Engineering aspirants in Maharashtra now have a new option to apply for admissions under the 20% institutional quota. The state CET (Common Entrance Test) Cell has introduced a new process through the Common Admission Process (CAP) for students who are unable to apply directly to colleges for any reason.
This change aims to offer a more transparent and accessible route for students to apply, giving them an alternative when facing challenges with direct applications.
New Changes in Maharashtra Engineering Admission Process
With the announcement of the MHT-CET results, the engineering admission process in Maharashtra is about to begin. As part of this, the Higher and Technical Education Department recently declared revised rules that will make the admission process smoother and more organized.
These changes include clear eligibility criteria for NRI candidates, who will be able to take up 5% of the institutional quota seats. The government has also issued guidelines on fees for these seats, with NRI quota seats charging up to five times the regular fees and management quota seats up to three times more.
Streamlining the Admission Process
In a move to increase transparency, the state government has now provided students with the option to apply through the CAP portal if they cannot apply directly to the institutions.
According to the notification, if a candidate is unable to submit an application to a particular college, they can still apply through the website of the Competent Authority until the final CAP Round allotment. Once the CAP Round-IV allotment process is completed, these applications will be forwarded to the respective institutions, which will consider them while preparing the Inter-Se-Merit list.
Institutions Retain Their Merit Lists
While this new process provides an alternative route, colleges will still retain the right to prepare their own merit lists for admission. The traditional process, where 80% of seats are filled through the CAP and the remaining 20% are filled by colleges under the institutional quota, will continue. However, the addition of the CAP portal as an option for applying under the institutional quota is expected to make the process more transparent and accessible.
Introduction of Fourth CAP Round
Another major change this year is the introduction of a fourth CAP round, a break from the traditional three-round process. This additional round will give students another opportunity to secure admission before the institutional quota rounds begin. This change aims to reduce stress for students by offering them one more chance to be allotted a seat through CAP.
Stricter Admission Confirmation Rules
In addition to the new CAP rounds, there are also stricter rules for admission confirmation.
Previously, candidates were required to confirm their seat only if they were allotted their first-choice college.Now, students will need to confirm their seat in Round 2 if they are allotted any of their top three college choices, and in Round 3, confirmation will be required if the college is among the top six choices.
More Opportunities for Students
With these new updates, Maharashtra’s engineering admission process has become more student-friendly and transparent. The introduction of a fourth CAP round, the option to apply through the CAP portal for institutional quota seats, and the clearer guidelines on fees for NRI and management quota seats all aim to reduce confusion and give students better opportunities to secure their preferred college.
These changes reflect the state’s ongoing efforts to streamline and simplify the engineering admission process for students.
Source
Official Notice by Maharashtra Government, 19 June, 2025: click here to read.
Kindly note that any and all information is subject to change as per the CET Cell, Education Ministry, and the Government of India.
