The MHT CET syllabus is built on the Maharashtra State Board (HSC) curriculum: a short list of selected Std XI chapters plus the complete Std XII syllabus in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or Biology. Roughly 20 percent of the questions come from Std XI and about 80 percent from Std XII, and a wrong answer does not cut your score.
Here you get the two group layouts side by side, every chapter per subject, how marks are awarded and a month wise routine that sits alongside board preparation. The State CET Cell publishes the syllabus each year, so match this page against the latest information brochure before you finalise your timetable.
Exam at a glance
Conducted by
State Common Entrance Test Cell, MaharashtraCourses
Engineering, pharmacy and agriculture related degrees in MaharashtraGroups
PCM and PCB (some students take both)Mode
Computer based test, multiple choiceQuestions
PCM 150, PCB 200Total marks
200 for each groupTime
180 minutes, as two 90 minute papersNegative marking
None
How the MHT CET exam is structured
MHT CET is a single sitting online test with two back to back papers. Paper I is Physics and Chemistry together and is the same for both groups. Paper II is Mathematics for the PCM group and Biology for the PCB group. Once the 90 minutes of a paper end, the section locks and you cannot go back to it, so you cannot borrow time from Physics to finish Maths.
The CET Cell has moved to two attempts for the PCM and PCB groups. The first attempt is compulsory, the second is optional, and if you sit both the better percentile is used for admission. Check the latest brochure for attempt dates, since the schedule is announced each year.
MHT CET exam pattern and marking scheme
| Paper | Subject | Questions | Marks per question | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | Physics | 50 | 1 | 50 | 90 minutes |
| Chemistry | 50 | 1 | 50 | ||
| Paper II (PCM) | Mathematics | 50 | 2 | 100 | 90 minutes |
| Paper II (PCB) | Biology (Botany and Zoology) | 100 | 1 | 100 | 90 minutes |
Each group therefore totals 200 marks. A wrong option scores zero, so mark an answer for every item. Mathematics questions are in English only, while Physics, Chemistry and Biology can be taken in English, Marathi or Urdu; the medium is locked when you fill the form, so decide it early.
Question counts, the medium options and the attempt rules come from the CET Cell's information brochure. Recheck them in the newest brochure each session.
Physics chapters
Std XI (selected chapters): laws of motion, motion in a plane, gravitation, thermal properties of matter, sound, optics, electrostatics and semiconductors. Some recent lists also add vectors and error analysis, so tick these off against the current brochure.
Std XII (full state board book):
- Rotational dynamics, mechanical properties of fluids, kinetic theory of gases and radiation, thermodynamics
- Oscillations, superposition of waves, wave optics
- Electrostatics, current electricity, magnetic fields due to electric current, magnetic materials
- Electromagnetic induction, AC circuits
- Structure of atoms and nuclei, photoelectric effect and the dual nature chapter, semiconductor devices
Chemistry chapters
Std XI (selected): some basic concepts of chemistry, structure of atom, chemical bonding, redox reactions, elements of groups 1 and 2, states of matter (gaseous and liquid), adsorption and colloids, hydrocarbons, and basic principles of organic chemistry.
Std XII (complete):
- Physical: solid state, solutions, ionic equilibria, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics
- Inorganic: elements of groups 16, 17 and 18, transition and inner transition elements, coordination compounds
- Organic: halogen derivatives, alcohols with phenols and ethers, amines, carbonyl compounds (aldehydes and ketones) with carboxylic acids, biomolecules, introduction to polymer chemistry, green chemistry and nanochemistry
Mathematics chapters for the PCM group
Std XI (selected): trigonometry II, straight line, circle, measures of dispersion, probability, complex numbers, permutations and combinations, functions, limits and continuity.
Std XII Part 1: mathematical logic, matrices, trigonometric functions, pair of straight lines, vectors, line and plane, linear programming.
Std XII Part 2: differentiation, applications of derivatives, indefinite integration, definite integration, application of definite integration, differential equations, probability distributions and binomial distribution.
Because each Maths question carries 2 marks, Maths alone is half of your PCM score. Calculus in Part 2 is the largest block, so give it steady weekly time.
Biology chapters for the PCB group
Std XI (selected): biomolecules, respiration and energy transfer, human nutrition, and excretion and osmoregulation.
Std XII (complete):
- Reproduction in lower and higher plants, reproduction in lower and higher animals
- Inheritance and variation, molecular basis of inheritance, origin and evolution of life
- Plant water relation, plant growth and mineral nutrition
- Respiration and circulation, control and coordination, human health and diseases
- Enhancement of food production, biotechnology
- Organisms and populations, ecosystems and energy flow, biodiversity, conservation and environmental issues
With 100 Biology questions in 90 minutes, you get under a minute each. Speed with diagrams and terms from the state textbook matters more than depth.
Planning your year around the MHT CET syllabus
Since Std XII carries about four fifths of the paper, your board preparation and CET preparation are largely the same work. The difference is speed: CET wants quick, accurate answers to single concept questions, not long written answers.
- June to October: finish the Std XII chapters with your college, and after each chapter solve 40 to 50 timed MCQs on it.
- November and December: revise the listed Std XI chapters only. Skip Std XI topics that are not on the CET list.
- After the board exam: sit complete mock papers in the exact CET layout, 90 minutes per paper, and review every wrong answer the same day.
Sneha in Nashik is in the PCM group and finds Physics slow. She noticed that Maths gives her 2 marks per question in the same 90 minutes, so she spends her best morning hours on calculus and coordinate geometry, and does Physics MCQs in short evening sets to build speed.
Books and official material
Your main books are the Maharashtra State Board Std XI and XII textbooks, because questions follow their language, diagrams and examples. Add one MCQ practice book per subject arranged chapter wise, and use the CET Cell's mock test link when it opens. Writing a national test as well? Then compare this list with the JEE Main syllabus or the NEET syllabus; most Std XII physics and chemistry overlaps, but the state book covers some topics, such as green chemistry, in its own way. The entrance exams hub lists other state tests too.
Frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in MHT CET?
No. A wrong answer gets zero, the same as a skipped question. So attempt every question, even if you have to make an educated guess.
How much of the MHT CET syllabus comes from Std XI?
About 20 percent of questions are set from the selected Std XI chapters and about 80 percent from Std XII. Only the Std XI chapters listed by the CET Cell are tested, not the whole Std XI book.
Is MHT CET based on the CBSE or state board syllabus?
It follows the Maharashtra State Board syllabus. CBSE students can still sit the exam, but they should read the state textbooks for chapters such as mathematical logic and pair of straight lines, which are not taught the same way in CBSE.
Can I appear for both PCM and PCB?
Yes, you can register for both groups if you are eligible. Paper I (Physics and Chemistry) is common, and you then take both Mathematics and Biology. Check the brochure for how the combined group is scheduled.
What is the marking scheme of MHT CET?
Physics, Chemistry and Biology carry 1 mark per question, while Mathematics carries 2 marks per question. Both groups add up to 200, and a wrong choice simply scores zero.
Is the second attempt compulsory?
No. The first attempt is required and the second is optional. If you take both, the better percentile is considered for admission.