MCAER PGCET 2026 Exam Preparation Tips - Check Preparation Strategy, Tricks, Study Plan, Time Table, Best Books

How to Prepare for MCAER PGCET

The MCAER PGCET is a tough and competitive examination. Every year, thousands of students from across the state of Maharashtra participate in this state-level examination. The MCAER PGCET entrance test assesses a student’s knowledge in fields like, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries, and agricultural engineering. Every correct answer is worth 1 mark. No negative marking is done for incorrect answers, which allows students to guess and attempt the entire paper.

Students who are willing to appear for the MCAER PGCET 2026 exam must begin their preparation early. The minimum MCAER PGCET score, or cutoff marks out of 200, is 110 for the UR or General category students, and 100 out of 200 for OBC and reserved category students. As per experts, even one-month preparation is enough to crack the MCAER PGCET examination. Students who are following the MCAER PGCET preparation tips must refer to the previous year question papers, mock tests, etc, to get a clear understanding of the MCAER PGCET exam pattern.

To prepare for MCAER PGCET 2026 examination, students must go through the sample papers and previous years’ papers, identify their weaknesses, important topics covered in the MCAER PGCET syllabus, practice the MCAER PGCET previous year question papers, etc. Scroll down to find the MCAER PGCET preparation tips, study plan, best books, and more.

MCAER PGCET Preparation Tips

Students preparing for the MCAER PG CET exam should create a strategy, including a study plan, recommended books, and preparation material, and practice with mock test papers. To enhance their preparation, students can incorporate the following tips into their strategies:

• Understand the Exam Pattern: Identify the type of questions being asked, the total number of questions, and the exam duration. Identify your weaknesses and concentrate on improving them more than your strengths.
• Practice Previous Year's Papers: Solve as many previous years' papers as you can. Practice old papers to gain confidence and improve speed and accuracy. Consistent preparation is key to performing well. The exam will cover topics from agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and agro-engineering subjects.
• Best Books: Choose comprehensive, up-to-date reference books and make notes while studying.
• Plan Your Study: Systematically cover the syllabus and make a schedule inclusive of all topics. Make sure to allocate at least two hours a day for preparation for the MCAER PG entrance exam.
• Mock Tests: Attempt regular mock tests to manage your time effectively and to know which areas you are lacking. Evaluate preparation levels, manage time effectively, and identify improvement areas.
• Syllabus: Master the syllabus and refer to the official website of MCAER for the complete syllabus. Ensure that you cover the entire syllabus outlined by the commission at least 2-3 days before the exam to allow ample time for revision.
• Revision: Regularly revise to retain information better and improve recall ability.

Stay Focused and Motivated: Make sure you stay healthy both physically and mentally before the exam. Avoid distractions, maintain a positive attitude, and believe in yourself.

MCAER PGCET Best Books

While preparing for the MCAER PGCET examination, there are several books that students must refer to based on the various science entrance exams that are conducted in India every year. Here is a list of some of the MCAER PGCET best books and study material that students can refer to prepare for the MCAER PG examination:

MCAER PGCET Exam Pattern

The exams have multiple stages, including a written test, a group discussion, and a personal interview. The written test assesses students' understanding of agriculture-related subjects, while the group discussion and personal interview evaluate their communication skills, leadership qualities, and overall personality.

MCAER PGCET is an offline exam with students filling out OMR sheets provided to them. Check out the exam pattern:

• The agriculture exam covers 200 questions from various topics in the undergraduate bachelor’s course.
• You get one mark for each correct answer, and there's no penalty for wrong answers. So, it's a good idea to give all the questions a shot.
• Doing well in this exam is super important because it makes up 70% of the marks needed for post-grad admission.
• The questions are all mixed up, and there's no set number of questions for each topic. Plus, there are no separate sections for different topics.
• The exam duration is 120 minutes or 2 hours.

MCAER Syllabus

To begin their MCAER PGCET preparation students must identify the list of easy and challenging topics, as a first step. Revise the topics, practice with previous year question papers, mock tests, etc. For the difficult topics and concepts, students must focus on learning the fundamentals, since the MCAER PGCET exam has objective-type questions. No negative marking is done for incorrect answers. Having a good understanding of the MCAER PG exam important topics will make it easier for students to anticipate the exam pattern. In the remaining time, students can practice MCAER PG CET previous year question papers to a real-time experience of the exam.

Agriculture

• Agronomy
• Social science
• Plant Pathology
• Horticulture
• Animal Science
• Dairy science
• Fruit and Vegetable sciences

Forestry

• Agricultural sciences
• Forest Biology and Tree Improvement
• Silviculture and Agroforestry
• Forest Product Utilization
• Natural Resource Management

Agriculture Biotechnology

• Plant Biotechnology
• Post-harvest and Food Biotechnology
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Crop Science
• Animal Biotechnology

Agriculture Engineering

• Science and Computer Science Technology
• Agricultural Science
• Soil and Water Engineering
• Farm machinery and structure

Food Science

• Food technology
• Nutrition and Food Chemistry
• Food and Industrial Microbiology
• Food Engineering