New Maharashtra CET Cell Revises BE/BTech Seat Fee To Curb 'Seat Blocking' In CAP Process

Mumbai: In a bid to curb "seat blocking" during the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for BE and BTech courses, the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has revised the seat acceptance fee structure. The move is aimed at ensuring that more deserving candidates secure admissions instead of losing opportunities due to seats being held and later relinquished.

Nearly 60,000 engineering seats surrendered in 2025 admission cycle

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, CET Cell Commissioner Dilip Sardesai said that during the 2025 admission cycle, nearly 60,000 engineering seats were surrendered by candidates across different CAP rounds after they had initially accepted them by paying a nominal fee of ₹1,000.

According to the CET Cell, around 41,000 students accepted seats in the first round but subsequently gave them up. In the second round, nearly 11,000 candidates declined their allotted seats, followed by around 3,000 in the third round and 11,040 in the fourth round. As a result, thousands of seats remained vacant or became available too late in the admission process, depriving many eligible students of the opportunity to secure admission.

Commissioner Sardesai says fee revision discourages seat holding

Sardesai said the revised fee structure is intended to discourage candidates from holding on to seats while waiting for better options in subsequent rounds. "The objective is to ensure that every eligible student gets a fair opportunity for admission and that available seats are utilised efficiently," he said.

Under the revised policy, students accepting a seat in the first CAP round will continue to pay a seat acceptance fee of ₹1,000. However, candidates who retain their admission while opting for upgradation will have to pay ₹2,000 if allotted a seat in the second round and ₹3,000 if allotted a seat in the third round.

The CET Cell clarified that students receiving their first-ever allotment in the second, third or fourth CAP round will still pay only ₹1,000. The increased fee will apply only to those who continue in the admission process after securing an earlier allotment and seek better options in subsequent rounds.

Officials believe the revised fee structure will reduce the practice of seat blocking, improve seat utilisation and enable more engineering aspirants to secure admissions through the CAP process.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/