MAH MBA/MMS CAP 2026: The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has clarified that the 30% reservation for women has never been applicable to postgraduate management programmes, including Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Management Studies (MMS), and PGDM courses. The clarification comes after the CAP Round 1 seat matrix was revised during the ongoing admission process.
According to a Careers360 report, several aspirants alleged that the CET Cell had replaced the original MBA/MMS CAP Round 1 seat matrix after counselling had already begun by removing the women's reservation without issuing a detailed public explanation. Candidates who had filled their option forms based on the earlier seat matrix questioned the transparency of the revision.
Women's Reservation Not Applicable to PG Courses
As per the report, a CET Cell official clarified that the 30% reservation for women has never been implemented for postgraduate management programmes because the relevant Government Resolution (GR) applies only to undergraduate courses.
"The 30% female reservation was never implemented for the post-graduate courses, including MBA/MMS, as the underlying Government Resolution (GR) makes it applicable only for undergraduate programmes," the official told the report.
The official further stated that last year's MBA/MMS admission information brochure had clearly mentioned that reservations for women, defence personnel wards, and orphan category candidates were not applicable to postgraduate management programmes.
Why Was the Seat Matrix Revised?
According to the report, while preparing the MBA/MMS Admission Information Brochure for the 2026-27 academic session, the clarification regarding the non-applicability of defence, orphan, and women's reservations was removed after representations were received seeking the inclusion of defence and orphan quotas in MBA admissions.
As a result, the initial CAP Round 1 seat matrix was generated showing reserved seats under the women, defence, and orphan categories. However, concerns were later raised over whether the omission in the information brochure could override the existing Government Resolution governing reservations.
"The clarification was removed from the brochure, but the original Government Resolution governing reservations remained unchanged. We sought clarification from the government, which confirmed that the women's reservation is not applicable to MBA admissions. Accordingly, a revised seat matrix has been issued," the CET Cell official told the report.
Revised MBA/MMS Seat Matrix Released
Following the government's clarification, the CET Cell has released the revised provisional institute-wise seat matrix for admission to first-year, two-year full-time postgraduate management programmes, including MBA, MMS, and PGDM, for the 2026-27 academic session.
The revised seat matrix includes category-wise distribution under:
Open
Scheduled Caste (SC)
Scheduled Tribe (ST)
Other Backward Classes (OBC)
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)
Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
Defence category
The CET Cell has reiterated that the 30% reservation for women does not apply to postgraduate management admissions, and the revised seat matrix has been prepared in accordance with the applicable Government Resolution.
