MHT CET Eligibility Criteria for 2026 are the minimum requirements for students to fulfil to appear for the exam. To be eligible for MHT CET 2026 Exam, candidates must have passed or appeared in a recognised board's Class 12 or equivalent examination.

For Engineering (B.E./B.Tech) courses:

Students must have taken Mathematics and Physics as compulsory subjects
They must have also taken one additional subject from Chemistry, Biotechnology, Biology, or a technical/ vocational subject.

To appear for the MHT CET Exam 2026, candidates from the General/Open category must score at least 45% aggregate marks in their qualifying examination. SC/ST/OBC/SBC/NT candidates from Maharashtra are given a relaxation requiring a minimum of 40% marks. Students appearing in their Class 12 exams in 2026 can also apply for MHT CET. Read the following article carefully to know more about the eligibility criteria:

Table of Contents

MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Overview
MHT CET 2026 Academic Criteria
MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Maharashtra State Candidature
MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Other Candidature Types
MHT CET 2026 Application
Who is Not Eligible for MHT CET 2026?
MHT CET Eligibility 2026 FAQs

MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Overview

MHT CET 2026 eligibility criteria focus on candidates' academic qualifications, subject combinations, and domicile status. To apply for engineering, students must have studied PCM, whereas PCB is required for Pharmacy. Candidates in the general category must obtain at least 45% in their qualifying exam. Some other key factors of the MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria have been presented below:

Criteria

Details

Educational Qualification

The student must have passed or appeared in Class 12 or equivalent with relevant subjects

Age Limit

No upper age limit (except for specific professional courses)

Minimum Marks Required

At least 45% marks for the General (open) category and 40% for the reserved categories

Domicile Requirement

A Maharashtra domicile is needed for the State Quota; others apply under All India or management quota

Subject Group

PCM for Engineering, PCB for Pharmacy

Other Conditions

OCI/PIO/NRI/Foreign candidates are eligible for MHT CET if they have passed Class 12 with required subjects and fulfilled criteria (though they may have different admission pathways).

Check: MHT CET 2026 Cutoff

MHT CET 2026 Academic Criteria

MHT CET 2026 Education Criteria depend on the course candidates are applying for, i.e., BTech, BPharma, or DPharma, and each has specific subject and percentage requirements. Engineering aspirants must have Maths and Physics, while Pharmacy courses accept Maths or Biology as the third subject. Also, holders of diplomas in relevant fields can be admitted to both BTech and DPharma. Reserved category candidates get a 5% relaxation in qualifying marks. The following describes the educational requirements of the MHT CET exam:

Courses

Eligibility

Minimum Percentage Required

BTech

Candidates must have passed Class 10+2 (12th) or be appearing in 2026 with Physics and mathematics, Chemistry, Biotechnology/ Biology/ Computer Science/ IT/Agriculture/ Engineering Graphics/Business Studies/ Technical Vocational subject.

Candidates who have completed their diplomas in engineering & Technology are also eligible to apply for MHT CET 2026.

General: 45%

OBC/SC/ST: 40%

BPharma

Students must have passed Class 10+2 with subjects: Physics and Chemistry.

Candidates must have Mathematics or Biology as a third subject to be eligible.

General: 45%

OBC/SC/ST: 40%

DPharma

Candidates must have passed Class 10+2 with Physics & Chemistry.

Candidates must have Mathematics or Biology as a third subject to be eligible for the exam

Candidates who have passed a pharmacy diploma course are also eligible to apply.

General: 45%

OBC/ SC /ST: 40%

MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Maharashtra State Candidature

To apply under the Maharashtra State Candidature for MHT CET 2026, candidates must fall into one of the five types—A to E, based on their place of education, birth, parents' domicile, or employment status. Each type has different rules, such as being born in Maharashtra, having parents working for the government, or living in the Maharashtra-Karnataka border area with Marathi as the mother tongue. Check out the table below to learn more.

Candidature Type

Eligibility Criteria

Type A

For First Year Admission:

The candidate must have passed SSC (Class 10) and HSC (Class 12) or a Diploma in Engineering from a recognised institution in Maharashtra.
Additionally, the candidate should either be born in Maharashtra or hold a valid domicile certificate.

For Direct Second Year Admission:

For Engineering: The candidate must have passed SSC or HSC and completed a Diploma in Engineering/Technology, B.Sc., or Diploma in Vocation (D.Voc.), or an equivalent qualification from a recognised institute in Maharashtra.
For Pharmacy: The candidate should have passed HSC and completed a Pharmacy Diploma from a recognised institute in Maharashtra.

In both cases, the candidate should be born in Maharashtra or possess a valid Maharashtra domicile.

Type B

A candidate who does not fit into Type A above but whose parents have a domicile certificate and reside in the State of Maharashtra.

Type C

A candidate who doesn’t fall under Type-A or Type-B can still be eligible if their father or mother works for the Government of India or a Government of India Undertaking and has been officially posted and reported for duty in Maharashtra before the last date to submit the CAP form.

Type D

A candidate who doesn't fit into any of the categories listed above, Types A and B, or Type C, but whose father or mother is a retired employee or an employee of the Government of Maharashtra or a Government of Maharashtra Undertaking.

Type E

For the First year

Candidates who are passing SSC and/or HSC Examination from a recognised institution located in the Maharashtra-Karnataka Border area or from Maharashtra, residing in the Maharashtra-Karnataka Border area, and whose mother tongue is Marathi

For the second year

A candidate who has passed the SSC or HSC exam and also holds a diploma in Engineering, Pharmacy, D.Voc or similar from any recognised institute in Maharashtra or Maharashtra-Karnataka border area, and is living in that border region, and whose mother tongue is Marathi, can also apply.

Explanation.- The Maharashtra-Karnataka Border Area includes the villages declared by the State Government for that purpose.

MHT CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Other Candidature Types

Apart from Maharashtra State Candidature, candidates from other types of candidature also have specific eligibility criteria. Check out the table below for MHT CET 2026 eligibility criteria for other candidature types:

Candidature Type

Eligibility Criteria

All India Candidature

Candidates who do not reside in Maharashtra but wish to apply for Maharashtra's engineering institutions. They must be Indian nationals.

Minority Candidature

Candidates from Maharashtra who belong to linguistic or religious minority communities recognised by the government. To be considered eligible under this category, candidates must be:

Students living in the disputed border areas between Maharashtra and Karnataka can apply.
They must have passed Class 12 (10+2) from a school located in the disputed region and meet the MHT CET qualifying marks.
A domicile certificate from the school or college head/principal is required.
The applicant should be a native Marathi speaker.
They must submit a certificate from the principal or head showing they passed Class 12.
Marathi must have been one of their Class 12 or equivalent exam subjects.

Other State Candidature

Candidates from other states with a Domicile Certificate, Residential Certificate, or Residence and Date of Birth Certificate issued by a competent authority outside Maharashtra

Candidates from Jammu & Kashmir who are migrants are also considered to be in this category.

MHT CET 2026 Application

MHT CET 2026 Application Process last date is February 20, 2026. Candidates who met all the eligibility criteria could apply for the exam. Following the simple steps below, candidates could easily fill out the MHT CET 2026 Application Form

Step 1: Visit the official MHT CET website: cetcell.mahacet.org.

Step 2: On the homepage, locate and click on the exam portal link. This link will lead candidates to a new page.

Step 3: Select the "B.Tech" option on the new page.

Step 4: Click on "New Registration."

Step 5: Candidates should fill in their name, email ID, mobile number, and choose a password. These details are necessary for MHT CET registration 2026.

Step 6: You will receive a one-time password (OTP) on your mobile number after providing the required information. Enter this OTP to proceed.

Step 7: Create a password that you will use to access the MHT CET 2026 details in the future. Also, enter the security PIN.

Step 8: Save your progress and continue to complete the registration process.

Step 9: Once your registration is successful, you will receive an application number, and a unique candidate account will be generated.

Who is Not Eligible for MHT CET 2026?

Some candidates are restricted from appearing in MHT CET 2026 based on nationality, academic performance, and reservation rules. For example, foreign nationals, including OCI/PIOs, cannot apply through the CET route. Also, candidates without the required subject combinations or a valid Maharashtra domicile (in case of reserved quota claims) are disqualified. The complete list is provided below.

OCI/PIO, NRIs, and foreign nationals (who may only apply for admission under the institutional/management quota)
Candidates who don't have the necessary grades in their core subjects
Applicants who do not have a valid Maharashtra address (if applying under the reserved quota)
Students who don't fit the requirements for their chosen course's subject combination

MHT CET Eligibility 2026 FAQs

Although I live outside of Maharashtra, I am in the reserved category. Can I still use my MHT CET 2026 category-based reservation?

No. Only candidates with a valid Maharashtra domicile certificate who fall under one of the state's reserved categories—SC, ST, OBC, VJ, NT, or EWS—are eligible for these benefits. You will fall under the Open (General) category if you are a member of a reserved category but live outside of Maharashtra or lack proof of domicile.

If I have a PIO/OCI card or am an NRI, may I still take the MHT CET 2026?

No, these applicants cannot take the MHT CET exam. They can still apply for admission, though, using the institutional quota.

My PCM score was below 45%. Can I still apply for admission to MHT CET for a B.Tech?

No, A minimum of 45% in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) is required of candidates in the General/Open category. Candidates from Maharashtra's reserved category may apply with at least 40%. Even if you pass the MHT CET, you will not be eligible for engineering admission if your scores are below this threshold.

May I take the PCM and PCB exams in MHT CET 2026 to maintain my options?

Yes, during the MHT, candidates can choose between the PCM and PCB groups.

Although I was born in a different state, I finished my education in Maharashtra. Do I qualify for the State Quota?

Yes, you still qualify under the Type A or Type B candidate categories depending on your specific situation. You are still eligible for seats under the 85% Home State quota if you finished Class 10 and 12 in Maharashtra or if one of your parents is a resident of Maharashtra. During counselling, make sure you bring the relevant employment or residency documents.

What are the requirements for Jammu and Kashmir candidates to be eligible?

As long as they provide the required paperwork, such as proof of origin and migration certificates, candidates who are migrants from Jammu & Kashmir are eligible for a special J&K Migrant Quota. Additionally, they have to fulfil the general education requirements for their course.

Although I reside outside of Maharashtra, I fall under the EWS category. Can I make a reservation for EWS?

No. Only candidates with a Maharashtra domicile who satisfy the state's asset and income requirements are eligible for the EWS quota under the MHT CET. Even if they belong to EWS elsewhere, candidates outside Maharashtra will be considered under the All India Category (General).

What occurs if I submit documents or information that is not accurate during the application process?

I have a 38% disability and am a PwD candidate. Will the PwD reservation be given to me?

The PwD reservation is only available to applicants certified by a qualified authority with a disability of at least 40%. You will not be eligible for the PwD quota because your disability is 38%, but you may still apply if you are eligible under your original category (General, SC, ST, etc.).

I intend to retake the compartment exam even though I failed one subject in Class 12. Can I still apply?

You can apply provisionally for MHT CET 2026, but before counselling and document verification begin, you must pass all necessary subjects to be admitted. You won't be given a seat if you don't qualify before the admissions rounds start.

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