No Negative Marking, Twice a Year

MHT CET 2027 Exam Pattern

Complete MHT CET 2027 structure for both PCM (engineering) and PCB (pharmacy/agriculture) groups, section timing rules, no negative marking explained, subject-wise weightage, and 5-year trends.

200Total Marks

3 HrsDuration

ZeroNegative

2Sessions

3Languages

Quick Overview PCM Group Pattern PCB Group Pattern Section Timing Rules Class 11 vs 12 Weightage Topic Weightage Important Chapters 5-Year Trend Strategy Tips FAQs

Introduction to MHT CET 2027

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell) publishes the MHT CET 2027 exam pattern on cetcell.mahacet.org. This exam is the gateway for admission to engineering, pharmacy, and agriculture colleges in Maharashtra, but its scope isn't limited to state students — candidates from outside the state are also eligible.

A major update: MHT CET is now held twice a year (like the JEE Main pattern), giving students an extra opportunity to improve their scores.

MHT CET's difficulty level is close to JEE Main, but with one significant difference: there is no negative marking. That means you can attempt every question without any fear of losing marks — a big game-changer in exam strategy.

MHT CET 2027, Pattern at a Glance

Feature	Details
Conducting Authority	State CET Cell, Maharashtra
Exam Mode	Computer-Based Test (online at designated centres)
Groups Available	PCM (engineering) \| PCB (pharmacy / agriculture)
Total Duration	3 hours (180 minutes), divided into two 90-minute sections
Total Marks (both groups)	200 marks
Negative Marking	No negative marking, attempt all questions confidently
Question Type	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Languages Available	English, Marathi, and Urdu
Sessions in 2027	Session 1: April 2027 \| Session 2: May 2027
Syllabus Source	Maharashtra State Board (Class 11 + 12) and NCERT

For Engineering Aspirants

PCM Group Pattern (Engineering)

Students seeking admission to B.Tech or equivalent engineering programmes choose the PCM group, which has 150 questions in total from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

Subject	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks	Duration
Physics	50	1	50	Combined 90 min (Section 1)
Chemistry	50	1	50	Combined 90 min (Section 1)
Mathematics	50	2	100	90 min (Section 2)
Total	150	Variable	200	180 min

Key Insight: Each Mathematics question carries double weightage (2 marks each). So in the PCM group the Maths section is the most important (100 marks out of 200), and it deserves your maximum focus.

For Pharmacy / Agriculture Aspirants

PCB Group Pattern (Pharmacy / Agri)

The PCB group is more biology-heavy. This paper is designed for students targeting B.Pharm, agriculture, or allied health-science courses.

Subject	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks	Duration
Physics	50	1	50	Combined 90 min (Section 1)
Chemistry	50	1	50	Combined 90 min (Section 1)
Biology (Botany + Zoology)	100	1	100	90 min (Section 2)
Total	200	1 each	200	180 min

Section Timing Rules, Important to Note

MHT CET ka unique structure: 90-minute lock per section

Time Slot	Section Active	Subjects	What You Can Do
0 to 90 min	Section 1	Physics + Chemistry (100 Qs)	Free movement between Physics & Chemistry
90 to 180 min	Section 2	Maths (PCM) OR Biology (PCB)	Cannot return to Section 1

Critical Rule: Section switching is not allowed — the 90 minutes for Physics + Chemistry can only be used within that section. Once Section 1 is locked you cannot go back, so you must finish Section 1 and then move on.

Strategy Note: Since there's no negative marking, attempting every question is the right strategy. In the last 5 minutes, fill any remaining empty bubbles with a guess.

Syllabus Weightage, Class 11 vs Class 12

Class	Approx Weightage	Number of Questions (PCM)	Strategy
Class 11	20%	~30 questions	Quick revision only, NCERT level
Class 12	80%	~120 questions	Major focus area, deep preparation

Source Note: Alongside the Maharashtra State Board, reading NCERT books is recommended for concept clarity. JEE Main and NEET aspirants find their preparation gives them a big head start in MHT CET.

Subject-Wise Topic Weightage (5 Year Avg)

Physics (50 Qs, 50 marks)

Topic	Avg Questions	Class
Mechanics (NLM, Work-Energy, Rotation)	10 to 12	Class 11
Electrostatics & Current Electricity	8 to 10	Class 12
Magnetism & EMI	5 to 6	Class 12
Heat & Thermodynamics	4 to 5	Class 11
Modern Physics	4 to 5	Class 12
Optics	4 to 5	Class 12
Waves & Oscillations	3 to 4	Class 11

Chemistry (50 Qs, 50 marks)

Topic	Avg Questions	Class
Organic Chemistry (Hydrocarbons, Aldehydes etc)	15 to 17	Class 11+12
Physical Chemistry (Eq, Thermo, Kinetics)	14 to 16	Class 11+12
Inorganic Chemistry (p-Block, d-Block)	12 to 14	Class 12
Coordination Compounds	3 to 4	Class 12
Chemical Bonding	2 to 3	Class 11

Mathematics (50 Qs, 100 marks, PCM only)

Topic	Avg Questions	Approx Marks
Calculus (Differentiation, Integration)	12 to 14	24 to 28
Algebra (Matrices, Sequences, Probability)	10 to 12	20 to 24
Trigonometry	6 to 8	12 to 16
Coordinate Geometry	5 to 6	10 to 12
Vectors & 3D Geometry	5 to 6	10 to 12
Linear Programming	3 to 4	6 to 8
Statistics & Probability	3 to 4	6 to 8

Biology (100 Qs, 100 marks, PCB only)

Topic	Avg Questions
Human Physiology	22 to 25
Genetics & Evolution	18 to 22
Cell Biology & Biomolecules	15 to 18
Plant Physiology	10 to 12
Ecology	8 to 10
Reproduction (Plants + Animals)	8 to 10
Diversity of Life	5 to 7

Most Important Chapters for MHT CET 2027

Physics Must-Do

Rotational Motion, Current Electricity, Magnetism, EMI & AC, Modern Physics (Photoelectric), Wave Optics, Thermodynamics, Communication Systems

Chemistry Must-Do

Organic Chemistry (Carbonyl, Amines), Solutions, Electrochemistry, Coordination Compounds, p-Block, Solid State, Surface Chemistry

Maths Must-Do

Definite Integration, Application of Derivatives, Probability, 3D Geometry, Differential Equations, Linear Programming, Matrices

Biology Must-Do

Human Reproduction, Genetics, Biotechnology, Plant Physiology, Ecology, Cell Cycle, Excretion, Respiration

5-Year Difficulty Trend (2022 to 2026)

Year	Physics	Chemistry	Maths (PCM)	Biology (PCB)	Cutoff for COEP CSE
2022	Moderate	Easy	Moderate	Moderate	99.7+ percentile
2023	Moderate	Moderate	Tough & Lengthy	Moderate	99.7+ percentile
2024	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate to Tough	99.8+ percentile
2025	Moderate	Moderate	Tough & Lengthy	Moderate	99.8+ percentile
2026	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate to Tough	Moderate	99.7+ percentile
2027 (Expected)	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate to Tough	Moderate	Pattern expected unchanged from 2026

Quick Strategy Reminders

No Negative Marking Strategy

Attempt every question: With no negative marking, you should attempt every question — don't leave any behind.
Educated guessing works: If you can eliminate 1 to 2 options, your odds improve from 25% to 33% or 50%.
Last 5 minutes rule: Bubble in all unattempted questions — even random guesses can earn a few marks.

Section 1 Time Strategy (90 min, Phys + Chem)

Chemistry first (40 min): Most scoring section, NCERT-direct facts. Build early confidence.
Physics second (45 min): Formula-based questions, conceptual approach.
Buffer (5 min): Bubble all unattempted with educated guesses.

Section 2 Strategy

PCM (Maths, 90 min): 50 Qs in 90 minutes = 1.8 minutes per question. Invest extra time in Calculus and Algebra, since each carries 2 marks.
PCB (Biology, 90 min): 100 Qs in 90 minutes = under 1 minute per question. NCERT-line memorisation matters here. Speed essential.

Other Quick Reminders

The difficulty level is similar to JEE Main, so your JEE preparation gives you an automatic advantage.
Each Mathematics question carries double weightage (2 marks), so accuracy should be your maximum focus here.
Make full use of the twice-a-year format — if Session 1 doesn't give the expected score, you can attempt again in Session 2.
The CET Cell's official mock tests are available free of cost and can be downloaded from cetcell.mahacet.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, there is absolutely no negative marking in MHT CET 2027. You should attempt every single question, even if you have to guess, because there is no penalty for wrong answers.

No. Once Section 1 (Physics + Chemistry, first 90 minutes) is over, it gets locked automatically. You cannot return to it. You must complete it in the allotted 90 minutes.

Yes, non-Maharashtra candidates can appear for MHT CET 2027, but they compete in the All India quota with limited seats. Maharashtra domicile candidates have priority access to most government engineering colleges.

MHT CET is available in three languages: English, Marathi, and Urdu. You select your preferred medium during application form filling. The technical terminology in Marathi/Urdu papers is bilingual.

No. MHT CET is generally easier than JEE Main, though the difficulty is comparable in some shifts. Plus, MHT CET has no negative marking, which makes the strategy simpler. JEE Main aspirants find MHT CET very manageable.

Yes. You can apply for both PCM and PCB groups by paying separate application fees. Each group has its own paper. This is useful if you want to keep options open for both engineering and pharmacy/agriculture programmes.

For top Maharashtra colleges (COEP, VJTI), aim for 99.5+ percentile (around 170+ marks for PCM). For mid-tier colleges, 95+ percentile (140+ marks). For private colleges, 80+ percentile (110+ marks) is sufficient.

Turn pattern into rank

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Knowing the pattern is step one — here's everything you need to actually crack MHT CET 2027.