Electronic structures of hole-doped and electron hole-doped manganites, La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 and La0.7Ce0.3MnO3, have been elucidated by X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of O K- and Mn L3,2-edges. In the electron-doped system, La0.7Ce0.3MnO3, the spectral features of O K-edge spectra are shifted by ~ 1 eV towards the higher energy side and reduction of Mn valency from 4+ and 3+ to 3+ and 2+ is expected when compared to hole-doped manganite. The XANES of Ce M5,4-edges indicates a tetravalent state for Ce, similar to that in CeO2. Ce4+ is incorporated into the lattice of LaMnO3, resulting in the modification of MnO6 octahedra and also indicating strong hybridization of Ce 5d and/or Ce 4f states with O 2p states.