MHT CET Round 1 Cut-offs Released; New AI & Data Science Branches See High Demand

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has officially released the cut-off ranks for the first round of the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for B.E./B.Tech admissions. The publication of these ranks provides a critical snapshot of the admission landscape, confirming the intense competition for popular engineering branches and highlighting the rising demand for new-age specializations.

A detailed analysis of the cut-off list reveals that courses like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science are now closing at ranks comparable to established branches such as Computer Engineering and Information Technology, particularly in top-tier colleges. While the user's estimated rank of 19,000 for the open category is a fair representation of the competitive landscape, the actual closing ranks vary significantly by institution. For example, some colleges saw cut-offs for AI and Data Science in the 8,000 to 17,000 rank range, placing them squarely among the most sought-after branches.

Top Colleges & Competitive Ranks:

The cut-off data from the State CET Cell shows a clear preference for a few select institutions. For premier colleges in cities like Mumbai and Pune, the cut-offs for branches like Computer Engineering and Information Technology are extremely high, often closing within the top 5,000 ranks. The new AI and Data Science branches in these colleges are also following a similar trend, solidifying their status as highly desirable fields of study. This trend indicates that students are prioritizing modern specializations that offer promising career prospects.

Crucial Deadlines for Aspirants:

For all candidates who have been allotted a seat in CAP Round 1, the immediate focus is on the next steps to confirm their admission.

• Seat Acceptance: The deadline to accept the allotted seat, which involves paying the seat acceptance fee and submitting the 'Freeze' or 'Float' option, is today, August 3, 2025.
• Reporting to Institute: Candidates who have accepted their seats must report to their respective colleges with all necessary documents and pay the admission fee by the same deadline.

With Round 1 coming to a close, the State CET Cell has also announced the schedule for Round 2. The provisional list of vacant seats for the next round will be published on August 4, 2025, and the online option-filling process will take place from August 5 to 7. Aspirants who did not get a seat in Round 1 or chose the 'Float' option must use the cut-off data to strategically fill their choices for the upcoming round.