India, May 27 -- The number of students appearing for Maharashtra's Common Entrance Test (CET) examinations has risen sharply this year, with nearly four lakh more candidates taking the exams compared to last year, reflecting growing competition for professional courses across the state.

According to data released by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, 16.29 lakh students appeared for various CET examinations for admissions to professional courses in the academic year 2026-27, up from 12.46 lakh students in 2025-26 - an increase of around 3.83 lakh candidates.

A total of 18.22 lakh students registered for 20 CET examinations conducted between March 24 and May 20, of which 89.89% appeared for the tests. Around 1.93 lakh students remaine...