MHT CET 2026: State Cell Files Police Complaint Over Viral ‘Special Exam Centre’ Audio Clip

The State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra, has lodged an official police complaint following the viral circulation of an audio clip and video alleging major irregularities in the MHT CET 2026 examination process. The controversial audio recording features a woman allegedly offering an engineering aspirant a “special” exam centre in exchange for ₹12 lakh, promising a guaranteed 99th percentile score and admission to top-tier government-aided engineering institutes.

Taking stern note of the unverified content casting a shadow over the credibility of the entrance examination, the CET Cell submitted formal complaints to the Maharashtra State Cyber Cell and Mumbai’s Azad Maidan Police Station. Authorities have urged the police to investigate the origin of the recording, identify those involved in circulating the material, and verify the authenticity of the claims.

Allegations of ‘Special’ Exam Centre for ₹12 Lakh

The controversy gained widespread traction across social media platforms after the audio clip began circulating among engineering aspirants and parent forums. In the recording, the woman purports to manipulate exam centre allotments to secure exceptionally high percentile scores for candidates in exchange for a hefty financial payout.

The incident sparked intense reactions from political leaders and candidate associations. Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Balaji Gade and several student representatives raised questions regarding the credibility of the entrance test, demanding an independent, high-level inquiry to protect the interest of genuine merit-holders.

CET Cell Rejects Centre Manipulation Allegations

Refuting all allegations of examination malpractice or center tampering, CET Cell Commissioner and CEO Dilip Sardesai emphasized that the allotment process is fully automated and tamper-proof.

“Exam centres are allotted centrally through an automated computerized algorithm,” Sardesai clarified. “Candidates can opt for four preferred test locations, while female candidates are offered options within their home district. A week prior to the examination, candidates are only informed of the examination city. The specific venue details are revealed just two days before the test. No candidate or external party has any influence over final centre allocation.”

He further noted that for MHT CET 2026, the CET Cell restricted examination venues strictly to computer laboratories within accredited government and private engineering colleges.

Addressing HSC vs MHT CET Score Discrepancies

The complaint also addresses viral social media videos alleging anomalies in the MHT CET provisional merit list, where critics argued that candidates with low Class 12 board marks secured top percentiles in the CET.

Addressing these concerns with official data, Sardesai explained that variations between Class 12 Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination marks and entrance test percentiles are common across competitive exams, attributing this to differing evaluation formats and question patterns.

• Top CET Scorers in HSC: Data revealed that 202 candidates scoring between the 98th and 100th percentile in the MHT CET PCM group secured between 40% and 50% in their HSC Board exams.

• Reverse Score Variance: Conversely, 50 candidates who scored above 90% in their HSC Board exams achieved scores below the 30th percentile in the MHT CET.

• JEE Main Comparison: Similarly, 69 candidates scoring between the 40th and 50th percentile in MHT CET scored between the 90th and 100th percentile in JEE Main.

“The nature of subjective board exams and objective, timed entrance tests is fundamentally different. Isolated data points cannot be treated as evidence of systemic wrongdoing,” Sardesai added, while confirming that the administration will nonetheless review the academic background of outlier candidates.

Next Steps in Police Investigation

With over 2.4 lakh candidates registered for the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for engineering in Maharashtra, the State CET Cell has reiterated its commitment to maintaining absolute transparency. Azad Maidan Police officials have summoned CET Cell authorities to record detailed statements. According to officials, the case is likely to be transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch for a deeper technical investigation into the origin of the audio clips.