MHT CET Final Merit List 2026 (OUT) at fe2026.mahacet.org; CAP Round 1 Option Form Opens
Published 28 Jul 20263 min read
The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has released the MHT CET 2026 final merit list on the official Centralized Admission Process (CAP) portal, fe2026.mahacet.org, on July 28. The list was originally scheduled for release on July 27 but was delayed by a day without prior notice. The merit list is meant for candidates seeking first-year admission to engineering and technology courses for the 2026-27 academic session, covering four-year BE and BTech programs as well as five-year Integrated ME and MTech courses.
Candidates can log in to the portal using their application number and date of birth to check their final Maharashtra State (MS) Rank or All India (AI) Rank. The final list has been prepared after considering all grievances received against the provisional merit list, and includes each candidate's name, category, application number, rank and percentile. No further grievances can be raised against the final list.
Along with the merit list, the CET Cell has also released the provisional category-wise seat matrix for CAP Round 1, which was likewise delayed from July 27 to July 28. The seat matrix shows close to 1.33 lakh seats available across 380 participating institutes, with details on college-wise intake, branch-wise availability, category-wise distribution, Home University and Other Than Home University quotas, and All India quota seats.
CAP Round 1 option entry has now begun and will run from July 28 to July 30. The provisional seat allotment result will be declared on August 2, followed by acceptance of offered seats and reporting to allotted institutes between August 3 and 5.
MHT CET 2026 CAP Round 1 Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Final Merit List (delayed) | July 28, 2026 |
| Provisional Seat Matrix Round 1 (delayed) | July 28, 2026 |
| Online option form submission & confirmation | July 28 to 30, 2026 |
| Provisional Allotment Round 1 | August 2, 2026 |
| Acceptance of offered seat (login) | August 3 to 5, 2026 |
| Reporting to allotted institute | August 3 to 5, 2026 |
How to Check the Final Merit List
- Visit fe2026.mahacet.org.
- Click "Check Final MHT CET 2026 Merit List Status."
- Log in with application number and date of birth.
- View and download final ranks.
Tie-Breaking Criteria
Where candidates have equal scores, the CET Cell applies preference in this order: higher marks in Mathematics at CET, then Physics at CET, then Chemistry at CET; followed by higher combined percentage in PCM at the qualifying board exam, then individually in Mathematics, Physics, and Aggregate marks at HSC/10+2.
Seat Acceptance Options
Once a seat is allotted, candidates can choose "Accept and Freeze" to confirm the seat and exit further rounds, or "Accept and Float" to retain the current seat while remaining eligible for upgrades in subsequent rounds.
Candidates who have not appeared for MHT CET can still participate in counselling using their JEE Main score, or class 12 marks if neither score is available. There is no mock allotment round in the MHT CET process; counselling is conducted directly across three or four rounds based on rank and preferences filled.
Aspirants are advised to prepare a ranked list of up to 300 institute-course preferences, review the seat matrix carefully, and lock their option form before the July 30 deadline, since only the final locked list will be used for allotment.