Maharashtra Common Entrance Test • Conducted by State Common Entrance Test Cell, Government of Maharashtra
150 Questions With Mathematics Weighted Double, Zero Negative Marking, Strict Sectional Timers
MHT CET's PCM paper consists of 150 questions split into Mathematics (50 questions) and a combined Physics & Chemistry section (50 each), conducted within a strict sectional format: 90 minutes for Mathematics and a separate 90 minutes for Physics & Chemistry combined, totaling 3 hours. Unlike BITSAT or JEE Main, candidates cannot move between these two sectional blocks once a block's time has started.
Total Duration
180 Minutes
Two Strict 90-Minute Blocks
Total Questions
150
50 Each: Maths, Physics, Chemistry
Marking Scheme
+2 Maths / +1 Phy-Chem
No Negative Marking
Mode
Online CBT
Fully Computer-Based
| Section | Subject | Number of Questions | Marks Per Question | Total Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Block 1 | Mathematics | 50 | 2 | 100 | 90 Minutes |
| Block 2 | Physics | 50 | 1 | 50 | 90 Minutes (shared with Chemistry) |
| Block 2 | Chemistry | 50 | 1 | 50 | 90 Minutes (shared with Physics) |
| Total | All Subjects | 150 | - | 200 | 180 Minutes |
A unique feature of MHT CET's marking scheme is that each Mathematics question carries 2 marks while each Physics and Chemistry question carries only 1 mark, even though all three subjects have an equal 50-question count. This means Mathematics alone contributes 100 of the total 200 marks (fully half), making it the single most consequential subject for overall score, similar in spirit to KEAM's Mathematics-heavy weightage though achieved through a different mechanism.
MHT CET carries no negative marking across any section; incorrect and unattempted answers both receive zero marks, meaning candidates face no scoring penalty for attempting every question, including educated or outright guesses for questions they cannot confidently solve.
Unlike BITSAT's free-movement format, MHT CET enforces strict sectional timing: once the Mathematics block's 90 minutes conclude, candidates cannot return to Mathematics questions even if time remains in the subsequent Physics & Chemistry block, and vice versa. This demands careful, block-specific time management rather than a single whole-exam time budget.
Candidates in the PCB group attempt Biology (50 questions) instead of Mathematics in the first 90-minute block, with Physics and Chemistry remaining identical in the second block. Biology questions, like Physics and Chemistry, carry 1 mark each (not the 2-mark Mathematics weighting).
All MHT CET questions are standard single-correct-answer multiple choice questions with four options. There are no numerical value, multiple-correct, or matching-list questions, keeping the format straightforward and predictable.
Since MHT CET 2026 introduced a two-session format (April and May), candidates attempting both sessions have their scores normalized using a percentile-based methodology (broadly similar in principle to JEE Main's approach) to account for any difficulty variation between sessions, with the better normalized outcome typically considered for merit ranking.
MHT CET's PCM paper consists of 150 questions: 50 each in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, totaling 200 marks.
Each Mathematics question carries 2 marks while each Physics and Chemistry question carries only 1 mark, even though all three have an equal 50-question count, making Mathematics worth 100 of the total 200 marks.
No, MHT CET has zero negative marking across all sections for both PCM and PCB groups.
No, MHT CET enforces strict sectional timing with two separate 90-minute blocks; once a block's time concludes, you cannot return to it even if time remains in the other block.
Starting from 2026, yes — MHT CET introduced a two-session format (April and May), with percentile-based normalization applied across sessions for candidates attempting both.
Revise chapter-wise mathematical formulas before launching your test: