Engineering CAP: 98,055 seats allotted in 3rd round, admissions remain low

Students allotted institutions as per their top six preferences must confirm admission by physically reporting to their respective colleges between August 24 and 25, failing which their allotments will be forfeited

The Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for first-year engineering courses in Maharashtra has moved into its crucial third round. According to figures released by the State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell) on August 24, as many as 98,055 students have been allotted seats in this phase, adding momentum to the ongoing admission cycle.

While a large number of seats continue to be allotted, the gap between allotments and actual confirmations is widening. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

In the first round, 34,931 students confirmed their seats. The second round, however, saw a sharp drop, with only 29,910 students securing admission, despite 1.62 lakh seats being allotted to candidates. Together, the first two rounds brought confirmed admissions to 64,841 students.

The third round recorded a similar pattern. Of the 1.19 lakh candidates who filled preferences, nearly 98,055 were allotted seats.

Among them, 9,706 students have already locked their seats. Students allotted institutions as per their top six preferences must confirm admission by physically reporting to their respective colleges between August 24 and 25, failing which their allotments will be forfeited.

While a large number of seats continue to be allotted, the gap between allotments and actual confirmations is widening. Many students are believed to be waiting for better colleges and branches in subsequent rounds. In the second round alone, 14,016 students were auto-freezed, locking their seats and taking them out of further rounds.

The vacant seat matrix for the fourth and final CAP round will be published on August 26, after which students will get one last chance to secure admission. Authorities noted that despite the high allotment numbers, many students are still weighing their options or awaiting better opportunities, which has kept the confirmation figures relatively lower than the allotments.

With thousands of seats still in play, the final round is likely to determine the ultimate distribution of engineering admissions across the state.