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How Maharashtra engineering CAP works, round by round

Candidates seeking First Year B.E./B.Tech. admission in Maharashtra through the State CET Cell's Centralised Admission Process (CAP).

Previous-year referenceApproved by M.B. Patil Education admissions team, 23 Oct 2026 · source-checked 23 Oct 2026

Based on the State CET Cell's Information Brochure for UG and PG technical course admissions, Academic Year 2026–27 (dated 02.07.2026). The 2027–28 brochure hasn't been published yet — the rounds and rules can change, so check it when it is.

  1. 1

    CAP Round I

    Who can take part

    Every candidate whose name is in the final merit list of CAP can take part, by filling the online option form.

    Official source

    What you do

    1. 1
      Before the rounds: fill the online application form, upload scanned original documents and get them verified; then check the provisional merit list, raise any grievance within the grievance period, and check the final merit list. Candidates applying on the basis of the state CET pay no application fee; those applying only on a national-level exam score (such as JEE) pay a non-refundable online fee.
      Official sources
    2. 2
      Before the round, the Competent Authority publishes on its website the institutes, courses, sanctioned intake and the number of seats available for each category (the seat matrix).
      Official sources
    3. 3
      Fill in the online option form through your login: institutes and courses in decreasing order of preference, at least 1 and at most 300 options. The choice in block No. 1 is your first preference. Filling and confirming the option form is mandatory to take part in the round, and once it is confirmed you can't change the options.
      Official sources
    4. 4
      Seats are allotted by computer, based on inter-se-merit (your order of merit), the options you filled and the seats available at that point. You are allotted the first available option in your order of preference.
      Official sources
    5. 5
      The provisional allotment is shown on the website — no letters or personal messages are sent. If you are allotted a seat, download the "Provisional Seat Allotment Letter".
      Official sources
    6. 6
      To accept a seat, report to the Admission Reporting Centre (ARC) for document verification, or scrutinise your uploaded documents yourself in the online system, and pay the seat acceptance fee. The fee is treated as a non-refundable processing fee.
      Official sources
    7. 7
      After accepting at the ARC or by self-scrutiny, report to the allotted institute. The institute verifies your documents, uploads your admission online and gives you a system-generated receipt confirming admission.
      Official sources
    8. 8
      Seats left vacant because they were not allotted or the candidate did not report are carried into the next round.
      Official source

    After an allotment: your choices

  2. 2

    CAP Round II

    Who can take part

    Candidates allotted a seat other than their first preference in Round I who either accepted it for betterment or did not accept it; candidates not allotted any seat in an earlier round; and candidates who did not take part earlier because they didn't fill the option form. Candidates whose Round I seat was auto-frozen or who chose Freeze can't join.

    Official sources

    What you do

    1. 1
      The seats available for the round are published on the website by the CET Cell. You may fill in and/or edit the option form you filled for the previous round; filling and confirming the option form is mandatory, and once confirmed it can't be changed.
      Official sources
    2. 2
      If you accepted a seat in an earlier round and stayed in for betterment, you need not list the preference already allotted to you. If a higher (upward) preference is allotted, your earlier seat is cancelled automatically; if not, you keep it.
      Official sources
    3. 3
      Seats are allotted by computer, by inter-se-merit, your options and the seats available at that point, and the provisional allotment is shown on the website.
      Official sources
    4. 4
      To accept, report to the Admission Reporting Centre (ARC) or self-scrutinise your uploaded documents online, produce all original documents for the claims in your application, and pay the seat acceptance fee (a non-refundable processing fee). Then report to the allotted institute.
      Official sources
    5. 5
      Seats left vacant because they were not allotted or the candidate did not report are carried into the next round.
      Official source

    After an allotment: your choices

  3. 3

    CAP Round III

    Who can take part

    Candidates allotted a seat other than their first three preferences in Round II who either accepted it for betterment or did not accept it; candidates not allotted any seat in an earlier round; and candidates who did not take part earlier because they didn't fill the option form. Candidates whose seat was auto-frozen or who chose Freeze can't join.

    Official sources

    What you do

    1. 1
      The seats available for the round are published on the website by the CET Cell. You may fill in and/or edit the option form you filled for the previous round; filling and confirming the option form is mandatory, and once confirmed it can't be changed.
      Official sources
    2. 2
      If you accepted a seat in an earlier round and stayed in for betterment, you need not list the preference already allotted to you. If a higher (upward) preference is allotted, your earlier seat is cancelled automatically; if not, you keep it.
      Official sources
    3. 3
      Seats are allotted by computer, by inter-se-merit, your options and the seats available at that point, and the provisional allotment is shown on the website.
      Official sources
    4. 4
      To accept, report to the Admission Reporting Centre (ARC) or self-scrutinise your uploaded documents online, produce all original documents for the claims in your application, and pay the seat acceptance fee (a non-refundable processing fee). Then report to the allotted institute.
      Official sources
    5. 5
      Seats left vacant because they were not allotted or the candidate did not report are carried into the next round.
      Official source

    After an allotment: your choices

  4. 4

    CAP Round IV

    Who can take part

    Candidates allotted a seat other than their first six preferences in Round III who either accepted it for betterment or did not accept it; candidates not allotted any seat in an earlier round; and candidates who did not take part earlier because they didn't fill the option form. Candidates whose seat was auto-frozen or who chose Freeze can't join.

    Official sources

    What you do

    1. 1
      The seats available for the round are published on the website by the CET Cell. You may fill in and/or edit the option form you filled for the previous round; filling and confirming the option form is mandatory, and once confirmed it can't be changed.
      Official sources
    2. 2
      If you accepted a seat in an earlier round and stayed in for betterment, you need not list the preference already allotted to you. If a higher (upward) preference is allotted, your earlier seat is cancelled automatically; if not, you keep it.
      Official sources
    3. 3
      Seats are allotted by computer, by inter-se-merit, your options and the seats available at that point, and the provisional allotment is shown on the website.
      Official sources
    4. 4
      To accept, report to the Admission Reporting Centre (ARC) or self-scrutinise your uploaded documents online, produce all original documents for the claims in your application, and pay the seat acceptance fee (a non-refundable processing fee). Then report to the allotted institute.
      Official sources
    5. 5
      Round IV also runs the later allotment stages: seats still vacant at Stage V go to All India candidates, and for first-year admissions seats still vacant after that are considered for Diploma candidates and then D.Voc. candidates (Stage VI), by inter-se-merit.
      Official sources

    After an allotment: your choices

  5. 5

    Institute level (Institutional Quota and vacant seats after CAP)

    Who can take part

    Candidates who have applied to the Competent Authority for verification of documents and then to the institution. These seats (Institutional Quota and seats left vacant after the CAP rounds) are filled by the institute's Director or Principal strictly by inter-se-merit.

    Official sources

    What you do

    1. 1
      Each institution publishes its brochure or prospectus with its admission rules, and invites applications till the date of allotment of the final CAP round, advertising the schedule and the number of seats in each course on its website.
      Official sources
    2. 2
      Apply directly to the institution. If you can't, you can apply through the Competent Authority's website till the date of allotment of the final CAP round; these applications are forwarded to the institutions after the allotment of CAP Round IV.
      Official sources
    3. 3
      After verifying documents, the institution displays the inter-se-merit lists and the vacant seats after CAP on its notice board and website.
      Official sources
    4. 4
      A CAP seat left vacant after the CAP rounds is first filled by a candidate from the same category it was earmarked for during CAP, and then by inter-se-merit of the applicants. Maharashtra State candidates get preference over All India candidates.
      Official sources

    After an allotment: your choices

This guide repeats the official rules for this counselling only. State quota seats follow the state’s own rules. Round dates

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