Category Wise Safe Score for MHT CET 2026
| Updated On - Mar 13, 2026
Safe score for MHT CET 2026 shifts by category, college tier, and branch. With 10.9 lakh candidates now registered for the exam, competition is at a record high.
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General (Open) category candidates need 150+ marks as MHT CET safe score for good government and autonomous colleges.
- OBC and EWS candidates should target 130–140+ marks in MHT CET, sufficient for competitive branches in Tier-1 colleges under the reserved category quota.
- SC category MHT CET safe score is 110–125 marks, approximately 91–95 percentile.
- For ST category, MHT CET safe score is likely to be around 95–110 marks.
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MHT CET 2026 Category Wise Safe Score
The phrase "safe score" is not the same as qualifying marks. Passing the exam requires just 90 marks (45%) for General candidates and 80 marks (40%) for reserved categories. A safe score is the mark where admission to a genuinely good college becomes probable, not merely possible.
| Category | Safe Score (Marks out of 200) | Approximate Percentile | Realistic College Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (GOPENS) | 150+ | 98.5–99.5+ | Good government + top autonomous colleges |
| OBC (GOBCS) | 130–140+ | 95–97+ | Tier-1 autonomous + good private colleges |
| EWS (GOEWS) | 128–138+ | 94–97+ | Closely tracks General; 2–4 mark relaxation |
| SC (GSCS) | 110–125 | 91–95+ | Strong government + Tier-2 autonomous colleges |
| ST (GSTS) | 95–110 | 88–92+ | Government colleges and select autonomous institutes |
| NT/VJ/DT | 110–120 | 90–94+ | Comparable to SC range; varies by NT sub-category |
| PWD (Open) | 80–100 | 80–88+ | Wide range; branch and college choice matters most |
MHT CET 2026 Safe Score for Top Engineering Colleges
Passing the exam is not the goal. Getting into a college worth attending is. The table below shows the approximate marks needed by category for each college tier, based on closing percentile trends from 2024 and 2025 counselling rounds.
| College Tier | Examples | General Safe Score | OBC Safe Score | SC Safe Score | ST Safe Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 — Premier Govt. | COEP Pune, VJTI Mumbai | 175–185+ | 160–170+ | 140–155+ | 100–115+ |
| Tier 2 — Top Autonomous | SPIT, PICT, DJ Sanghvi | 155–170 | 140–155 | 120–135 | 95–105 |
| Tier 3 — Mid Private | MIT-WPU, PCCOE, Thakur | 130–150 | 115–135 | 95–115 | 80–95 |
| Tier 4 — Other Private | Most remaining 500+ colleges | 90–120 | 80–105 | 68–85 | 60–80 |
That gap between Tier 1 and Tier 4 for the General category is nearly 90 marks. Most candidates aim for Tier 2 and Tier 3, which is exactly where the 130–155 mark range becomes the real battleground.
MHT CET 2026 Safe Score for CSE and IT
CSE and IT remain the most competitive branches across all college tiers. The score needed to feel safe in these branches is consistently 15–25 marks higher than the overall college-tier safe score.
| College | Branch | General Safe Score | OBC Safe Score | SC Safe Score | ST Safe Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COEP Pune | CSE | 180+ | 165+ | 150+ | 100+ |
| VJTI Mumbai | CSE/IT | 180+ | 165+ | 148+ | 100+ |
| SPIT Mumbai | CSE | 165–170 | 150–155 | 125–135 | 95–105 |
| PICT Pune | CSE | 162–168 | 148–155 | 122–130 | 92–100 |
| DJ Sanghvi Mumbai | CSE | 160–165 | 145–152 | 120–128 | 90–98 |
| MIT-WPU Pune | CSE | 140–150 | 125–138 | 100–115 | 80–90 |
For Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical branches, the required score drops by roughly 10–20 marks compared to CSE/IT at the same college. That distinction costs admission decisions when candidates don't account for it during college preference filling.
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MHT CET 2026 Safe Score for PCB Group (Pharmacy and Agriculture)
The PCB group runs on separate cutoff logic. Pharmacy and agriculture institutes have lower competition than engineering, which lowers the safe score threshold across all categories.
| Category | Safe Score (PCB, out of 200) | Target Percentile | College Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 120–140+ | 90–96+ | Top pharmacy colleges in Maharashtra |
| OBC | 100–120 | 84–92+ | Good government pharmacy colleges |
| SC | 80–100 | 75–85+ | Government and private pharmacy options |
| ST | 65–80 | 68–78+ | Government-aided pharmacy colleges |
PCB candidates have Biology as their dominant section, 100 questions at 1 mark each. A candidate who scores 80+/100 in Biology is largely insulated from a weak Physics or Chemistry performance. That is the most efficient score lever in the PCB paper.
MHT CET 2026 Category Wise Safe Score: Trend Analysis
| Category | 2022–23 Safe Score | 2023–24 Safe Score | 2024–25 Safe Score | 2026 Expected Safe Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General (Open) | 140–148 | 144–152 | 148–155 | 150–158+ |
| OBC | 122–130 | 126–134 | 128–138 | 130–142+ |
| EWS | 125–132 | 128–136 | 130–140 | 130–142+ |
| SC | 100–115 | 105–120 | 108–122 | 110–125 |
| ST | 85–100 | 88–105 | 92–108 | 95–110 |
MHT CET 2026 Category Wise Safe Score: Quick Reference
| Category | Safe Score (Marks) | Target Percentile | Minimum for Tier-1 College | Branch Note |
| General (GOPENS) | 150+ | 98.5–99.5+ | 175+ for COEP/VJTI | CSE needs 180+ |
| OBC (GOBCS) | 130–140+ | 95–97+ | 160+ for Tier-1 | 15–20 mark CSE premium applies |
| EWS (GOEWS) | 128–138+ | 94–97+ | 158+ for Tier-1 | Tracks closely with OBC |
| SC (GSCS) | 110–125 | 91–95+ | 140+ for Tier-1 | Significant relaxation at COEP |
| ST (GSTS) | 95–110 | 88–92+ | 100+ for Tier-1 | 60-mark gap vs General at COEP CSE |
| NT/VJ/DT | 110–120 | 90–94+ | 135+ for Tier-1 | Varies by NT sub-category |
| PWD (Open) | 80–100 | 80–88+ | Branch-dependent | Relaxation significant at all tiers |
Also Check:
- Marks Required for 90 Percentile in MHT CET
- Top 3 MHT CET Colleges in Maharashtra with High Placements
MHT CET 2026 Category Wise Safe Score FAQs
Ques. What is the safe score for MHT CET 2026 for General category candidates?
Ans. A safe score for admission to good government or autonomous colleges for General (Open) category candidates is considered to be above 150+ marks out of 200. However, for admission to top colleges such as COEP or VJTI for CSE or IT courses, the score needs to be at least 175 or 185. A score of below 130 for the General category restricts the college or branch options.
Ques. Is 120 marks a safe score for MHT CET 2026?
Ans. For the general category, 120 marks is not a safe score for entering reputable colleges, but it will place a candidate at a percentile of 92-95. This will be safe for mid-tier private colleges but not for government colleges or top autonomous colleges. For SC and NT category students, 120 marks is a safe score for entering Tier 2 colleges. For ST category students, 120 marks is a safe score even for Tier 1 colleges for most branches.
Ques. Does the safe score for MHT CET change every year?
Ans. Yes. The safe score shifts every year based on exam difficulty, the number of candidates, shift-wise normalisation, and seat availability. With 10.9 lakh candidates registered for MHT CET 2026, which is a record figure, cutoffs are expected to move 4–8 marks higher across all categories compared to 2025. Candidates should target a score that is at least 10 marks above the previous year's safe threshold for their category.
Ques. Is the safe score different for PCB and PCM groups in MHT CET 2026?
Ans. Yes, the safe score is different for the PCB group and the PCM group in MHT CET 2026. The PCB group consists of Pharmacy and Agriculture, and the overall competition is less when compared to the PCM group, which consists of Engineering courses. A General category PCB student is safe with 120 to 140 marks for the top Pharmacy colleges, but the same score in the PCM group will not be enough to get into the top Engineering colleges.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.