The MHT CET CAP Round 1 Cut Off 2026 has been released by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra for First Year Engineering (BE/B.Tech) Admissions 2026-27.
Candidates who participated in the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) can now check the college-wise closing rank, branch-wise percentile, category-wise cut-off, and seat allotment details for Round 1.
The Round 1 cut-off indicates the minimum rank or percentile at which seats were allotted in different engineering colleges across Maharashtra based on candidates’ preferences, merit position, category, and available seats.
The CAP Round 1 Cut-Off and Seat Allotment Result were released on 2 August 2026, after the completion of the option entry process conducted from 28 to 30 July 2026.
A total of 2,44,097 candidates were included in the final merit list, making the competition intense for popular branches such as Computer Science Engineering (CSE), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology (IT), and Electronics-related programmes.
Candidates can download the institute-wise cut-off PDF from the official CAP portal and compare their percentile with previous admission trends to understand their chances in upcoming rounds.
Those who have received a seat in Round 1 must complete the required seat acceptance, self-verification, and reporting process within the given deadline.
Candidates who are not satisfied with their allotment can participate in further CAP rounds by choosing Float or Slide options as per the admission rules.
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The State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, Maharashtra, has released the CAP Round 1 Cut-Off along with the seat allotment result for First Year Engineering (BE/B.Tech) admissions, on 2 August 2026. This cut-off reflects the closing rank/percentile at which admission offers closed in Round 1, based on the options candidates submitted during the Round 1 option entry window (28–30 July 2026), matched against each candidate’s rank on the Final Merit List (released 27 July 2026) and the seat vacancies reported by colleges. A total of 2,44,097 candidates were part of this year’s final merit list for engineering admissions — reflecting how competitive the process remains across the state.
MHT CET CAP 2026 — Complete Timeline
MHT CET 2026 Exam: Conducted earlier in 2026
Final Merit List Released: 27 July 2026
CAP Round 1 Option Entry: 28 – 30 July 2026
CAP Round 1 Cut-Off & Seat Allotment Result: 2 August 2026
Seat Acceptance / Freeze Verification at Campus: 3 – 5 August 2026
Round 2 Provisional Vacant Seat Matrix: 6 August 2026
Round 2 Seat Allotment Result: 12 August 2026
Rounds 3 & 4: To follow subsequently, as per the official CAP schedule
Open the “CAP Round 1 Cut-Off” link on the homepage
Download the institute-wise cut-off PDF (separate PDFs may be available for MH-seat quota and All India quota candidates)
Search for your preferred college and branch within the document
Check the closing rank or percentile listed for your specific category and seat type
Log in with your credentials to check your personal Round 1 seat allotment result separately from the general cut-off PDF
What the Cut-Off Actually Represents
The cut-off is the rank or percentile of the last candidate who was allotted a seat in a specific college, branch, category, and quota combination in Round 1
Home University quota vs Other than Home University vs All India quota
Scoring above the published cut-off for your category/quota combination generally indicates a strong chance in that college/branch in future rounds too, since demand patterns tend to remain fairly consistent across rounds for top choices
Which Branches & Colleges Are Most Competitive This Year
Computer Science Engineering (CSE) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related branches remain the most competitive streams in this year’s Round 1 cut-off, continuing the trend from previous years
Top branches at prestigious institutes such as COEP (Pune) and VJTI (Mumbai) are projected to close above the 99.5 percentile mark for their most in-demand programmes
Pharmacy-adjacent and less mainstream engineering branches generally show a more accessible cut-off range compared to top CSE/AI seats at marquee institutes
For historical context, in the 2025 cycle, CSE and AI closing ranks at reputed private institutes like VIT Pune, DY Patil Institute of Technology, and MIT ranged between approximately 90–96 percentile — useful only as a rough reference point, since actual 2026 figures depend on this year’s applicant pool and seat matrix
Important: Exact, official percentile/rank figures for specific colleges and branches in the 2026 Round 1 cut-off are published only in the CET Cell’s own PDF — always cross-check the specific numbers for your target college directly from the official cut-off document rather than relying on generalised trend commentary like the above.
Factors That Influence the Round 1 Cut-Off
Number of applicants competing for a specific college/branch combination
Total seat availability in that branch at that particular institute
Difficulty level of the MHT CET exam in the given year, which affects percentile distribution
Overall candidate performance trends across the state in that admission cycle
Reputation, placement record, and location of the institute — top-tier and metro-city colleges typically see sharper competition
Category-wise reservation and quota-wise seat distribution
After Round 1 Allotment — Your Options: Freeze, Float, or Slide
Freeze: Accept your allotted seat as final — you exit the CAP round process and confirm admission at the allotted college/branch. Candidates who freeze (including via system Auto-Freeze) must complete self-verification and reporting at the allotted institute
Float: Retain your current seat provisionally, while remaining open to a potentially better allotment at any college/branch in subsequent rounds
Slide: Retain your current seat provisionally, while staying in contention only for a better branch within the same college you’re currently allotted to, in later rounds
Choosing not to accept and participate further means you risk losing eligibility for CAP Rounds 2–4, potentially limiting you to subsequent institutional-level counselling only
Seat Verification & Reporting — Critical Deadline
Candidates who freeze their seat (whether by choice or via Auto-Freeze) must visit their designated campus in person between 3 and 5 August 2026, within normal institutional working hours
Missing this verification window results in immediate cancellation of your seat allocation — there is no informal grace period
Carry original documents along with at least three self-attested photocopies of each required document
Documents Required for Verification & Reporting
Official MHT CET 2026 Scorecard and Hall Ticket
Provisional CAP Round 1 Allotment Letter
SSC (Class 10) and HSC (Class 12) Marksheets
Certificate of Domicile in the State of Maharashtra (if applicable)
Transfer Certificate or School Leaving Certificate
Category/Caste Certificate (SC/ST/OBC/VJ-DT-NT/SBC/EWS/PwD), if applicable, in prescribed format
Passport-size Photographs (as used during CAP registration)
Migration Certificate, if applicable
What’s Next — Round 2 and Beyond
The Round 2 Provisional Vacant Seat Matrix will be displayed on 6 August 2026, reflecting seats that opened up from non-acceptance, upgradation, or newly reported vacancies
The Round 2 Seat Allotment Result is scheduled for 12 August 2026
MHT CET CAP 2026 runs across a total of 4 rounds, so candidates who don’t secure their preferred seat in Round 1 still have multiple further opportunities
Candidates who chose Float or Slide instead of Freezing will automatically be considered in Round 2 based on their original preferences and updated merit-based eligibility
Tips for Candidates Going Into Round 2
If you’re unsatisfied with Round 1 but didn’t want to risk losing your seat entirely, remember that Float/Slide keeps you eligible for improvement without necessarily losing your current allotment
Study the Round 1 closing cut-offs for your target colleges/branches carefully — they’re the best available guide to your realistic chances in Round 2, since demand patterns are usually fairly consistent
Keep a broad, well-researched preference list rather than narrowing down to only 2–3 top choices — this maximizes your chances across the remaining rounds
Track the Round 2 vacant seat matrix closely on 6 August, since it will show exactly which colleges/branches have fresh openings
Q1. When was the MHT CET CAP Round 1 Cut-Off 2026 released?
Ans: It was released on 2 August 2026, along with the Round 1 seat allotment result.
Q2. Where can I download the CAP Round 1 cut-off PDF?
Ans: From the official CAP portal, fe2026.mahacet.org.
Q3. Which branches are showing the highest cut-off this year?
Ans: Computer Science Engineering (CSE) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related branches remain the most competitive, with top institutes projected above 99.5 percentile.
Q4. What is the deadline for seat verification after freezing?
Ans: Candidates who freeze their seat must complete in-person verification at their allotted campus between 3 and 5 August 2026.
Q5. What happens if I miss the seat verification deadline?
Ans: Your seat allocation will be immediately cancelled if you miss the verification window.
Q6. What is the difference between Float and Slide options?
Ans: Float keeps you open to a better allotment at any college/branch, while Slide keeps you in contention only for a better branch within your currently allotted college.
Q7. When will Round 2 seat allotment be released?
Ans: The Round 2 vacant seat matrix will be shown on 6 August 2026, with the Round 2 allotment result on 12 August 2026.
Q8. How many total CAP rounds are there in MHT CET 2026?
Ans: There are 4 rounds in total for the MHT CET CAP 2026 process.
Q9. How many candidates were part of the final merit list this year?
Ans: A total of 2,44,097 candidates were included in the final merit list for engineering admissions in 2026.
Q10. Does the cut-off vary by category and quota?
Ans: Yes, cut-offs are published separately for each category (Open/OBC/SC/ST/EWS/PwD, etc.) and for Home University, Other than Home University, and All India quotas.
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Rama Shankar Tiwari is the founder of Notification24.in and has been working in the education and government-job content space since 2017. With close…
