MHT-CET CAP Round 3 option entry is open: six choices can freeze

## What changed?

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test Cell has opened Round 3 option entry for the 2026 Centralized Admission Process (CAP) for first-year engineering and integrated engineering admissions. The live First Year Engineering portal shows that students can submit and confirm their Round 3 option form from August 20 to August 22, 2026 — Confirmed. The portal also carries a new warning: the first six preferences in Round 3 will be autofrozen. (fe2026.mahacet.org)

The Cell has also published the provisional vacant-seat list for CAP Round 3, dated August 19, 2026 — Confirmed. This is the college-and-branch vacancy document students should use while rebuilding their preference list. It covers institute-wise and category-wise vacancies, but the official PDF warns that the vacancy position may change and tells candidates to include every eligible choice they genuinely want, regardless of the currently displayed vacancy. (cappublicdocs2026.blob.core.windows.net)

This is more than a routine date reminder. Round 3 is a decision point: the order in which you place colleges and branches can decide whether a new allotment replaces your current seat or becomes final through the autofreeze rule.

## Who does this affect?

This update is for students in Maharashtra who are already registered for MHT-CET 2026 counselling for Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology admissions, have appeared in the relevant merit list, and are eligible to participate in CAP Round 3.

It particularly affects two groups:

1. Students who were not allotted a seat in an earlier round. They should use the newly published vacancy list to create a realistic but complete preference order. 2. Students who received a Round 2 seat and chose “Not Freeze” or “Betterment.” They must submit a fresh Round 3 option form if they want to compete for a better choice. Their earlier seat should not be treated as automatically safe unless the portal shows the correct acceptance or betterment status.

The important rule is Confirmed — stated on the current official portal: in Round 3, preferences one to six are autofrozen. If a student receives a seat within those first six choices, that allotment can end their participation in later CAP rounds under the Round 3 rules. A student who does not actually want a college or branch must not place it in the first six positions merely to “fill space.” (fe2026.mahacet.org)

Some education reports published different dates. Careers360 reported that Round 3 option entry began on August 20 but gave a later end date and also listed an August 24 allotment date. The live official portal currently shows option entry through August 22, while the official CAP schedule shown on the portal gives Round 3 allotment as August 27. Act on the live official portal, not an older news table. The August 20–22 option-entry window is Confirmed; any different date in older reporting is Reported, unverified or outdated until the State CET Cell changes its portal. (engineering.careers360.com)

## What should students do now?

First, log in to the official First Year Engineering CAP portal and check your current Round 2 status. Confirm whether your earlier seat is shown as accepted, frozen, or retained for betterment. Do not assume that filling Round 3 choices cancels your earlier seat or guarantees it will remain available.

Second, download and read the official CAP Round 3 provisional vacancy PDF. Use the exact choice codes, not just college names. Check the course, institute type, category, and whether the choice is actually eligible for your candidature. The vacancy list is provisional, so a zero shown today is not a reason to add a course you would never join, and a vacancy shown today is not a promise that you will receive it.

Third, prepare your preference list in honest order. Put your most wanted college-and-branch combination first. Put choices six and below only if you would genuinely accept them. Do not copy somebody else’s list, do not choose a branch only because it is popular, and do not place a college above your real preference simply because a social-media post says it may have vacancies.

Finally, save the form and complete the final confirmation. Take a screenshot or download the confirmation page after submission. If the portal shows an error, resolve it before the closing date rather than waiting for the last hour.

Deadline: August 22, 2026, time not stated on the current official portal — if you miss the Round 3 option-form window, you may not be considered for a Round 3 allotment. The next confirmed event is the provisional Round 3 allotment on August 27, 2026 — Confirmed on the official portal. (fe2026.mahacet.org)

For the full step-by-step process, keep our evergreen MHT-CET CAP counselling guide open while you check your login, vacancy list, option order, and final confirmation.

Published: August 21, 2026. Date status: Confirmed from the live official CAP portal. Fee status: Not applicable to this update; no fee amount is stated here. Rule status: Confirmed from the official portal and CAP schedule. AI assistance disclosure: This post was prepared with AI assistance and checked against the linked official Maharashtra State CET Cell pages and documents. Reviewed: August 21, 2026.

Sources - Maharashtra State CET Cell — Provisional Vacancy for CAP Round III PDF - Careers360 — MHT CET Counselling 2026 revised schedule and Round 3 option entry

_Last verified: 2026-08-21._

This is a free, independent help center, not an official CET site. Always confirm the latest dates, results and notifications on the official CET portal.