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Diploma admissions in state to have four rounds

According to the new rules, the seats available for rounds rounds II, III and IV will be published on the website.

The candidates eligible for these rounds will be allowed to fill in and/or edit the online option form filled in the previous round. (File Photo)

The Central Admission Process (CAP) for diploma admissions in the state to courses like engineering, hotel management and catering, pharmacy, surface coating technology, etc. will have four rounds instead of three from 2025-26 onwards, according to a government resolution by the Higher and Technical Education Department.

According to the new rules, the seats available for rounds rounds II, III and IV will be published on the website. The candidates eligible for these rounds will be allowed to fill in and/or edit the online option form filled in the previous round.

Vinod Mohitkar, Maharashtra’s Director of Technical Education, said that the changes in rules were brought in to increase the admission numbers for the diploma courses.

Previously, candidates who had been allotted a seat other than first preference and had confirmed the seat to the Admission Reporting Centre (ARC), could fill in a fresh form for their seat preference. However, according to the new rules, if a candidate is allotted the seat as per his first three or first six preferences in Round-II or Round-III respectively, the candidate has to accept the seat alloted. The new rules say, “…such allotment shall be auto freezed and the candidate shall accept the allotment so made.” After accepting this seat, that candidate will not be eligible for participation in the subsequent CAP rounds.

The new rules specify that if the allotment made in Round-II or Round-III is not from the first three or six respective preferences submitted by candidates, they have the option to accept or not accept the allotted seat. In either case, the candidate will be eligible for participation in the subsequent rounds. No betterment option will be available to candidates after round IV and the allotment made or retained in this round will be the final allotment. However, for “working professionals”, Round-II will be the final allotment and no betterment option available after this round.

Like previous years, every stage in the CAP admission process will be conducted with the HD (Home District) and OHD (Other than Home District) tag. If seats remain vacant, then the same stage will be conducted without these tags.

Further, the technical education department has also instructed colleges that an information brochure or prospectus of the Institution specifying details like accreditation, status, fee structure, hostels and other facilities, academic, curricular, and co-curricular activities and features has to be published before the commencement of the admission process.

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Complete change in rules can be found at https://gr.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/Upload/Government%20Resolutions/English/202505231509180208.pdf.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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