JEE Main is a computer-based test in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for the engineering paper, held in multiple sessions in a year, and it also acts as the screening stage for the advanced examination used for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology. Its scores are used for the national institutes of technology, the centrally funded technical institutions and many participating states and private institutions. The Maharashtra state route runs in parallel, with MHT CET based on the state board class 11 and class 12 syllabus in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or Biology, followed by centralised online counselling covering government, aided, autonomous and private engineering colleges in the state. Candidates in Maharashtra typically register for both. Exact patterns, sessions, weightages and the seat matrix are published in the official notifications of the National Testing Agency and the State CET Cell.

Candidates must have passed class 12 or an equivalent examination with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects and Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology or a technical vocational subject as the third subject, and must meet the qualifying marks laid down in the official notification. Candidates who appeared in class 12 in the current or the immediately preceding years are eligible to sit the national test in line with the rule notified for that cycle. For Maharashtra state quota seats, candidates must also satisfy the domicile and candidature category conditions defined by the State CET Cell and produce the prescribed certificates at document verification. Reservation and relaxation rules are as published officially.