MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix: Institute-Wise, Branch-Wise & Category-Wise Seat Distribution

The Maharashtra State CET Cell has released the MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix on the official website cetcell.mahacet.org. The total number of engineering seats available for MHT CET CAP 2026 counselling has been increased to 1,92,180 across 380 institutes from 1,23,895 seats across 372 institutes in 2025.

MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026 is the official document that contains the total number of seats in every institute, branch, category, and quota. This matrix is used to decide the seat allotment for each CAP round from Round 1 to Round 4. Candidates who understand the seat matrix before filling out the option forms are better placed to make better choices and get better outcomes.

Read the full blog to know about MHT CET 2026 seat matrix, such as the total number of seats, seat distribution in institutes, category-wise and region-wise distribution, how to download the seat matrix PDF and how to use it while filling the option form in CAP Round 1.

What is MHT CET 2026 seat matrix?

The MHT-CET 2026 Seat Matrix is the official seat availability document released by the Maharashtra State CET Cell before the start of CAP counselling. It has the details of all the seats approved in the 380 engineering institutes that are participating, categorised by institute, branch, management type, quota and category

Candidates use the seat matrix to see what is available before filling out their preferences in the CAP Round 1 option form. It shows the exact number of seats available in a particular college for a particular branch and category, which directly impacts how competitive that choice is.

Must Check: MHT CET CAP Round-wise  Full Schedule

MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026 Key Highlights

The MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026 is released before every CAP round. The matrix is changed for the next round if seats are returned after a round or if there are empty seats. The last Round 4 seat matrix shows the final remaining seats after all three centralised rounds have been completed. Take a look at the Key highlight of the MHT CET CAP seat matrix below.

MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix: Total Seats and Growth Year on Year

The seat matrix for MHT CET 2026 shows a big leap in total engineering seats over last year. The expansion is coming through the addition of new institutes and raising the approved intake of existing institutes in some branches.

The table below shows the growth of the MHT CET Seat Matrix over the last 4 years.

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If we look at the total seats in MHT CET trends, the maximum single-year jump in MHT CET engineering seats in recent times is from 123,895 to 192,180. This increase provides candidates with significantly more choices across all percentile ranges, particularly in mid-tier and private unaided institutes where the new seats are concentrated.

MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026: Institute-wise Seat Distribution 

The institutes of engineering in Maharashtra under CAP are classified into four types of management. The distribution of seats in these types is not the same, with government colleges having the least seats but the highest demand. “Private unaided colleges have the most seats by volume.

The table below depicts the approximate seat distribution in terms of types of management in the MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix.

MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix: Region wise Seat Distribution 

Maharashtra CAP has divided the institutes and candidates into 6 regions. Region is important, as some of the seats in each institute is reserved for the candidate of the same home university region. The region-wise distribution of seats for MHT CET 2026 is as follows:

Pune and Mumbai together account for around 66% of all MHT CET engineering admissions. Candidates from these regions have the most options and the most competition especially for top government and aided colleges.

MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026: Category wise Seat Distribution

MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026 has reserved seats under various categories as per the reservation rules of the Maharashtra government. Each seat in each institute is allocated to a particular quota and category combination.

Understanding category-wise distribution prevents candidates from competing against the wrong pool. An SC candidate comparing his/her percentile with the Open category closing data will almost always come to the wrong conclusion. The MHT-CET CAP 2026 reservation rules are as follows:

The full reservation structure is applicable for Home State candidates (Maharashtra domicile). Candidates from outside Maharashtra State (OMS) are eligible for open-category seats only in government and aided institutes. There are some provisions in private, unaided institutes.

MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix Branch-Wise Distribution

The MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026 contains the seats available in engineering in different branches. Among all branches, CSE and IT are most sought after, and they always have the earliest cut-offs for all kinds of institutes. The table below shows the approximate seat distribution by major branch across all 380 participating institutes.

Please note brach-wise approximate figures based on seat matrix data and approved intake trends. Candidates should verify exact seat availability through the official PDF.”

MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026: Seats wise Top Government Institute

The government engineering colleges are the most competitive seats in the whole MHT CET seat matrix. The reputation is good, the fees are low and the placement records are uniform. These are the institutes that close earliest in CAP Round 1.

Approximate seats at top government institutes in the MHT-CET 2026 seat matrix are depicted in the table below.

MHT CET College wise Seats in Top Private Institutes

According to the MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix, private aided and private unaided institutes provide most of the seats. Many private colleges, especially the autonomous ones, are excellent in terms of placements and close at very competitive percentiles.

Institute

How to Download the MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix PDF

You can download the MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix PDF without logging in from the official portal at cetcell.mahacet.org. The step-by-step process for downloading the MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026 PDF is as follows:

Step 1: Open cetcell.mahacet.org in your browser

Step 2: Head to the “BE/B.Tech Admissions 2026-27” section

Step 3: Click on “Seat Matrix 2026” or “CAP Seat Matrix PDF”

Step 4: Choose the type of institute: government-aided / aided / private-aided / unaided.

Step 5: Download & Save the Seat Matrix as an open PDF

Step 6: For institute-specific data, use the search function (Ctrl+F) and type the college name in PDF.

The seat matrix PDF is very large, so filtering by region or management type before downloading makes it easier to navigate. Candidates can also check online through the CAP portal fe2026.mahacet.org where they can filter by district, branch and category without downloading the entire PDF.

MHT CET 2026 Seat Matrix: How to Use It While Filling CAP Option Form

The MHT-CET Seat Matrix 2026 is not just a reference document; it’s a planning tool for CAP option form filling. When used properly, it directly improves the quality of choices filled and the eventual allotment outcome. Here’s the best way to use it:

Step 1: Verify seat availability in target colleges

Check for availability of seats in that category before adding a college-branch combination in the preference list. Even if the closing percentile looks similar overall, a college with 2 SC seats in CSE has a much tighter pool than a college with 20 SC seats in CSE.

Step 2: Cross-reference with closing data from previous year

The seat matrix shows the number of seats. The closing percentile data from last year shows how competitive those seats were. Use both together, not separately.

Step 3: Compare the Seat Counts by Category

Candidates from reserved categories have to look at the seat count of their category in the target institutes. In certain colleges, there are very few seats in some categories, which changes the probability of allotment drastically.

Step 4: Compare Home University Region seats with Other Region seats:

For institutes located in the home region, the closing percentile under the Home University quota is generally lower than the Other Region quota. This is disaggregated in the seat matrix, and you can use it to check which colleges give a home region advantage.

Step 5: Fill in options based on actual seat availability:

Where a college branch has only 6 open category seats then competing at 500 out of a pool of thousands has a very low chance of allotment. Change your preferences accordingly or add it as a lower priority instead of the top choice.

MHT CET 2025 Seat Matrix vs 2026: Changes

The most notable recent change is the expansion in the MHT CET 2026 seat matrix in comparison to 2025. The total number of seats increased by 68,285, almost 55% more than in 2025. Take a look at the key changes in the MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026

• 8 new institutes added, bringing the total from 372 to 380
• New branches like CSE with AI, CSE with Data Science, and CSE with Cybersecurity added in multiple existing institutes
• Several private unaided institutes received approval for higher intake in CSE and IT branches
• Total government institute seats remained largely stable; the growth is concentrated in private unaided colleges

With this expansion there are more seats available in the low competition end of the percentile range. In 2026, those in the 75 to 90th percentiles have much more realistic options than they did in 2025.

Conclusion

MHT CET 2026 Seat matrix PDF Out at cetcell.mahacet.org; As per it, there are a total of 192,180 engineering seats in 380 institutes in total. This is the highest seat count in the history of Maharashtra CAP counselling, with 8 new institutes and an increased intake in existing colleges contributing to the rise.

To fill the option form, each MHT CET CAP Round 1 participant needs to download the official MHT CET Seat Matrix 2026 PDF and compare the same with the previous year closing percentile data. The realistic probability of getting a particular college-branch combination is dependent on the number of seats available per category, the availability of home university quota and the distribution of branches.