Candidates need a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in class 12. Students appearing in class 12 in 2026 are also eligible to apply but they have to provide the marks sheets at the time of admission.
Q. What is the minimum age limit requirement for MHT CET?
A. There is no minimum age limit to apply for MHT CET 2026.
Q. What will be the eligibility criteria for NRI candidates in MHT CET 2026?
A. NRI candidates must have passed HSC or equivalent exam with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. Rest of the conditions will be as per the qualifying exams eligibility.
Q. Is Aadhaar Card mandatory for MHT CET 2026?
A. No Aadhar Card is not the only valid ID proof. Other than this candidates can have Voter Card, Driving License, e-Aadhaar card with a photograph, PAN Card, Indian Passport, Bank Passbook with photo, etc.
Q. Are candidates from outside Maharashtra eligible for reservations under the SC category in MHT CET?
A. No. Reservations under any category are only for candidates who are from Maharashtra.
Q. Will the exam conducting authorities of MHT CET 2026 provide scribes for the candidates who need them?
A. No, candidates who need scribes for MHT CET have to personally arrange for them.
Q. Do NRI candidates have to appear for MHT CET in order to get admissions into universities in Maharashtra?
A. No, NRI candidates are eligible for direct admission and thus they do not need to sit for MHT CET.
Q. What percentage of seats are reserved for all India candidates in private unaided engineering institutes of Maharashtra?
A. 15% of seats are reserved for all India candidates who are applying for admission to private unaided engineering institutes of Maharashtra either through MHT CET 2026 or JEE.
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