MHT-CET 2027 moves both attempts beyond Class 12 board exams

Maharashtra has decided to hold both attempts of the 2027 Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT-CET) after the Class 12 board examinations, scrapping its earlier plan to conduct the first attempt in December 2026.

The revised schedule follows feedback from parents, counsellors and educationists, particularly in rural areas, who argued that holding an entrance test before the board examinations could add to students’ academic pressure.

The two attempts, initially planned for December 2026 and April 2027, will now be conducted between March and May, according to officials in the state’s higher and technical education department.

Maharashtra introduced the two-attempt format to bring MHT-CET in line with national-level entrance examinations such as the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and give students another opportunity to improve their scores.

The format was introduced in the 2025-26 academic year, with both attempts held in April and May because the decision came late in the year. For 2026-27, the state had planned to move the first attempt to December and retain the second in April.

However, consultations across the state revealed concerns over the proposed early examination, particularly in rural areas.

“When we took feedback from across Maharashtra, we saw a difference of opinion in the rural areas of the state,” a senior department official said.

Parents and counsellors from districts including Dharashiv, Nandurbar and Chandrapur sought to have both attempts scheduled after the Class 12 examinations, the official added.

After considering the feedback and consulting educationists, the department decided to abandon the December attempt and hold both tests after the board examinations.

The state will maintain a gap of four weeks between the two attempts. As in the previous academic year, a candidate’s highest score in either attempt will be considered for admission purposes, the official said.

The provisional schedule for all Common Entrance Tests for the current academic year is expected to be announced within the next week.