MHT CET CAP 2026: over 15,000 BPharm, PharmD seats remain unfilled after multiple counselling rounds

In short

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell reported 31,521 admissions against 47,192 BPharmacy and PharmD seats offered for the 2026-27 academic year.
Over 15,000 BPharmacy and PharmD seats across 530 pharmacy colleges in Maharashtra remain unfilled after all counselling rounds.
Admissions have declined across pharmacy colleges in Maharashtra, with nearly one-third of seats vacant since the 2023-24 academic year.
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU) proposed a moratorium on new BPharmacy and DPharmacy institutes from 2027-28 to 2030-31.

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has concluded its Centralized Admission Process (CAP) for BPharmacy and PharmD admissions for the 2026-27 academic year, revealing that over 15,000 seats remain vacant across 530 pharmacy colleges in the state. Despite conducting four rounds of CAP counselling and an additional institutional round, only 31,521 students have secured admission against a total of 47,192 seats offered.

This marks a continuation of a trend observed since the 2023-24 academic year, where approximately one-third of pharmacy seats have gone empty. The CET Cell data indicates a dip in admissions across pharmacy colleges in Maharashtra, prompting proposals for restructuring within the sector.

Details of MHT CET CAP Counselling 2026 Admissions

The Maharashtra CET Cell conducted a complete counselling process for BPharmacy and PharmD admissions, which included four rounds of the Centralized Admission Process (CAP) and an institutional round. Online registration for these admissions commenced on July 31, 2026, and concluded on August 23, 2026.

Most admissions occurred in the initial rounds, with 16,528 students admitted in the first round and 7,283 in the second. Subsequent rounds saw fewer admissions, with 2,895 in the third and 1,938 in the fourth. In addition, 1,907 admissions were processed through the CAP round, 940 through the institutional quota, and 30 under the North-East, Jammu & Kashmir, and AICTE quota.

Admission Rounds	Admissions
Admission Round – 1	16,528
Admission Round – 2	7,283
Admission Round – 3	2,895
Admission Round – 4	1,938
CAP Round	1,907
Institutional Round	940
North-East, Jammu & Kashmir and AICTE Quota	30
Total Admissions	31,521

Declining Admissions and Proposed Restructuring

The current academic year’s admission figures reflect a broader trend of declining student intake in Maharashtra’s pharmacy colleges. While 31,521 students have taken admission in 2026-27, this number is slightly lower than the 32,953 admissions recorded in the 2025-26 academic year. The problem of nearly one-third of seats remaining vacant has been consistent since the 2023-24 academic year, when 28,340 admissions were made.

In response to the persistent fall in admissions, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU), Lonere, has proposed a significant restructuring. Through its newly approved Master Plan for 2025-2031, DBATU has suggested that no new BPharmacy or DPharmacy institutes should be established between the academic sessions 2027-28 and 2030-31. This proposal aims to address the imbalance between the rising number of pharmacy colleges and the stagnant student intake.

Academic Year	Admissions
2026-27	31,521
2025-26	32,953
2024-25	31,827
2023-24	28,340

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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