Maharashtra Mulls Holding MHT-CET Twice a Year to Ease Student Pressure
Mumbai, 14th July 2025: In a move aimed at reducing academic pressure on students, the Maharashtra government is exploring the possibility of conducting key entrance exams like the MHT-CET twice a year. The proposal, still in its early discussion phase, could significantly change the admission process for professional courses in engineering, pharmacy, and agriculture.
The Higher and Technical Education Department is reviewing whether the state’s Common Entrance Test (CET), currently held once annually, can be offered in two sessions—similar to the format of national-level exams like JEE (Main).
“Students often have to depend on a single attempt to secure admission into professional courses,” said a senior government official. “If they’re unwell, anxious, or face an unforeseen issue on the exam day, it can derail an entire year. Offering two attempts may help mitigate such risks and give students a fairer chance.”
Given that the computer-based MHT-CET is already held over multiple days due to the sheer volume of candidates, officials acknowledge that the logistics of conducting it more than once a year would be complex. The state would need to ensure availability of exam centres, infrastructure, and manpower over extended periods.
“It’s a massive operational challenge,” the official noted. “The exam process requires nearly a month, from slotting candidates to managing test centres. Still, we believe the benefits to students are worth examining. We are studying the feasibility and looking at models adopted by national agencies.”
In addition to easing student stress, the state also wants to improve transparency and standardisation in how CETs are conducted for professional degree programmes. As part of this initiative, the Higher and Technical Education Department is planning to organise a national-level conference soon. The event will bring together stakeholders including the National Testing Agency (NTA) and other examination boards to share best practices in digital testing, evaluation protocols, and grievance redressal systems.
