With a historic 10.9 lakh candidates already registered, the portal, cetcell.mahacet.org, is experiencing significant traffic. Candidates who have yet to pay their application fee or upload mandatory documents are urged to complete the process immediately to avoid technical failures during the peak hours of the evening.

To get instant notification on the start of the "Correction Window," follow Only Education News.

MHT CET 2026: What Happens After Tonight?

For those who miss tonight’s deadline, the CET Cell provides a small safety net, albeit at a cost.

Stage	Timeline	Fees
Registration Without Late Fee	Closes Feb 24 (Tonight)	Regular Category Fee
Registration With Late Fee	Feb 25 – Feb 27, 2026	Regular Fee + ₹500
Form Correction Window	Expected Late Feb/Early March	Free/Nominal
MHT CET Session 1 (April Attempt)	April 11 – April 26, 2026	-
MHT CET Session 2 (May Attempt)	May 10 – May 17, 2026	-

The Two-Session Advantage

This year, Maharashtra has adopted a two-session model similar to JEE Main. Candidates have the flexibility to appear for either the April session, the May session, or both. If a student chooses to appear for both, the best of the two scores will be considered for the final CAP (Centralised Admission Process) merit list. Early polling data from Only Education suggests that roughly 52% of students are prioritizing the April attempt to free up their schedule for other entrance exams in May.

How to Complete Your Registration Correctly

To ensure your application is not rejected, verify these three critical areas before clicking "Final Submit":

Domicile Status: Correctly marking your domicile status is vital for claiming reservation benefits in Maharashtra state-quota seats.
Exam City Preference: Choose your district carefully; once the late-fee period ends, city changes are rarely permitted.
Payment Status: Ensure your dashboard reflects "Payment Successful." If money is deducted but the status is "Incomplete," wait for 24 hours for reconciliation rather than making multiple payments.

Highest-Ever Participation

With over 10.9 lakh applicants recorded as of last week, the 2026 session is the most competitive in the history of the MHT CET. This surge is attributed to the increased interest in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence branches across the state's top-tier colleges like COEP, VJTI, and PICT.

For a specialized list of "Top 10 Engineering Colleges in Maharashtra" and their expected MHT CET 2026 cut-offs, follow Only Education News.

Nitte Institute of Speech and Hearing - [NISH], Mangalore