State CET Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme Compared
Each state CET has a different exam pattern, number of questions, and marking scheme. Understanding how your target exam is structured helps you manage time during the actual test. This guide summarises the key differences — always verify the current pattern in the official notification before your exam.
Exam pattern comparison (verify each on the official portal)
| Exam | Format | Approx. questions | Duration | Negative marking? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MHT-CET (PCM) | CBT, multiple sessions | 150 questions (50 per subject) | 3 hours (confirm on portal) | No |
| KCET | Pen-and-paper OMR, 2 days | 60 questions per paper (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/Biology) | 80 minutes per paper (confirm on portal) | No |
| WBJEE | Pen-and-paper OMR | Paper 1: ~75 (Mathematics); Paper 2: ~80 (Physics + Chemistry) | Each paper 2 hours (confirm on portal) | Yes — Category I and II (not Category III) |
| KEAM | CBT (since 2025) | To be confirmed on the CEE portal for the current cycle | Confirm on cee.kerala.gov.in | No |
| TG EAPCET | CBT | Approximately 160 questions (confirm on eapcet.tgche.ac.in) | Confirm on portal | No |
| AP EAPCET | CBT | Approximately 160 questions (confirm on cets.apsche.ap.gov.in) | Confirm on portal | No |
| GUJCET | Pen-and-paper OMR | Approximately 120 questions (confirm on gseb.org) | Confirm on portal | No |
| COMEDK UGET | CBT | Approximately 180 questions (Physics + Chemistry + Mathematics) | Approximately 3 hours (confirm on comedk.org) | No |
Question counts and durations above are indicative from recent cycles and may change. Always confirm the current exam pattern in the official notification.
WBJEE is the main exception on negative marking: Among the major state CETs, WBJEE is the only exam in this group with a meaningful negative marking scheme for its Category I and Category II questions. For Category III questions, there is a partial marking system. If you are targeting WBJEE, your approach to uncertain answers must account for this, while for all other state CETs in this group a guess that turns out wrong costs you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Does the MHT-CET Class 11 syllabus carry separate marks?
Yes. MHT-CET has a defined split between Class 11 and Class 12 chapters. In recent cycles, Class 11 chapters have carried 20% of the marks and Class 12 chapters 80% (confirm the current split in the official brochure). This means completely ignoring Class 11 topics is a risk.