
SET 2026 counselling process is underway. The SIU constituent institutes released PI shortlist earlier this monnth and have been conducting the selection round at their campuses. Candidates who will clear the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI), will be offered admisison to the course they had applied for. Shortlisting of candidates was done on the basis of candidates SET 2026 exam score and academic record. Those who met the SET 2026 cut off were invited for the WAT-PI round. Read on this page, all about SET 2026 counselling process.
- SET Exam Counselling Process 2026
- SET 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
- SET Counselling 2026: BBA Admission Criteria for Symbiosis Institutes
- BBA Courses Offered by Symbiosis Institutes
- SET 2026 Cutoff (Expected)
- SET Counselling FAQs
SET Exam Counselling Process 2026
SET counselling rounds include Personal Interviews and Written Ability Tests. Here's a brief overview of the process.
1. SET exam Written Ability Test: Candidates will be required to take Picture Association Test (PAT) and write a short essay on any general topic allotted by the panel of judges. There can be subjective-type questions and answers round on the given topic.
For Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication, Pune, the SET counselling process 2026 will also include a Studio Test besides PI, WAT and document verification.
2. SET exam 2026 Personal Interaction or Interview - Candidates will be required to appear for an interview with the expert panel from Industries or Academics. The PI round will cover:
-
General Awareness
-
Extracurricular activities
-
Academics and candidate-specific fields of interest
-
Communication skills and overall personality
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
Students can register by:
- Go to college website of SIU
- Click on Online Application
- Enter name, date of birth, SET score, gender, etc.
- Upload documents
- Submit
- Pay fee
- Download confirmation letter.
Previously, the SET exam had 150 questions. They were reduced to 60 multiple-choice questions in the year 2021, and the duration of the exam was also reduced proportionally. Check out the table below to know what can be considered a good score in SET exam according to the previous years' analysis:
| Section | Total Marks | Good Score |
|---|---|---|
| General English | 16 | 12-14 |
| Quantitative Aptitude | 16 | 10-12 |
| General Awareness | 16 | 11-12 |
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 12 | 9-10 |
Symbiosis International adheres to the reservation criteria as per the University of Grants Commission guidelines 2006 reservation policy for all the institutes. The sanctioned intake is as follows:
| Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| SC | 15% |
| ST | 7.5% |
| Differently Abled | 3% |
| Children of Defence Personnel | 5% for SICSR |
| Kashmiri Migrants/ Kashmiri Pandits | 2 seats per programme |
| International Candidates | a maximum of 25% of seats |
SET 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of SET 2026 exam
| Dates | Past Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 25 Jun ' 26 | SET 2026 Final Merit List Release- SCMS Bangalore |
| 25 Jun ' 26 | SET 2026 Final Merit List Release- SCMS Nagpur |
| 25 Jun ' 26 | SET 2026 Final Merit List Release- SICSR Pune |
SET Counselling 2026: BBA Admission Criteria for Symbiosis Institutes
Final selection for BBA admission is done on the basis of 2 parameters - SET score and PI score. Check the below table for institute wise, final selection criteria and points.
| Name of the SIU Institute | Scaled Upto 70 marks | PI | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| SCMS, Pune | 70 | 30 | 100 |
| SCMS, Noida | 70 | 30 | 100 |
| SCMS, Nagpur | 70 | 30 | 100 |
| SICSR | 70 | 30 | 100 |
| SCMS Bengaluru | 70 | 30 | 100 |
| SCMS, Hyderabad | 70 | 30 | 100 |
| Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication (SCMC) | 70 | 30 | 100 |
| SAII | 70 | 30 | 100 |
Also Read:
Commonly asked questions
Yes, every student should attend document verification. Students have to present original documents for verification and provide biometric details.
SET exam score will be valid for admission to Symbiosis International University’s various undergraduate courses. The table below depicts the colleges accepting SET scores along with the courses they offer:
BBA Courses Offered by Symbiosis Institutes
Given below is the list of BBA courses offered by SIUs.
| Institute's Name | Courses offered |
|---|---|
| Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research [SICSR], Pune | -BBA (IT) |
| Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies [SCMS], Pune | BBA |
| Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies [SCMS], Noida | BBA |
| Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies (SCMS), Nagpur | BBA |
| Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies (SCMS), Bangalore | BBA |
| Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies (SCMS), Hyderabad | BBA |
| SCMC | BBA (Media Management) |
| SAII | BBA in Artificial Intelligence |
Commonly asked questions
SET score is valid for admission for the same academic year in which the candidate has taken the exam. For example, SET 2026 score will be valid for admission for 2026-2029 BBA batch only. If a candidate wishes to drop a year after taking the SET exam, then they will have to appear for the exam once again next year. They should however check the eligibility or selection criteria to have a clarity of SET score of which session/phase is valid for admission in which academic year. Candidates taking the SET exam, the test takers must not try to use their score for admission more than one year after appearing for it. They should appear for it again and use the latest score for admission.
- Qualify SET and match cutoff
- Obtain 50 per cent in Class 12
- Match eligibility for desired course and college
- Have all documents in original for document verification
The counselling process through SET is conducted for admission to various colleges accepting SET scores. Candidates who appear for SET can apply to various SET accepting colleges during the application process. The counselling rounds of SET exam include Written Ability Test and Personal Interview. Candidates can fill out the registration form of the participating Symbiosis Institutes after the announcement of results and cut-off marks. The following is the SET counselling procedure:
- Selection of students: Candidates are selected and called for further admission process on the basis of the scores obtained by them in the SET exam after they SET result announcement. Students are intimidated about the SET cutoff and they can check if they meet the cutoff criteria.
- Written Ability Test and Personal Interview: The WAT and PI schedule is announced by the individual institutes. Candidates will have to appear for the WAT/PI at the allotted venue and they will be judged on various criteria such as general awareness, extracurricular activities, academics and candidate-specific fields of interest, communication skills and overall personality.
- Final selection: Each candidate will be evaluated on the basis of their SET score, WAT/PI performance, academic history and other parameters for preparing the final merit list. Selected applicants will be called to complete the admission formalities.
SET 2026 Cutoff (Expected)
Refer to the table below to know the expected SET cutoff 2026, for SCMS and SICSR.
| College |
Expected SET cut offs |
|---|---|
| SCMS Pune |
35 to 42 marks |
| SICSR Pune |
36 to 44 marks |
| SCMS Noida |
30 to 36 marks |
| SCMS Bangalore |
30 to 33 marks |
| SCMS Hyderabad |
30 to 33 marks |
| SCMS Nagpur |
28 to 29 marks |
Also Read: SET cut off 2026 (expected): Institute-wise analysis
Commonly asked questions
No, IIMs do not accept SET test scores for admission. Iims conduct Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to MBA programmes. Iims such as IIM Indore and IIM Rohtak, which offer integrated management programmes, accept IPMAT scores conducted by them. With the score of the SET test, you can get admission in Symbiosis colleges. You can get admission in the following top management colleges:
- SCMS Pune
- SCMS Noida
- SICSR Pune
- SSE Pune
- SSLA
- SCMC Pune
- SCMS Nagpur
- SCMS Bangalore
- SSI Pune
- SCMS Hyderabad
In 2026, SET will be conducted in two phase, i.e. Test 01 and Test 02. According to the previous year SET analysis and student's reactions, the difficult level of the exam is easy to moderate in both sessions. A good score in SET BBA exam can be subjective, but if we look at the analysis, then the following can be termed as a good score in SET:
Section | Number of Questions | Difficult Level | Good Score |
|---|---|---|---|
General English | 16 | Easy | 13-15 |
Quantitative Aptitude | 16 | Moderate | 13-14 |
General Awareness | 16 | Moderate | 07-09 |
Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 12 | Easy-Moderate | 10-12 |
SET cutoff is released by the participating institutes after the announcement of the SET result. The ten prestigious Symbiosis Institutes accept SET scores. SET scores are accepted for various undergraduate programmes offered by these institutes. The SET cut-off is different for all institutes and courses. These cutoffs will be available on the official website of each participating college or institute. Candidates who have appeared for the SET exam must meet the cutoff of their preferred institute in order to gain admission to that particular institute.
According to the previous cutoff trends, the SET cutoff generally range from 85-89 for the General category. Last year, the highest SET cutoff was 89 for the General category. Shortlisted candidates who match the cutoff will be called for further selection procedure, which includes, Written Ability Test, Group Discussion and Personal Interview.
SET Counselling FAQs
Check below some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) on SET counselling process:
The SET counselling is conducted in online as well as offline mode. Candidates who have qualified the SET exam must register themselves online through the official website for the SET counselling procedure. However, the Personal Interview, Written Ability Test and document verification round under the counselling process is held offline at the designated centres. Candidates who have met the SET cutoff, need to visit the centre for document verification as per their rank and other selection rounds such as PI and WAT. The seat allotment process is also conducted online based on the merit, category, and choices filled by the candidate during the registration process. The entire SET counselling process except the PI, WAT and document verification round is conducted in online mode.
After the declaration of SET result, each participating institute will release a cutoff list to shortlist the candidates. The participating institutes will then call the candidates for the admission process which includes further rounds. If candidates want to apply at colleges other than those selected during the SET application process, then they will have to fill out the application form for those other colleges individually. The SET selection process includes Group Discussion (GD) and Personal Interview (PI). Applicants can begin preparing for the GD/PI rounds soon after the SET result announcement. SET score remains valid for one year for BBA admission. The final admissions will be based on candidates' performance in the SET exam as well as in WAT/PI/ST rounds.
Yes, 36 is a good score in SET exam. General category usually faces a competitive SET cut off. The SET 2026 cut off will likely be between 34 to 42 marks.
Candidates have to choose their preferred institutes during the SET application process and pay the requisite fee. After the SET results are announced, the SET participating institutes will release their cutoffs. If the candidate matches the cutoff, they will be required to appear for the further admission process which includes the Written Ability Test (WAT) and Personal Interview (PI).
Aspirants do not need to call the institutes nor will they get a call from the institutes. Candidates will be required fill out the registration form for the participating Symbiosis Institutes after the announcement of results and cut-off marks according to the schedule released on their official websites.
The SET 2026 cutoff for the merit list and wait list will be released on the respective institute websites at the time of counselling.
No, the only way to get BBA admission 2026 in Symbiosis University is through SET exam. Students have to appear for PI and GD for final admissions.
SET Exam
Student Forum
Answered a month ago
Admissions at SCMS are based on the SET exam. Aspirants must fill the form and pay application fee to complete the process. SET entrance test registration fee of INR 2250 per test + taxes. In addition to that, candidates are also expected to pay the non-refundable and non-transferable programme regi
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
SET 2027 exam will likely be held in the second week of May 2027. SET exam will be conducted in CBT test format by Symbiosis International University. Duration of exam will be one hour and students can take exam at their test centre.
R
Contributor-Level 6
What is SET application fee at SCMS Pune?