State Engineering CETs
Admission to BE/BTech seats in government, aided and private engineering colleges of each state through state counselling. Most seats are reserved for domicile candidates, and some states admit out-of-state students to a limited share.
Eligibility
Each state requires 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics plus Chemistry or another listed optional subject. Minimum aggregate marks are typically 40-50%, depending on state and category. Domicile or local-status rules decide eligibility for state-quota seats. In MHT-CET and KCET, the Class 12 board marks also feed into the final merit or admission eligibility.
Age limit: Generally none; check each state's brochure
Exam pattern
Formats differ by state. MHT-CET (PCM group) is a 3-hour computer-based test with no negative marking; Mathematics questions carry 2 marks and Physics and Chemistry questions 1 mark, for 200 marks. WBJEE is an OMR (pen-and-paper) test in two papers, Mathematics and Physics-Chemistry, with negative marking on some question categories. KCET is an offline MCQ test, 60 questions each in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, with no negative marking. Ranks are based on 50% KCET marks and 50% board PCM marks. AP and TG EAPCET are computer-based, 160 questions (80 Mathematics, 40 Physics, 40 Chemistry) in 3 hours, with no negative marking.
Syllabus at a glance
All of them cover Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, but each follows its own state board. MHT-CET follows the Maharashtra HSC syllabus (Class 11 topics carry less weight), KCET the Karnataka PUC syllabus, and AP/TG EAPCET the intermediate (Class 11-12) syllabi of those boards. WBJEE is broadly WBCHSE and NCERT aligned. Always download the current year's official syllabus.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MHT-CET 2027 registration (CET Cell) | Oct to Dec 2026 | expected |
| MHT-CET 2027 attempt 1 and attempt 2 (both after HSC boards; the December attempt was dropped) | Mar to Apr 2027 and May 2027 | expected |
| KCET 2027 exam | Apr 2027 | expected |
| WBJEE 2027 exam | Late Apr 2027 | expected |
| TG EAPCET 2027 (engineering stream) | Early to mid-May 2027 | expected |
| AP EAPCET 2027 (engineering stream) | Mid to late May 2027 | expected |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- State board textbooks (Maharashtra HSC, Karnataka PUC, AP/TS Intermediate) – the primary source for each CET
- NCERT Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics Class 11-12
- Concepts of Physics – H.C. Verma
- Objective Mathematics – R.D. Sharma
- MHT-CET Triumph series – Target Publications
- Chapter-wise Solved Papers for WBJEE / KCET / EAPCET – Arihant or MTG
How toppers play it
- Prepare from your state board textbook first. MHT-CET, KCET and EAPCET questions closely follow state-board content and wording.
- For MHT-CET, Mathematics is worth 100 of the 200 marks (2 marks per question), so put most of your extra hours into Class 12 Maths.
- KCET ranks count board PCM marks equally with the CET score, so do not neglect your board exam.
- WBJEE has negative marking on some question categories while most other state CETs have none. Adjust your guessing strategy to the exam.
- Take the official mock tests on each portal. MHT-CET and EAPCET are computer-based, and timing on screen feels different from OMR practice.