Mumbai: After a prolonged delay that left thousands of aspirants anxious, the Maharashtra Common Entry Test (CET))Cell has finally announced the commencement of pharmacy admissions, with the process set to begin on September 24, 2025. The delay, attributed to pending approvals from the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), has once again pushed the academic calendar back by nearly two to three months. According to the schedule, the seat matrix will be released on September 24, followed by the start of choice filling on September 25. A total of 54,921 students who cleared the entrance test this year will be eligible to participate in the process. Candidates can submit their preferences between September 25 and 27. The first allotment list will be published on September 29, and the admission process is expected to conclude by November 12, after which the academic year will begin. The Centralised Admission Process (CAP) will be conducted in four rounds with new rules introduced this year. Candidates will have two options — Freeze, if satisfied with the allotted seat, or Betterment, if aiming for a higher preference in subsequent rounds. Additionally, the auto-freeze mechanism has been brought in: in Round 1, if a student is allotted their first preference, the seat is automatically frozen; in Round 2, auto-freeze applies if the allotment is within the top three preferences; and in Round 3, it extends to the top six preferences. The delay in admissions has once again sparked concern among educators. Manjiri Gharat, Principal of K.M. Kundnani Pharmacy Polytechnic, Ulhasnagar, pointed out that repeated postponements over the past four years have forced both teachers and students to rush through the syllabus, adding to academic stress. Last year too, of the 48,051 pharmacy seats available in the state, only 31,827 were filled, leaving over 16,000 seats vacant. According to a recent media report in theHindustan Times, experts warn that such delays and vacancies could drive students to explore other fields, posing a long-term challenge for pharmacy education in Maharashtra.