Why are Maharashtra students demanding a re-test of top 150 CET rankers?

Students across Maharashtra are questioning the credibility of this year's Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MH CET) results after an unusual trend emerged between Class 12 board marks and CET performance. The controversy has now escalated into a demand for the re-examination of the top 150 CET rankers under controlled conditions to verify the authenticity of the results.The demand comes barely a year after the country witnessed widespread debates over examination integrity following the NEET paper leak controversy, making transparency in entrance examinations an even bigger public concern.WHY ARE STUDENTS SEEKING A RE-TEST?The demand was first raised by Advay Joshi, a former student of the College of Engineering Pune (COEP) and founder of Swayam Physics. After analysing MH CET results over the past few years, he claimed there has been a sharp shift in the relationship between board examination marks and CET performance since 2022.According to Joshi, until 2022, students scoring above 90 per cent in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) in Class 12 generally also figured among the top CET performers. However, recent results appear to tell a different story. He pointed out that several students securing only 45 to 60 per cent in Class 12 PCM have gone on to score between 95 and 100 percentile in MH CET, while many board toppers have remained stuck at much lower percentiles.THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE DEBATEThe 2025-26 results have further fuelled the discussion. The MH CET topper reportedly scored only 51.67 per cent in Class 12 PCM and 50 per cent in Class 10, while the second rank holder secured around 51 per cent in Class 12 and 44 per cent in Class 10. Data released by the CET Cell shows that among candidates scoring 98-100 percentile, nearly 200 students had obtained only 40-50 per cent in Class 12 PCM. At the same time, around 50 students who had scored over 90 per cent in Class 12 PCM reportedly remained around the 30th percentile in CET.These figures have prompted teachers and students to question whether the examination results require an independent review.CET CELL DISAGREESThe State Common Entrance Test Cell has rejected suggestions of irregularities. CET Commissioner Dilip Sardesai said comparing board examination marks directly with CET percentiles is not appropriate because both examinations assess students differently.He maintained that the CET Cell's analysis shows an overall positive correlation between Class 12 performance and CET scores, even if individual exceptions exist.Meanwhile, political leaders including NCP's Rohit Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Aaditya Thackeray and the Congress have also sought greater transparency. While no decision has been taken on re-testing candidates, the demand for an independent verification of the top 150 rankers continues to gather attention.- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Jul 30, 2026 11:50 IST