HP CET 2027
Himachal Pradesh Common Entrance Test (HPCET), Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HIMTU)
HPCET is the Himachal Pradesh Technical University entrance test for engineering and pharmacy seats in HP institutes. The first half of B.Tech seats go by JEE Main merit and the other half by HPCET merit.
- Conducted by
- Himachal Pradesh Technical University (HPTU, now called HIMTU), Hamirpur
- Mode
- Offline pen-and-paper OMR test (per the 2026 prospectus)
- Frequency
- Once a year
- Duration
- 3 hours 15 minutes for B.Tech and B.Pharmacy (2026 prospectus)
HP CET 2027 Exam Pattern
Updated on 18 October 2026 · Compiled from official Himachal Pradesh Technical University notices
The pattern below is from HIMTU Prospectus Part-I (2026). Older pages show different figures.
Exam pattern (2026 prospectus)
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mode | Offline, OMR sheet |
| Questions | 150 to attempt out of 180 offered |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or Biology: each has Section A (20 compulsory) and Section B (attempt any 30 of 40) |
| Marks | 600 total, +4 for correct, -1 for wrong, 0 for unattempted |
| Duration | 3 hours 15 minutes |
| MBA and MCA | 100 compulsory MCQs, 1 mark each, -0.25 for wrong, 2 hours (2.00 to 4.00 pm on 10 May 2026) |
If more than 30 Section B questions are attempted, only the first 30 attempted are evaluated.
Preparation implication
With 150 questions in 195 minutes you have about 78 seconds per question. The -1 penalty makes careful guessing important.
Marking and sections (2026 prospectus)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Marks per correct answer | +4 |
| Penalty per wrong answer | -1 |
| Maximum marks | 600 (150 questions x 4) |
| B.Tech sections | Physics 80 + 120 marks (200), Chemistry 200, Mathematics 200 |
| B.Pharmacy sections | Physics 200, Chemistry 200, Mathematics or Biology 200 |
| 2026 timing | 9:00 am to 12:15 pm on 10 May 2026 |
Pages describing no negative marking or a 300-mark scheme conflict with the prospectus and are outdated.
Time plan
Each section can take about 65 minutes if time is split evenly. A safe order is to finish the sure answers in all three subjects first and return to doubtful questions in the last 30 minutes.