MET Score vs Branches in Manipal Engineering Colleges 2026

Students who are planning to do their engineering in 2026 and want to choose Manipal Academy of Higher Education, this will only be possible through MET entrance exam qualifying score. MET counselling process is different and is based on mixture many criteria like score, rank, campus option and availability of seats in various branches, which is different from JOSAA counselling where main focus is on rank.

MET Exam is given by around 65,000 students per year for a seat count of 5000 which is divided across three campuses MIT Manipal, MUJ Jaipur and MAHE Bengaluru. Students who want to choose CSE branch they need get score above 150 out of 240 marks for the Main Manipal Campus. 

For core engineering branches and ECE score around 135 is considered in Main campus admission. A score below 100 can get you in Jaipur or Bengaluru campus.

NOTE: 2025 closing cut-off rank for CSE at MIT Manipal – 5129 and for ECE – 6789.

Most importantly the ranks of students for MIT Manipal are based on two factors -: 50% weightage of MET score and 50% of 12^th marks.

What is MET and How Does Branch Allotment Works?

• MET exam Summary 
  This engineering entrance exam conducted by Manipal is of 240 marks computer-based of 2-hour. Subjects included are Physics, Chemistry, Maths, English and Reasoning, total questions are 60. For each correct answer students get +4 marks and for wrong answers -1 . Every year this exam is conducted in 2- phase one in April (whose results are out) and other in May (Exam date May 23-24, 2026). The best score is considered final for getting a seat.
• Ranking System
  There is no percentile given to students like JEE, just score obtained out of 240 marks, which is further converted to rank. For example – if you score 190/240 = 450 rank and likewise. So, key to getting seats Manipal is your score.
• Counselling and Seat Allotment
  There are 6 rounds of counselling process done by MAHE. In that 5 are through online process and last round is on spot at the campus itself. Procedure:

1. Registration – Counselling fee of INR 600 need to be paid online.
2. Choice filling – Students need to fill the desired branch.
3. Mock Allotment – Students can see based on their score the probable branch they will be allotted, according to last year scenario.
4. Round 1 – Pay fees of 1.5 lakhs to book the seat allotment or float for upgradation of seat.
5. Rounds 2-5 – If seats are vacant student can opt for better branch or campus option.
6. Spot Round – This is done for vacant seats, admission will be given to qualified students on spot, pay the fees get the seat. No return no refund.

Factors Affecting Branch Allocation

FACTORS	DETAILS
MET RANK / SCORE	It’s the primary criteria, students with rank from 1-1000 can get admission in any campus and any branch.
Preferred Campus	Manipal- Bengaluru -Jaipur
Counselling Preference	While doing choice filling students must opt branches in order of preference. Ex.  you select ECE above CSE, you get ECE only.
Availability of Seats	Seat matrix of particular branch is decided according to specialization closing rank.
Campus Location	The cut-offs for each campus of MIT are different (Manipal/Bengaluru). In 2025 CSE closing rank for Manipal – 3789 and Bengaluru -9362.

MET Score vs Rank Analysis 2026

Based on previous year data (including difficulty level of paper and number of candidates) + this year number of candidates which is 8% more than last year, question paper level and early phase, here’s an expected data for 2026:

MET Score (240)	Rank Range Expected	Campus and Branch
Above 200 marks	1-500	CSE branch at MIT Manipal
199-180	501- 1000	CSE, CSE-AIML at main campus and CSE with specialization at Bengaluru
179-160	1000-2800	CSE – IT /ECE at Manipal and CSE at Bengaluru
159-140	2801-5000	ECE/EEE at Manipal, Top branch at Bengaluru
139-120	5001- 15000	Core branch at Manipal, ECE at Jaipur
119-100	15001-20000	Core branch at Jaipur and Vacant seat allocation on spot
Below 100	Above 20000	New branches at Bengaluru and Jaipur campus

Expected Safe Score for 2026

1. 165 and above = CSE branch at Manipal 
2. 155 and above = CSE AIML at Manipal 
3. 135 and above = ECE at Manipal 
4. 140 and above = CSE at Jaipur

NOTE:  Scoring and ranking will also depend upon difficulty level of question paper, in 2024 MET exam was easier than 2025. For 2026 if paper is hard, there will be a considerable drop in score of around 10-15 marks and so will be the rank change.

MET Score Required for Top Branches in Manipal Engineering College

Branch /Expected Rank	Cut-off MIT Manipal	Cut-off Bengaluru	Cut-off Jaipur
Core CSE	160- 2000	148-4200	135-6500
CSE-AIML	150-3500	142-5000	132-8500
CSE- Data Science	145-3800	139-6000	128-10000
ECE	130-7000	125-11000	115-15000
IT	130-6000	129-7000	125-11000
CCE	158-2200	Not available	Not available
Mechanical	120-12000	110-16000	100-20000
Civil	110-15000	100-20000	95-22000

Campus Wise MET Score Requirement

1. MIT Manipal – Main Campus
   Highly competitive, in- demand campus started in 1957 a private engineering institution from Manipal under MAHE with NIRF rank of 56, top 60% students choose this campus (mainly CSE branch).
   Branch Availability – Core Engineering branches including specialization such as AIML, CCE, Data Science, IOT and more.
   Placement – In 2025, highest package 65LPA, avg. Package 10.8 LPA in top companies. 500 companies visited the campus in 2025 offered strong job opportunities.
   Cut-off at Manipal – Higher the score better chance of getting top branches.
2. MAHE Bengaluru Campus
   Demand of this campus is medium among students however it’s increasing due to its location Yelahanka, Bengaluru.
   Branch Availability - Earlier it offered 13 branches but in 2026 session its 10, with no CCE, Chemical and Biotechnology. Students must check the branch list before choosing.
   Placement – It’s been promising, in 2025 over 340 companies visited for placement. The highest package offered in 2025 51 LPA and Average package 8.9 LPA. Students also get in various internship programs offered by 300+ companies.
   Cut-off at Bengaluru – 10-15 marks lower than main campus, If you are getting CSE on your score at Bengaluru campus, then you will be getting ECE at Manipal Campus.
3. Manipal University Jaipur Campus 
   Competitiveness is low as it holds location disadvantage.
   Branch Availability – This campus offers 14 branches and all the specializations.
   Placement – The dedicated placement cell of MUJ has helped students getting placed in top organisations with competitive salaries. The average package offered in 2025 – 6.7 lakhs per annum and highest package - ?64 lakh per annum.

   Cut-off – A score 20-25 marks with lower than Manipal main campus can get you in MUJ.
   Closing rank for CSE in 2025 – 39307
   Closing rank for ECE in 2025 – 52311

MET Previous Year Cut-off Trends

• According to 2025 analysis, In Round 1 CSE Manipal closed at 161 score, which in Round 5 -154 marks. Cut-off Rank – 3479 – 5129 for Last Round.
• ECE – Closed at 135 marks which was more than 2024

Score Inflation/Deflation

YEAR	Manipal Closing	Reason
2023	148 (CSE)	Entrance exam paper level was easy
2024	156 (CSE)	Applicants increased to 10- 12% since last year
2025	162 (CSE)	Difficulty level high + Al trend
2026 (Expected)	170 (CSE)	More ee for specialization + Decrease in general category seats.

Branch Demand Changes

• There has been rise in specialization branch demands CSE AIML, CSE Cybersecurity, Data Science, ECE after VLSI introduction.
• It has raised the cut-offs across all branches from 15 % to 20%.
• CSE core and IT branches have always been stable at 5%.
• However, core branch of Engineering demand are dropping.

Which Branch Can You Get Based on Your MET Score?

SCORE	CAMPUS	BRANCH	STRATEGY
170-1500 rank	Manipal Bengaluru Jaipur	CSE, CCE, CSE-AI, ECE, IT. CSE with scholarship All branches’ fees waiver of 50k.	At the time of choice filling CSE -> CCE -> CSE-AI. Don’t waste time on other campuses.
150-170 ,1500 – 3500 ranks	Manipal Bengaluru Jaipur	IT, ECE for sure. CSE-AI maybe till Round 4 Round 2- CSE Round 1 – CSE-AI. Round 1 - CSE	If you want main campus, choose ECE. If you want CSE choose Bengaluru/Jaipur campus. All branches in Jaipur.
120 – 150, 3500 – 12000 ranks	Manipal Bengaluru Jaipur	ECE in Spot Round. EEE, Mech, Civil. May get CSE in Spot Round. Round 2 – ECE, EEE. Round 4- CSE IT, ECE confirm.	Choose maximum branches. Select ECE /IT across all campus.
Below 100, 20,000 ranks	Manipal Bengaluru Jaipur	Biotech. Spot Round- Civil, Chemical. Core branches, specialization like IOT and Data Science.	Very low score. Appear MET phase -2.

Factors Affecting MET Cut-off Every Year

The MET Cut-off is influenced by many factors, which are crucial for aspiring engineering candidates, includes:

• Exam Difficulty – The entrance exam paper difficulty level can affect the cut-off. If the paper is easy cut-offs will be high and vice-versa.
• Number of Applicants – MET exam cut-offs also changed according to students appearing in exam. More candidates lower Cut-off.
• Seat Matrix – High demand of branch may lead to lower Cut-off in campus with limited seats. Manipal has added 60 seats in CSE-AI for 2026 session this may result in drop in cut-off.
• Branch Popularity – Branches like CSE, AI, Data Science and ECE are I high demand which will lead to higher cut-offs.
• Counselling Rounds – Around 40% seats are filled in Round 1 in most campuses. Vacant seats lead to cut-off variations in later rounds.
• Campus Option – Manipal campus is in higher demand so cut-off level is highly competitive.
• NRI Seats – Cut-off also increases, as 15%seats are reserved for NRI students.

Best Branches in Manipal Engineering Colleges Based on Placement

Based on the data placement report of 2025 has fulfilled ROI for different branches. Hiring in CSE, IT and ECE has been at higher end but lower for core branches like Civil and Mechanical.

Branch	Highest Package	Average Package
Core CSE	65 LPA	14.2 LPA
CCE	54 LPA	15 LPA
CSE-AIML	51 LPA	13.5 LPA
IT	48 LPA	14.92 LPA
ECE	46 LPA	11.2 LPA
EEE	28 LPA	8.9 LPA
Civil	18.7 LPA	6.5 LPA

MET Counselling Process for Branch Selection

The MET counselling process goes through following steps for Branch selection:

• Registration – Students need to register through official website of college by paying ?600 with their application number. Also upload all the academic documents.
• Choice Filling – Fill in the preferred college campus and branch, candidates can choose upto 50+ options.
• Seat Allocation – Based on candidates’ merit rank which is determined by 50% MET Score and 50% 12^th marks. (Physics, Chemistry and Maths). Results are declared on portal with three options: Accept & Freeze, Float, Slide. Select what suits you.
• Payment – Students need to pay fees of 1.5lakhs within 3days of seat allotment to confirm their seats or else it will be cancelled.
• Upgradation – If students choose Float option at the time of seat allotment, system auto-upgrades for next round of eligibility criteria is fulfilled. No need to pay extra fees.

NOTE: Choose Float option it will increase your chances of getting top branches as 70% students get upgraded till Round 4.

Tips to Get Preferred Branch Through MET

For better chances of getting desired branch through MET, consider following tips:

• First and foremost, prepare for the exam, practice with previous year question papers and mock test. Higher marks higher chances.
• Be up-to-date, check for announcement regarding the exam and admission process.
• Research about college ranking system what will increase your chances in getting desired campus and branch option.
• After qualifying exam fill choices carefully, you can fill upto 50 options dread smartly .1-10 your desired branch.1-30 realistic branch option according to marks. Rest as backup. Keep Manipal as priority for any branch, don’t opt for other campus above it.
• Backup branch planning will help you get Manipal campus if Cut-off goes high for CSE branch, fill in with IT /ECE or CSE inn Bengaluru campus.
• Always choose Float option, if Cut-off stabilizes upgradation of seat will happen.
• Take part in Spot Round be prepared, keep 1.5 lakh DD ready, you may get ECE or IT in Manipal campus.
• Last but not least wait for MET Phase 2 Exam, it’s easier usually, prepare smart and crack it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• What MET Score is required for CSE in Manipal?
  Based on 2025, this year score 170 will increase your chances of getting CSE in first round.169-160 – Round 2-3. Below it will be difficult
• Is 120 a good score in MET?
  120/240 will get you around 12k rank. Good if going for core engineering branches at Manipal, but not for CSE. At Jaipur campus you can get IT or ECE.
• Which branch gets highest placement in Manipal?
  Highest placement in 2025 was offered in CCE (CSE+ECE) Avg. package – 15.1 LPA, but has only 60 seats cut-off been higher. CSE core average package -14.2 LPA.
• Can I get AI branch with 140 score in MET?
  At Manipal Campus not possible cut-off is around 155+. At Bengaluru campus in Round 5 not sure. But confirmed at Jaipur campus in Round 1.
• Does MET Cut-off change every year?
  Yes, always many factors contribute to it such as number of candidates, paper difficulty level, branch demand.