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If you are applying to Manipal Institute of Technology, you will meet the Manipal Entrance Test, or MET. It is shorter than JEE Main, it mixes multiple-choice and numerical questions, and your Class 12 marks count alongside it. This post explains the official pattern, how the merit list is built, and how to prepare without a separate syllabus to learn.
What is MET and which colleges use it?
MET is the entrance test run by Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). The MET B.Tech syllabus PDF linked from MAHE's MET syllabus page lists it as the test for "All Bachelor of Technology (BTech) Programs" at four institutes: MIT Manipal, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal University Jaipur and MIT Bengaluru. That document is labelled MET 2025, and it is still the B.Tech syllabus MAHE links today, so check for a newer version when you apply.
MET is not the only door. The MIT Manipal B.Tech CSE programme page lists two routes: MET, or JEE Main with merit based on the JEE Main Common Rank List.
What is the MET exam pattern?
From the MET 2025 B.Tech syllabus:
Duration: 120 minutes
60 questions in total
Multiple choice: mathematics 15, physics 10, chemistry 10, English 10
Numerical answer type (NAT): mathematics 5, physics 5, chemistry 5
Maximum marks: 240
MCQ marking: +4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 unanswered
NAT marking: +4 correct, 0 wrong, 0 unanswered
Check the arithmetic: 15 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 45 MCQs and 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 NAT questions, so 60 questions. At 4 marks each, 60 × 4 = 240.
The syllabus itself is close to the JEE Main syllabus: sets and functions through differential equations in maths, units and measurement through electronic devices and experimental skills in physics, and physical, inorganic and organic chemistry. The English section covers grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
How does the MET merit list work?
The MIT Manipal CSE page states the MET route merit list is based on "50% weightage given to MET score and 50% weightage to the marks obtained in 10+2 examinations (Physics + Mathematics + Chemistry / Optional Subject + English)". The same page asks for at least 50% aggregate in Class 12 with physics and mathematics, one of chemistry, biotechnology, biology or a technical vocational subject, and English as a compulsory subject.
That 50% weight changes how you should treat your board exams. A strong MET score cannot fully make up for weak Class 12 marks, so do not neglect boards to drill MET papers.
When should you guess on MET?
Worked example. On an MCQ with four options, a blind guess is right with probability 1/4. The expected score is 1/4 × 4 − 3/4 × 1 = 1 − 0.75 = +0.25 marks. If you can rule out one option, it becomes 1/3 × 4 − 2/3 × 1 = 1.33 − 0.67 = +0.67. Rule out two and it is 1/2 × 4 − 1/2 × 1 = +1.5.
So on MCQs, a guess after eliminating at least one option is worth taking. On NAT questions there is no penalty at all, so always enter your best numerical answer.
The common mistake is spending too long on NAT questions because they have no options. With 120 minutes for 60 questions you have 2 minutes per question on average. Our guide to numerical answer questions has tips on rounding and units that apply here too.
How do attempts and slot booking work?
The MET 2025 syllabus explains that candidates book a date and batch in the Online Test Booking System, first come first served, and that a booked slot cannot be changed. Candidates who applied before the first-attempt deadline could book a second attempt in Phase 2 for an extra Rs 1,400; those who first took the test in Phase 2 could not. MAHE's 2026 MET schedule lists Phase 1 and Phase 2 for B.Tech. Check the schedule tab on manipal.edu for your year before booking.
A four-week plan
Week 1: Map the MET syllabus onto your JEE Main notes. Mark anything you have not studied.
Week 2: Daily timed sets of 15 maths MCQs plus 5 NAT questions in 40 minutes.
Week 3: Two full 120-minute papers using MAHE's mock test, then an error log.
Week 4: Board-style revision of PCM and English, since half your merit comes from there.
If one concept keeps causing wrong answers, fix that concept on its own. The Fermi Concept Library covers every concept in physics, chemistry and mathematics, each with its own lesson, so you can fill one gap and go back to practice.
Open the MET syllabus PDF on manipal.edu this week and tick off each unit you have already covered.
