MHT CET Exam Pattern 2027: PCM and PCB Marking Scheme Guide

The MHT CET exam pattern 2027 decides how you split three hours between Physics, Chemistry and either Mathematics or Biology. The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test is conducted by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra, as a computer-based test for admission to engineering, technology and pharmacy degree courses. It is offered in two groups: PCM and PCB.

The 2027 information brochure has not been released yet. This page uses the scheme in the MHT CET 2026 brochure, which is the latest official version, and flags what is still expected for 2027. You will find the paper structure for both groups, the marking scheme, shift timings, how percentiles are worked out across two attempts, and what the pattern means for how you practise.

MHT CET Exam Pattern 2027

Key Changes to Know

• Two attempts continue: The 2026 cycle was the first with two attempts, held in separate windows. Candidates could take one or both, and the better total percentile counted for admission.

• Earlier first attempt likely: For 2027, the first attempt is expected between December 2026 and January 2027. This changes when you need to be exam-ready, not the paper itself.

• No change to the paper announced: Nothing official suggests a change to marks, questions or timing for 2027. Recheck once the brochure is out.

Older pages may still describe MHT CET as a single-attempt exam or show 2025 dates. Follow the latest brochure on the official State CET Cell website.

MHT CET PCM Exam Pattern

The PCM group is for B.E./B.Tech aspirants and is also accepted for pharmacy. It has 150 questions for 200 marks, because each Mathematics question carries 2 marks.

MHT CET PCB Exam Pattern

The PCB group is for pharmacy aspirants and for a small set of engineering branches that accept Biology. Every question carries 1 mark, so the Biology block has twice as many questions as Mathematics in PCM.

Physics and Chemistry are the same paper standard for both groups. If you register for both PCM and PCB, you sit two separate exams, and marks from one group are never carried over to the other.

How the Two Blocks Work

The 180 minutes are not one open window. The CBT runs in a fixed order, and you cannot move time from one block to the other.

1. Block 1 opens first: Only Physics and Chemistry are visible for the first 90 minutes. You can move freely between the two subjects inside this block.

2. Auto-submission at 90 minutes: When the 90 minutes end, Block 1 is submitted automatically. Finishing early does not unlock Mathematics or Biology sooner.

3. Block 2 follows: Mathematics (PCM) or Biology (PCB) opens for the remaining 90 minutes. You cannot go back to Physics or Chemistry.

This structure works like a sectional time limit. Unused minutes in Block 1 are lost, and a slow start in Physics cannot be made up later in the paper.

MHT CET Marking Scheme

There is no negative marking in any subject. A wrong answer and a blank answer both score zero, so leaving a question unanswered never helps you. This is a major difference from JEE Main, which deducts marks for wrong answers.

Worked example: raw score in PCM

Suppose a PCM candidate gets 36 Physics questions right, 40 Chemistry questions right and 30 Mathematics questions right. The raw score is 36 + 40 + (30 x 2) = 136 out of 200. Notice that 30 correct Maths answers are worth 60 marks, more than either science subject alone. This raw score is then converted into a percentile, explained below.

Medium of the Question Paper

• Physics, Chemistry and Biology: Available in English, Marathi or Urdu.

• Mathematics: The brochure lists language options only for the three science subjects, so plan for Mathematics in English.

• Choice is final: You choose the medium in the application form, and it cannot be changed later.

• Disputes: If a translated question is disputed, the English version is treated as final.

Syllabus Weightage and Difficulty Level

Questions follow the Maharashtra State Board curriculum. About 20% of each paper comes from a fixed list of Std XI chapters and about 80% from the full Std XII syllabus, which matches the 10 + 40 and 20 + 80 splits in the tables above.

The CET Cell's syllabus document describes the questions as mainly application-based, with difficulty close to JEE Main for Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and close to NEET for Biology. In practice, that means board-level knowledge is the base, but you need speed and problem-solving practice beyond textbook exercises.

Exam Day: Shifts and Rules

The 2026 brochure set two shifts a day. Expect the same pattern for 2027 unless the new brochure says otherwise.

• Late entry is not allowed: No candidate is admitted after the last entry time, under any circumstances.

• No calculators or devices: Mobile phones, calculators, digital watches and smartwatches are prohibited, so all numericals are solved by hand.

• No early exit: Candidates cannot leave the hall before the exam ends.

• Centre is fixed: An allotted centre cannot be changed, and you may get different centres for different attempts or groups.

Candidates with benchmark disabilities who are eligible get compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour, which is 30 minutes for each 90-minute block.

Percentile, Normalisation and the Two Attempts

MHT CET runs in several sessions, and no two papers are exactly equal in difficulty. To keep the comparison fair, the CET Cell converts raw marks into percentiles session by session.

• How a percentile is calculated: Your percentile is the share of candidates in your session who scored equal to or less than you, multiplied by 100. The top scorer in each session gets 100.

• Seven decimal places: Percentiles are calculated to seven decimal places to reduce ties.

• Total is separate: The total percentile is worked out from your total raw score. It is not an average of your subject percentiles.

• Best of two attempts: If you take both attempts, the better total percentile is used. Subject-wise percentiles from different attempts are not mixed.

• Percentile is not percentage: A 95 percentile means you scored at or above 95% of your session, not that you scored 95% of the marks.

The CAP merit list for admission is prepared from this CET score. There is no interview or further test for B.E./B.Tech or pharmacy admission through MHT CET.

What the MHT CET Pattern Means for You

• Block 1 is a speed test: Under a minute per question leaves no room for long derivations. Chemistry theory questions are usually quicker, so many students clear them first and spend the saved time on Physics numericals.

• Mathematics decides PCM ranks: One Maths question equals two Physics questions. Five extra correct Maths answers add 10 marks, which can move your percentile noticeably in a close session.

• Biology rewards reading speed: PCB candidates face 100 questions in 90 minutes. Fast, accurate recall of textbook lines and diagrams matters as much as concepts.

• Answer everything: With no negative marking, mark an option for every question before each block ends. An educated guess has a real chance of scoring; a blank has none.

• Treat the first attempt as the real exam: If it falls in December or January, it comes before your board exams. Use the second attempt to fix specific weak areas, not as a fresh start.

Time Management Strategy for Exam Day

1. First pass in Block 1 (about 60 minutes): Answer every question you can solve quickly in both subjects. Mark lengthy numericals for review instead of getting stuck.

2. Second pass (about 20 minutes): Return to the marked questions and solve the ones you can finish.

3. Last 10 minutes of Block 1: Fill an answer for every remaining question. Block 1 will not wait for you.

4. Block 2 for PCM: Start with your strongest Maths chapters, often calculus or vectors. Keep about 10 minutes at the end to answer all leftover questions.

5. Block 2 for PCB: Move steadily through Biology without rereading easy questions. Aim to finish your first pass with 15 minutes to spare.

How to Prepare Around the MHT CET Pattern

• Build Block 1 stamina early: Begin with 30-minute sectional tests, then move to 90-minute Physics and Chemistry tests at least once a week.

• Learn quick methods for Mathematics: Without a calculator and with heavy weightage, shortcut methods and clean arithmetic save several minutes.

• Revise only the listed Std XI chapters: They make up about one-fifth of each paper, so cover them, but give most time to Std XII.

• Keep an error log: Record every wrong or slow question by chapter and revise from it weekly.

Before you register, confirm that you meet the course requirements on the MHT CET eligibility criteria page, and see the MHT CET 2027 overview for dates and fees. The MHT CET exam pattern stays fixed across attempts, so a routine you build now will carry through both.