MAH MBA CET Eligibility Criteria 2026: Qualification, Domicile, Reservation & CAP Rules

Updated on 4th February 2026 | 4:17 pm | #MBACETEligibility2026

MAH MBA CET Eligibility Criteria 2026: The Maharashtra CET conducts the MAH CET, which is a common entrance exam for admission to MBA/MMS courses at various colleges and universities throughout the state. The admission process is divided into two phases.

In the first phase, candidates must take the common entrance test, i.e MBA CET 2026. In the second phase, candidates participate in a counseling process known as the Centralised Admission Process (CAP). To take part in either phase, candidates must meet the MAH MBA CET 2026 eligibility criteria, which is as follow:

  • Candidates must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline with at least 50% marks (45% for reserved category candidates of Maharashtra State).
  • Domicile of Maharashtra is required only for Maharashtra State candidature and reservation benefits, not for appearing in MAH MBA CET.
  • There is no age limit for applicants.

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MAH MBA CET 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The MAH MBA CET 2026 eligibility criteria define who can apply for the exam and participate in the admission process. Candidates must meet the required academic qualifications and category-wise marks criteria to be eligible. Understanding the eligibility requirements is important before filling out the MAH MBA CET 2026 application form.

Criteria

Details

Nationality

You must be an Indian citizen to apply for MAH CET MBA 2026.

Educational Qualification

You must have a minimum three-year bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university or institute.

Minimum Marks Required

50% aggregate for General category candidates.

45% aggregate for reserved category candidates of Maharashtra State (SC/ST/OBC/PwD).

Final-Year Students

Final-year students can also apply, provided they complete their degree before the CAP admission process.

Age Limit

There is no age limit for appearing in MAH CET.

All India Candidates

All India candidates can apply through CAT/CMAT/GMAT/XAT/MAT/ATMA scores and are not required to appear for MAH CET for All India seats.


MAH CET Eligibility 2026: Students of Maharashtra vs Other State Students

Maharashtra students have an advantage over other state students in terms of domicile requirements and reservation benefits. However, all students have the same MAH CET MBA eligibility criteria in terms of educational qualifications.

Students of Maharashtra

  • Domicile Requirement: Required only for Maharashtra State candidature and reservation benefits, not for appearing in MAH MBA CET.
  • Educational Qualification: Same as for other state students (Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for reserved category candidates of Maharashtra State) in any discipline from a recognized university).
  • Reservation Benefits: Eligible for reservation benefits (SC/ST/OBC/PwD) as per Maharashtra state government norms.
  • Other Benefits: May be eligible for additional scholarships and financial aid schemes for Maharashtra domicile students.

Other State Students

  • Domicile Requirement: Not required to be a domicile of Maharashtra.
  • Educational Qualification: Same as for Maharashtra students (Bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks in any discipline from a recognized university).
  • Reservation Benefits: Not eligible for Maharashtra State reservation benefits; eligible only for All India (AI) seats through CAT/CMAT/XAT/GMAT/MAT/ATMA scores.
  • Other Benefits: Fee structure depends on the institute and category of seats (State vs All India).

Here's a table summarizing the key differences in MAH CET MBA eligibility criteria:

Features

Maharashtra Students

Other State Students

Domicile Requirement

Required for State quota & reservation benefits

Not required

Educational Qualification

Bachelor's degree with 50% marks (45% for reserved category of Maharashtra State)

Bachelor's degree with 50% marks

Reservation Benefits

Yes (as per Maharashtra norms)

No Maharashtra State reservation; eligible for All India seats only

Other Benefits

Additional scholarships and state benefits

Depends on institute and seat category


MAH CET MBA Eligibility: Breakdown of Sub-Quotas Within Reservations

The 85% of seats reserved for Maharashtra students in MAH CET participating institutes are further divided into sub-quotas based on caste and disability categories, as per the directives of the Maharashtra government. Here's a breakdown:

Sub-Quotas Within Reservations For MBA CET 2026

Category

Percentage (%)

Scheduled Castes (SC)

13%

Scheduled Tribes (ST)

7%

Vimukta Jati (VJ-A)

3%

Nomadic Tribes (NT-B)

2.5%

Nomadic Tribes (NT-C)

3.5%

Nomadic Tribes (NT-D)

2%

Other Backward Classes (OBC)

19%

Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)

10%

Special Backward Class (SBC)

2%

Within each sub-quota, the respective category candidates allocate seats based on merit. This ensures fair representation for various disadvantaged groups within the overall reservation policy.


MAH MBA CET Eligibility Criteria 2026 – Reservation Policy

The Maharashtra CET Cell offers special reservation benefits for candidates from backward classes who want to apply for MBA programs in 2026. However, this policy is specifically applicable to candidates belonging to Maharashtra State candidature.

When registering, candidates need to provide a few important documents:

  • A Caste Certificate issued by the Competent Authority of Maharashtra State.
  • A Certificate of Caste Validity from the Social Welfare Department’s Scrutiny Committee.
  • A Tribal Validity Certificate from the Scrutiny Committee of the Tribal Department, if applicable.
  • A Non-Creamy Layer Certificate issued by the Competent Authority (valid as per Government norms), if required.

Eligible Categories For Reservation In MBA CET 2026

Candidates belonging to the following groups can benefit from the MBA CET Reservation 2026:

  • Scheduled Tribes (ST).
  • Scheduled Castes (SC), including those who have converted to Buddhism.
  • Vimukta Jati (VJ-A) and Nomadic Tribes (NT-B, NT-C, NT-D).
  • Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Special Backward Classes (SBC).
  • Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) (as per Government of India norms).
  • Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), categorized as:
    • PwBD-1: Blindness and low vision.
    • PwBD-2: Deaf and hard of hearing.
    • PwBD-3: Locomotor disability, intellectual disability, autism, specific learning disabilities, and mental illness.

Make sure to gather the necessary documents and check if you qualify for these reservations if you're applying!


Supernumerary Seat Reservation for MAH-CET MBA CET 2026

For the MAH MBA/MMS CET 2026, there are special extra seats available for different categories of candidates, but there are some rules and requirements to keep in mind. Here’s a quick overview of the reserved supernumerary seats:

Reserved Categories and Seat Reservations:

  • CIWGC (Children of Indian Workers in Gulf Countries): 5%
  • OCI/PIO/Foreign Students: 10%
  • Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh Migrants: As per government policy.
  • TFWS (Tuition Fee Waiver Scheme): Up to 5% of the sanctioned intake, subject to eligibility conditions.

Important Conditions for Supernumerary Seats:

  • If the seats reserved for the CIWGC category are not filled, they will be offered to OCI/PIO/foreign students, and the same applies vice versa. If there are still unfilled seats after that, NRI candidates can take them.
  • TFWS seats will only be available if the institute has filled at least 30% of the regular seats.

NRI Quota Seats for MAH MBA CET 2026

  • Institutes can reserve up to 5% of the 20 seats for NRIs under their own quota. If any of these seats are left vacant, they may also be offered to All India candidates.

Be sure to check these details and see if you qualify for any of the reserved seats when you apply!


Eligibility Criteria for MAH MBA CET Centralised Admission Process (CAP) 2026

If you're looking to get into any of the top MBA colleges that accept the MAH CET score, you need to take part in the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) after the MAH MBA CET 2026 results are announced. The CAP generally consists of multiple rounds (usually two or three) and includes steps like online MBA CET registration, choosing your preferred colleges, and getting assigned a seat based on your MAH MBA CET score.

Candidates are divided into various categories during this process:

  • Maharashtra State Candidature
  • All India Candidature
  • Jammu & Kashmir Migrant Candidature
  • NRI / OCI / PIO Foreign Nationals, Children of Indian Workers in Gulf Countries

Here’s a simple breakdown of the eligibility criteria for each category:

Maharashtra State Candidature

  • Must be an Indian national.
  • Should have completed a minimum three-year bachelor's degree or its equivalent with at least 50% aggregate marks from a recognized university.
  • If you're from a backward class or are a Person with Disability (PwD), you need at least 45% aggregate marks (applicable only to Maharashtra State candidates).
  • You must score more than zero in the MAH CET 2026.

All India Candidature / Jammu and Kashmir Migrant Candidature

  • Must be an Indian national.
  • Should have completed a bachelor's degree or equivalent with at least 50% aggregate marks from a recognized university.
  • You need to have more than zero score in MAH CET/CAT/CMAT/MAT/GMAT/ATMA/XAT.

NRI/OCI/PIO Foreign Nationals, Children of Indian Workers in Gulf Countries

  • Must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% or its equivalent from a university recognized by the University Grants Commission or the Association of Indian Universities.

Make sure you fit the criteria for your category before applying!

Frequently Asked Questions

Candidates must have a bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for reserved category of Maharashtra State). Final-year students can also apply.

Yes, students from other states can apply. However, they are not eligible for Maharashtra State reservation and are considered mainly under All India candidature.

No, domicile is not required to appear for the exam. It is needed only for Maharashtra State quota and reservation benefits.

Yes, final-year students can apply, but they must complete their degree before the CAP admission process.

Suggested Readings

MHCET Admit Card MHCET Syllabus MBA MHCET Online Classes 2026 MAH MBA CET Exam Pattern MAH CET Preparation Tips