MAH MBA CAP 2026: Maharashtra CET Cell Removes Women’s Quota, Issues Revised Seat Matrix

In a major last-minute development ahead of the Centralized Admission Process (CAP) Round 1 choice filling, the State Common Entrance Test Cell (State CET Cell), Maharashtra, has officially released an updated seat matrix for MAH MBA / MMS admissions 2026. In a significant policy reversal, the state authority has completely rolled back the 30 per cent horizontal reservation for female candidates across management institutes in Maharashtra.

The revised seat distribution framework has been published on the official admission portal, mba2026.mahacet.org.in, affecting over 350 AICTE-approved management institutions and university departments offering Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Management Studies (MMS) programmes for the 2026–27 academic year.

Why Was the Women’s Quota Rolled Back?

On July 27, 2026, the CET Cell published an initial provisional seat matrix that incorporated a dedicated 30 per cent horizontal reservation for female applicants. This quota applied across all vertical social categories, including General/Open, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).

However, introducing a 30 per cent horizontal slice without prior notification during the ongoing counselling cycle caused significant confusion among candidates. Education experts and aspirants raised concerns that the sudden structural shift disrupted historical cutoff trends and altered merit list dynamics overnight.

Following representations from stakeholders, the CET Cell issued a revised notice on July 29, 2026, revoking the horizontal women’s quota and restoring the seat allocation system to previous years’ parameters.

Revised MAH MBA CAP 2026 Seat Distribution Breakdown

Under the updated seat matrix, seats are allocated purely through standard vertical category reservations and open merit allocations. Female candidates will now compete directly within their respective overall categories without a separate, dedicated 30 per cent reservation.

Impact on Aspirants and Cut-off Expectations

The rollback directly impacts seat availability and preference strategies for both male and female candidates ahead of the CAP Round 1 option form submission:

• For Male Candidates: The removal of the dedicated 30 per cent female sub-quota restores seat volume across Open, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS categories. This offers a level playing field and improves admission probabilities in top-tier institutions.

• For Female Candidates: While women candidates no longer hold protected seats within each category, high-scoring female applicants remain fully eligible to secure seats under general merit ranks. However, cutoffs for female candidates in premier B-schools—such as Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS) and Sydenham Institute of Management Studies (SIMSREE)—may adjust upward compared to projections under the initial provisional matrix.

How to Check Updated Seat Matrix on Official Portal

Candidates participating in MAH MBA CAP 2026 are strongly advised to download the revised institute-wise seat distribution before submitting their option forms.

1. Visit the official State CET Cell website at mba2026.mahacet.org.in.

2. Navigate to the Notifications / Important Links section on the homepage.

3. Click on the link titled “Revised Seat Matrix for CAP Round 1 (AY 2026–27)”.

4. Open or download the institute-wise seat matrix PDF.

5. Verify seat intake for your target colleges across Home University (HU), Other Than Home University (OHU), and All India (AI) seats.

Aspirants are advised to re-evaluate their college option lists based on these updated seat counts to ensure optimal choice filling during CAP Round 1.

Written by Simran

Simran is currently working as a Senior Content Writer at Findmycollege , where she creates engaging and research-driven learning resources for students. She has completed her Graduation in Journalism from Delhi University. With 4 years of experience in the EdTech industry, she has previously contributed to leading platforms like Leverage Edu and Aakash. Her expertise lies in simplifying Engineering and Medical entrance exam content to guide aspirants in their preparation journey. Beyond writing, Simran enjoys sketching, watching movies, and finding creative inspiration in everyday life.

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