Maharashtra has decided that both attempts of the 2027 state Common Entrance Test for engineering and pharmacy courses will be held after the Class 12 board examinations, scrapping the earlier plan to conduct the first attempt in December 2026.
What changed
The state's higher and technical education department said the decision followed consultations with parents, students, admission counsellors and educationists, who raised concerns that the first attempt, likely in December, was too close to the Class 12 board examinations. A CET Cell official said representations pointed out that candidates would struggle to manage preparation for both exams together.
Under the original plan, the first attempt was scheduled for December 2026 and the second for April 2027. Both attempts are now likely to be held between March and May, with a gap of at least four weeks between them. The CET Cell is yet to declare a final schedule, but a candidate's best score of the two attempts will be considered for admission, as before.
The rural feedback that tipped the decision
Officials said feedback from across Maharashtra, particularly from rural districts, weighed heavily in the decision. Parents and counsellors in Dharashiv, Nandurbar and Chandrapur were among those who demanded that if two attempts were to be held, they should be scheduled after the Class 12 examinations.
Students also pointed out that Class 12 practical examinations begin in January, and that holding the first attempt just before the practicals would leave them with less time to prepare. After seeking the opinion of educationists, the department agreed to move both sessions beyond the board examinations, which are scheduled for February.
The two-attempt format
Maharashtra introduced the two-attempt format in November 2025 to bring MHT-CET in line with national entrance examinations such as the JEE, giving students a second chance to improve their scores. For the 2025-26 academic year, both attempts were held in April and May because the decision came late in the year. For the 2026-27 cycle, the state had planned to advance the first attempt to December before the latest revision.
Sources: The Indian Express, NDTV
What changed
The state's higher and technical education department said the decision followed consultations with parents, students, admission counsellors and educationists, who raised concerns that the first attempt, likely in December, was too close to the Class 12 board examinations. A CET Cell official said representations pointed out that candidates would struggle to manage preparation for both exams together.
Under the original plan, the first attempt was scheduled for December 2026 and the second for April 2027. Both attempts are now likely to be held between March and May, with a gap of at least four weeks between them. The CET Cell is yet to declare a final schedule, but a candidate's best score of the two attempts will be considered for admission, as before.
The rural feedback that tipped the decision
Officials said feedback from across Maharashtra, particularly from rural districts, weighed heavily in the decision. Parents and counsellors in Dharashiv, Nandurbar and Chandrapur were among those who demanded that if two attempts were to be held, they should be scheduled after the Class 12 examinations.
Students also pointed out that Class 12 practical examinations begin in January, and that holding the first attempt just before the practicals would leave them with less time to prepare. After seeking the opinion of educationists, the department agreed to move both sessions beyond the board examinations, which are scheduled for February.
The two-attempt format
Maharashtra introduced the two-attempt format in November 2025 to bring MHT-CET in line with national entrance examinations such as the JEE, giving students a second chance to improve their scores. For the 2025-26 academic year, both attempts were held in April and May because the decision came late in the year. For the 2026-27 cycle, the state had planned to advance the first attempt to December before the latest revision.
Sources: The Indian Express, NDTV
