When Will the MHT CET 2025 Application Forms Be Released?
The MHT CET 2025 application forms were released on 30 December 2024 by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra. Applications were submitted online through the official MHT CET portal for admission to undergraduate engineering, technology, pharmacy and agriculture-related courses in Maharashtra.
The standard registration deadline was later extended to 17 February 2025 without the late fee. A further late-registration window was made available for eligible candidates, subject to the dates and payment conditions announced by the CET Cell. Students who are checking the schedule retrospectively should rely on the official notices because the registration period has now closed.
For students in Australia, the process is quite different from applying through UAC or relying on an ATAR. MHT CET is a state-level computer-based entrance examination, and the score is used alongside eligibility rules for Maharashtra institutions. A student in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth needs to track the Indian schedule separately rather than wait for the Australian university admissions cycle.
What the 2025 schedule showed
The MHT CET 2025 registration portal opened on 30 December 2024. Candidates could create an account, enter personal and academic details, upload documents, select their subject group and pay the examination fee online.
The application process covered two main groups: PCM for Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, and PCB for Physics, Chemistry and Biology. PCM is generally associated with engineering and technology admissions, while PCB is used for pharmacy and selected health and agriculture-related programmes.
The application deadline was not fixed at the original date. The State CET Cell issued extensions, which meant applicants needed to check the latest circular rather than depend on older coaching-centre calendars or social media posts. This is particularly important for overseas families, where a one-day difference can be confusing across Australian and Indian time zones.
Important dates for candidates
The PCB examination was scheduled earlier than the PCM examination. The first attempt for PCB candidates took place in April 2025, while the PCM examination followed later in April. A second attempt was also scheduled in May for candidates who selected that option and completed the relevant registration requirements.
The main timeline can be understood as follows:
| Activity | MHT CET 2025 timing |
|---|---|
| Online application opened | 30 December 2024 |
| Regular application deadline | Extended to 17 February 2025 |
| Late application facility | Announced separately by the CET Cell |
| PCB first attempt | April 2025 |
| PCM first attempt | April 2025 |
| PCB second attempt | May 2025 |
| PCM second attempt | May 2025 |
| Results and counselling | Announced separately after the examinations |
Exact session dates, admit-card availability, answer keys and result notices were published through the official CET Cell website. Candidates should treat third-party dates as provisional until they match an official notification.
Who could apply for MHT CET
Students who had passed or were appearing for the relevant Class 12 or equivalent examination could apply, provided they met the subject requirements for their selected course. Engineering applicants normally needed Physics and Mathematics, along with an approved third subject such as Chemistry, Biotechnology, Biology, Technical Vocational subject or another accepted option.
For pharmacy programmes, candidates generally needed Physics and Chemistry plus Biology, Biotechnology or Mathematics, depending on the course and admission rules. Minimum marks, category benefits and other conditions could vary, so applicants had to read the information brochure for the exact programme.
An Australian Year 12 qualification is not automatically treated in the same way as an Indian HSC qualification. Students holding an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate, VCE, HSC or equivalent credential may need an equivalence assessment and supporting academic documents. An ATAR alone does not replace the MHT CET requirement where the institution or admission route requires an entrance score.
How to fill in the application form
The first step was creating a candidate account with a working mobile number and email address. Applicants then entered their name, date of birth, address, category details and educational information exactly as they appeared in official documents.
The form required a recent photograph and signature in the prescribed digital format. A mismatch between the application record and a passport, school certificate or identity document could create difficulties at the examination centre or during counselling. Applicants should therefore have checked spelling, dates and uploaded files before making the final submission.
After selecting PCM, PCB or both where permitted, candidates paid the application fee through the available online payment methods. The completed form, payment receipt and confirmation page should have been downloaded and stored in more than one location. For families in Australia, saving copies to cloud storage is sensible because documents may be needed later for admissions, visa planning or institution-level verification.
Fees, corrections and late registration
The examination fee depended on the candidate’s category and whether the applicant belonged to Maharashtra or another state. Candidates from outside Maharashtra generally paid a different amount from Maharashtra candidates, while reserved-category applicants could receive concessions under the notified rules.
The correction facility was limited to specified fields and operated only during the dates announced by the CET Cell. A correction window should not be treated as permission to rewrite every part of the application. Personal details, subject choices and category information needed particular care before final submission.
Late registration, where available, involved an additional charge and was subject to a short deadline. Students who missed the main date could not assume that the portal would remain open indefinitely. If an applicant in Brisbane or Adelaide was trying to submit after business hours in India, the Indian portal deadline still applied, so allowing extra time was essential.
Exam pattern and preparation
MHT CET questions are based mainly on the Maharashtra State Board curriculum, with content from Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology depending on the selected group. The examination is computer-based and uses multiple-choice questions. Speed, accuracy and familiarity with the online interface are important because candidates work under strict time limits.
Students following the Australian Curriculum or a state-based Year 12 syllabus may find that some topics are arranged differently. A student familiar with VCE Specialist Mathematics or NSW HSC Mathematics should compare the official MHT CET syllabus with their school notes instead of assuming the coverage is identical.
Preparation should include timed practice, previous question papers and regular revision of formulas and scientific concepts. Students researching engineering pathways can also compare the entrance requirements of individual institutions, although an external course directory does not replace the official CET brochure or the Maharashtra counselling rules.
What overseas applicants should check
Candidates living in Australia needed to confirm whether they were eligible to sit the examination at an available overseas or Indian test centre. Test-centre availability can vary by session, and selecting a city such as Mumbai, Pune or another Maharashtra location may involve travel, accommodation and identity-document planning.
Time-zone differences can affect every stage of the process. The portal, helpdesk announcements and payment deadlines followed Indian Standard Time, while a candidate in Melbourne or Sydney might be several hours ahead. During Australian daylight-saving months, the difference can be especially easy to miscalculate.
Australian students should also check document recognition, domicile status and the admission route for each target college. Being an Australian citizen or permanent resident does not automatically provide Maharashtra domicile benefits. Conversely, an Indian citizen living in Australia may still need to submit specific domicile, nationality or category documents.
After the examination
Once the examination was completed, the CET Cell released answer-key information, response details and results according to its published calendar. Candidates needed to review the result carefully and retain the scorecard for the Centralised Admission Process, commonly called CAP.
A good MHT CET score did not by itself guarantee a preferred college or branch. Seat allocation depended on merit, category, domicile rules, course preference, seat availability and the counselling round. Applicants had to register separately for CAP and fill in preferences within the stated window.
Families planning from Australia should prepare a shortlist of courses, tuition estimates, accommodation options and travel documents before counselling opens. Comparing colleges in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and other cities can make preference selection more practical, particularly when the student will be moving from the Australian education system to a new academic and living environment.
For future examination cycles, monitor the official Maharashtra CET Cell website from late December onward, keep identity and academic documents ready, and record every deadline in Indian Standard Time. Treat official notifications as the final authority for application release dates, fee changes, correction windows, admit cards and counselling.