Registered candidates for the Manipal Entrance Test 2026 have a narrow three-day window to secure their preferred examination slots, with the online booking system opening on May 9 and closing on May 11, 2026. The Phase 2 examination itself is scheduled for May 23 and 24, 2026, making this booking period one of the most consequential administrative steps between registration and sitting the test. Missing the deadline or selecting carelessly - since bookings cannot be changed once confirmed - could significantly affect a candidate's preparation and performance conditions.
What the Slot Booking Process Requires
The booking is handled through MAHE's Online Test Booking System, known as the OTBS. Candidates log in using their MAHE application number and their MET OTBS password, then select from available exam time slots. Slots are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, which means candidates who delay logging in risk finding their preferred times already taken. Given the short window - just three calendar days - early action on May 9 is strongly advisable.
One detail demands particular attention: once a slot is confirmed, it is permanent. The system does not allow revisions. Candidates should consider practical factors before confirming - travel time to the exam centre, any prior commitments on May 23 or 24, and their own cognitive readiness at different times of day. A slot chosen hastily cannot be undone.
Key Dates Every MET 2026 Candidate Must Know
- May 9, 2026 - Slot booking opens
- May 11, 2026 - Final date to complete slot booking
- May 20, 2026 - Admit cards available for download
- May 23-24, 2026 - Phase 2 examination dates (computer-based)
The admit card, accessible from May 20 via the same OTBS login credentials, is the official document candidates must carry to the examination venue. It contains the confirmed date, time, and centre details. Downloading it promptly after release - rather than the night before the exam - eliminates the risk of last-minute technical difficulties.
About MET and What This Exam Determines
The Manipal Entrance Test is the primary admissions mechanism for Manipal Academy of Higher Education, one of India's largest private deemed universities, with its main campus in Manipal, Karnataka. MET scores are used to determine eligibility and merit ranking for a range of undergraduate programmes, with engineering, pharmacy, and allied health sciences among the most sought-after. The examination is conducted as a computer-based test, a format that MAHE has maintained to standardise assessment conditions across a geographically distributed candidate pool.
For candidates who have already completed registration, the slot booking is not an optional step - it is the gateway to receiving an admit card and, by extension, to sitting the examination. Any candidate who fails to book within the May 9 to May 11 window should contact MAHE's official helpdesk immediately, as no booking means no admit card, and no admit card means no entry to the examination hall.
