Updates as of September 22, 2026
The 41st MH-SET now stands on 25 October 2026, carried on the banner of the SET portal run by Savitribai Phule Pune University. The prospectus for this cycle was issued for a 26 July 2026 sitting, and the examination was subsequently rescheduled; a Shuddhi Patrak corrigendum covering the change is posted on the same site.
MH-SET Important Dates, SPPUAdmit cards are due on 15 October 2026 from 10:00 a.m., ten days before the examination. The application cycle closed some time ago: applications without late fee ran from 2 June 2026 to 3 July 2026, with a late-fee window of Rs 500 from 13 to 23 July 2026 and a correction window from 24 to 26 July 2026.
MH-SET Important Dates, SPPUOnly 6 per cent of candidates who appear in both papers are declared qualified. On top of that ceiling, a candidate must score at least 40 per cent in aggregate across the two papers if in the General or EWS category, or 35 per cent if in a reserved category, before the 6 per cent list is drawn.
MH-SET Prospectus, SPPUMH-SET is held in 32 subjects at 18 centre cities across Maharashtra and Goa, and the subject papers follow the UGC-NET and UGC-CSIR-NET syllabi. The certificate confers eligibility for Assistant Professor posts in universities and colleges of Maharashtra and Goa; the state agency states it is not liable to provide a job to qualified candidates.
MH-SET Prospectus, SPPUThe fee stands at Rs 800 for Open category and Rs 650 for SC, ST, PwD, Transgender, Orphan, OBC, DT(A)(VJ), NT(B), NT(C), NT(D), SEBC and EWS candidates, payable by debit card, credit card or net banking only and non-refundable. Reserved-category applicants domiciled outside Maharashtra and Goa are treated as Open.
MH-SET Application Fee, SPPUMH-SET scheme of examination
| Paper | Content | Marks and time |
|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General paper on teaching and research aptitude: reasoning, comprehension and general awareness, 50 compulsory objective questions at 2 marks each | 100 marks, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. |
| Paper II | The candidate's chosen subject, 100 compulsory objective questions at 2 marks each, set on the UGC-NET or UGC-CSIR-NET syllabus | 200 marks, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. |
| Mode | OMR-based only, four test booklet codes A to D, questions in English and Marathi except for the language papers | 300 marks in total on one day |
| Negative marking | None. No mark is deducted for a wrong answer in either paper | Not applicable |
| Qualifying bar | At least 40 per cent aggregate for General and EWS, 35 per cent for reserved categories, and then a cap of 6 per cent of those who appeared in both papers | Aggregate of 300 |
Mathematical Sciences carries a special instruction: candidates must attempt questions from Sections I and II, or Sections I and III, and attempting both Sections II and III results in rejection. Corrections on the OMR sheet are not permitted.
Dates and windows
| What | When | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Applications without late fee | 2 June 2026 (11:00) to 3 July 2026 (18:00) | Closed |
| Applications with Rs 500 late fee | 13 July 2026 (11:00) to 23 July 2026 (18:00) | Closed |
| Application correction window | 24 July 2026 (11:00) to 26 July 2026 (18:00) | Closed |
| Admit card available | 15 October 2026 from 10:00 | Confirmed |
| 41st MH-SET examination | 25 October 2026, Paper I 10:00 to 11:00 and Paper II 11:30 to 13:30 | Confirmed |
| Result | Not announced; the SET portal hosts results on its Result page | Tentative |
The sitting was originally advertised for 26 July 2026, which is why the prospectus on the portal is dated for July. The Important Dates page and the site banner now both carry 25 October 2026.
What this means for your preparation
The single most misread thing about MH-SET is the qualifying rule. Scoring 40 per cent does not qualify anyone. Forty per cent is only the floor that makes a candidate eligible to be counted; the actual list is capped at 6 per cent of everyone who appeared in both papers. MH-SET is a ranked competition dressed as an eligibility test.
The 6 per cent cap sets the real cut-off
Two conditions apply in sequence. First, a candidate must score at least 40 per cent in aggregate across Paper I and Paper II if General or EWS, or 35 per cent if in a reserved category. Second, the qualified list is limited to 6 per cent of the candidates who appeared in both papers. In a large subject that second condition, not the first, decides everything: the effective cut-off floats with the subject's own field each year and typically sits well above the 40 per cent floor. Planning to clear 120 of 300 marks is planning to fail. The target should be set by what the top decile of a subject's field scores, not by the printed minimum.
No negative marking changes the tactics
Both papers are entirely objective, on OMR, with no deduction for a wrong answer. There is therefore no rational reason to leave any of the 150 bubbles blank, and a candidate who runs short of time in Paper II should still mark every remaining question rather than leave them. Because each question carries two marks and there are four booklet codes, the sequence of questions differs between neighbours, so the booklet code must be entered correctly. Corrections on the OMR sheet are not permitted, which makes the discipline of a single decisive pass through the paper more important than it would be in a computer-based test.
Paper II is the UGC-NET syllabus, so use NET material
MH-SET sets Paper II on the updated syllabi of UGC-NET and UGC-CSIR-NET, and the SET portal's syllabus page lists 32 subjects with their codes, from Marathi, Hindi, English, Sanskrit and Urdu through History, Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Library and Information Science and Social Work, to Mathematical Sciences, Physical Science, Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Computer Science and Application, Electronics Science, Forensic Science, Commerce, Management, Law, Education and Physical Education. The practical consequence is that UGC-NET question banks and previous papers are directly usable preparation. The difference lies in the format, 100 two-mark questions on OMR in two hours, rather than in the content.
Who can sit, and who cannot sit again
Eligibility is a master's degree with at least 55 per cent marks for General candidates, or 50 per cent for SC, ST, OBC, SEBC, DT(VJ), NT, Transgender, PwD and Orphan candidates, in each case without gracing or rounding off. There is no upper age limit. A candidate who has already qualified SET in a subject cannot appear again in the same subject, and doing so invites action and denial of the certificate. Reservation benefits are confined to candidates domiciled in Maharashtra and Goa; an applicant from another state in a reserved category must apply under Open, and being wrongly classified can cost the certificate after the result.
What the certificate does and does not do
MH-SET is accredited by the UGC and certifies eligibility for Assistant Professor posts in universities and colleges in Maharashtra and Goa. The state agency states in terms that it is not liable to provide a job to qualified candidates; recruitment remains with individual universities and colleges. The geographic limit is the key planning point. UGC-NET is valid nationally, while MH-SET is valid in two states, so a candidate who may move outside Maharashtra and Goa should hold NET as well. A candidate whose discipline is not among the 32 SET subjects has no MH-SET route at all and must take UGC-NET.
Common questions
When is the MH-SET 2026 exam and when does the hall ticket come out?
The 41st MH-SET is scheduled for 25 October 2026, with Paper I from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. and Paper II from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the same day. Admit cards are due from 15 October 2026 at 10:00 a.m. on the SET portal run by Savitribai Phule Pune University. The sitting was originally advertised for 26 July 2026 and was rescheduled; the site's Important Dates page and homepage banner both now carry 25 October 2026.
What is the MH-SET qualifying percentage?
Two rules apply together. A candidate must first score at least 40 per cent in aggregate across both papers if in the General or EWS category, or at least 35 per cent if in a reserved category. Then the qualified list is limited to 6 per cent of the candidates who appeared in both papers. Clearing 40 per cent is therefore necessary but nowhere near sufficient in a competitive subject, where the effective cut-off is set by the 6 per cent ceiling.
Is there negative marking in MH-SET?
No. The examination scheme published by SPPU states there is no negative marking in either paper. Paper I has 50 compulsory objective questions of two marks each, for 100 marks in one hour; Paper II has 100 compulsory objective questions of two marks each, for 200 marks in two hours. Both are OMR-based with four booklet codes, A to D. Since nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, every question should be attempted, and no correction is allowed on the OMR sheet.
How many subjects does MH-SET cover and what if mine is missing?
MH-SET is conducted in 32 subjects at 18 centre cities across Maharashtra and Goa, listed with codes on the portal's syllabus page, and the subject papers follow the UGC-NET and UGC-CSIR-NET syllabi. If a discipline is not among those 32, there is no MH-SET route and the candidate must appear for UGC-NET instead, which is valid nationally rather than in the two states MH-SET covers.
What is the MH-SET application fee?
The fee is Rs 800 for Open category candidates and Rs 650 for SC, ST, PwD, Transgender, Orphan, OBC, DT(A)(VJ), NT(B), NT(C), NT(D), SEBC and EWS candidates. Payment is accepted only by debit card, credit card or net banking, and the fee is not refundable once paid. Persons with disability qualify for the reduced fee only at 40 per cent disability or above. A late fee of Rs 500 applied during the 13 to 23 July 2026 window.
Is MH-SET equivalent to UGC NET for Assistant Professor posts?
MH-SET is accredited by the UGC and its certificate confers eligibility for Assistant Professor posts in universities and colleges in the states of Maharashtra and Goa. UGC-NET carries national validity. Both use the same subject syllabi, which is why NET material prepares a candidate for SET Paper II, but their reach differs. The SET agency also states plainly that it is not liable to provide a job to a qualified candidate; appointment remains with the recruiting institution.
