
KCET 2026 Exam: The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) will release the KCET 2026 admit card on, April 10, 2026. The KCET 2026 hall ticket will be released on its official website - cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea. Candidates will be able to download the admit card till the exam date which is April 23 and 24, 2026, covering Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics/Biology for engineering and professional courses. The Kannada Language Test will be held on April 22, 2026.
The Karnataka Common Entrance Test 2026, tests candidates preparedness in subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics/Biology. The objective of the test is to shortlist candidates for admission into engineering, pharmacy, and other professional courses into participating colleges in the state of Karnataka. Students can check this guide to know more about application form correction process, syllabus, pattern, prep tips etc here.
Note: As of Feb 21, 2026 close to 3.2 lakh students have registered for KCET 2026.
- What is KCET?
- KCET 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
- KCET 2026 - Highlights
- KCET 2026 Admit Card
- KCET Exam Pattern 2026 - Time Duration & Marking Scheme
- KCET Syllabus 2026 - Subjects, Topics and Sub Topics
- KCET Question Paper 2026 - Download PDFs of Past Year Paper
- KCET 2026 Result
- KCET 2026 Cutoff
- KCET Contact Information 2026
- KCET Eligibility Criteria 2026 - Who can apply?
- KCET Application Form 2026 - Step by Step Registration Guide
- KCET 2026 FAQs
What is KCET?
Karnataka Common Entrance Test in short known as KCET 2026, is conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) for admission to undergraduate (UG) courses such as Engineering, Pharmacy, Agriculture and other professional programmes offered by colleges in Karnataka for the 2026 academic session. The exam is also called as UGCET.
Students looking to take admission to Medical or Dental or Ayurveda or Unani or Homoeopathy courses must qualify the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam, whereas those seeking admission into the Architecture course through KCET must have qualified JEE Main Paper-2 or NATA to participate in KCET counselling.
KCET Past Year Registration Data (2021-2025)
| Year |
Students Registered |
Students Appeared |
Students Qualified (Engineering) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
3,30,787 |
3,11,991 |
2,75,677 |
| 2024 |
3,49,653 |
3,10,314 |
2,74,595 |
| 2023 |
2,61,610 |
2,44,345 |
2,03,381 |
| 2022 |
2.2 Lakh |
2,10,829 |
1,71,656 |
| 2021 |
2,01,834 |
1,93,522 |
1,83,231 |
KCET 2026 Exam Dates & Schedule
Take a look at the table below for the complete schedule of KCET 2026 exam
| Dates | Upcoming Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| Apr ' 26 | KCET 2026 Admit Card TENTATIVE |
| 23 Apr ' 26 - 24 Apr ' 26 | KCET Exam 2026 |
| May ' 26 | KCET Result 2026 TENTATIVE |
| Dates | Past Exam Dates |
|---|---|
| 07 Mar ' 26 | Last date to pay application fee |
| 24 Feb ' 26 - 30 Mar ' 26 | KCET Application Correction Window |
| 29 Jan ' 26 | KCET 2026 Official Syllabus PDF Release |
KCET 2026 - Highlights
| Particulars |
Details |
|---|---|
| Full Exam Name |
Karnataka Common Entrance Test |
| Short Exam Name |
KCETÂ |
| Conducting Body |
Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA)Â |
| Frequency |
Once a year |
| Exam Level |
State Level Exam |
| Mode of Application |
Online |
| Mode of Exam |
Offline |
| Mode of Counselling |
Online |
| Exam Duration |
3 hours |
| Courses Offered |
Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharma), Diploma in Pharmacy (DPharma), Agriculture courses (Farm Science) and Veterinary courses |
KCET 2026 Admit Card
Admit Card: Apr ' 26
To begin the KCET 2026 admit card download process, candidates will have to use their registration number and date of birth to login into the official portal.
It is crucial to refer to the authentic Kcet 2026 admit card download link provided on the official website or this page to save the Kcet 2026 admit card.Â
Candidates are advised to print multiple copies and verify all personal information immediately after downloading to avoid any last-minute discrepancies at the exam hall.
This hall ticket is mandatory for entry to the exam centre on the KCET 2026 exam date, which is scheduled for April 23 and 24, 2026, for the main subjects, following the Kannada language test on April 22.
Applicants appearing in the exam have to carry their KCET hall ticket along with one valid photo ID proof to the exam centre. Candidates are advised to check all details after downloading the KCET admit card 2026. In case of any mistake in the Karnataka CET Hall ticket, applicants are advised to contact the exam authority for corrections.
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KCET Exam Pattern 2026 - Time Duration & Marking Scheme
The Karnataka CET exam is conducted in offline pen-and-paper (OMR) format. The KCET 2026 exam pattern is expected to remain similar to previous years unless revised by KEA. The exam is conducted in offline mode. Karnataka Examination Authority uploads the KCET 2026 exam pattern in the official notification PDF. Applicants appearing in the exam are advised to refer to the KCET exam pattern for their preparations. The KCET exam pattern 2026 comprises questions, subjects, a marking scheme, and others. Going through the KCET exam pattern helps candidates to understand the scheme of the exam.
Candidates will be awarded one mark for correct answer while there is no negative marking in KCET 2026 exam. Along with the exam pattern, applicants can practice KCET previous year question papers for their preparations. For more details, candidates can refer to the table provided below.Â
| Sections  |
Questions  |
Duration  |
|---|---|---|
| Physics  |
60Â Â |
80 minutes  |
| Chemistry  |
60Â Â |
80 minutes  |
| Mathematics/Biology  |
60Â Â |
80 minutes  |
| Kannada (in case)Â Â |
50Â Â |
60 minutes |
Also Read:Â Â
KCET Syllabus 2026 - Subjects, Topics and Sub Topics
Karnataka Examination Authority released the KCET 2026 syllabus on its official website. Candidates can go through the KCET syllabus for their preparation. The syllabus of KCET 2026 comprises important topics and chapters asked in the exam. Applicants are advised to go through the KCET 2026 syllabus as per the weightage of topics. Going through the KCET syllabus helps candidates to make an effective strategy to ace the exam with a good score. Â
KCET 2026 Syllabus PDF Download Links
- KCET Physics Syllabus PDF
- KCET Chemistry Syllabus PDF
- KCET Biology Syllabus PDF
- KCET Mathematics Syllabus PDF
KCET Preparation Tips
Applicants appearing in the exam are advised to refer to the KCET 2026 preparation tips to ace the exam with a good score. Referring to KCET preparation tips help candidates to make an effective study plan. Applicants can check Karnataka CET 2026 preparation tips from below. Â
- Prepare a study plan as per chapter-wise weightage.
- Go through KCET syllabus and exam pattern.
- Make a list of best books for KCET 2026 preparation.
- Solve previous year papers.
- Practice mock tests regularly.
- Make short notes for revision purposes. Â
- Take regular rest between studies. Â
Also Read:Â Â
| Best books for KCET 2026 preparation |
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KCET Question Paper 2026 - Download PDFs of Past Year Paper
Karnataka Examination Authority will release the KCET question paper PDF at the official website. The exam authorities provide KCET question papers separately for all the subjects.
Candidates appearing in the exam are advised to practice KCET question papers to check the important topics asked in the exam. KCET previous year papers also help candidates to understand the scheme of the exam. KCET question papers with answer key can be used as a sample paper for preparation. Â
KCET Past Year Question Paper PDF Link
KCET Answer Key 2026
The KCET 2026 provisional answer key and link to raise objections WILL be activated a few days after the exam is conducted. The KCET 2026 answer key will be released for Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Candidates will be able to raise objections till the last date. Candidates must email their objections to the authorities along with the supporting documents. After reviewing all the objections, KEA will release the KCET final answer key and the KCET 2026 results declaration. KEA will also release the KCET 2026 OMR response sheet at the official website. The answer key of KCET 2026 comprises correct answers to all the questions asked in the exam. Applicants are advised to refer to the KCET answer key 2026 to check their expected score before declaring the results.Â
KCET 2026 Result
Result: May ' 26
KCET Result 2026 will be OUT in May 2026, tentatively. The Karnataka Examination Authority will release the KCET 2026 result online. The KCET 2026 scorecard will be available for download on the official website. The KCET result link 2026 and portal will be LIVE for a time so that candidates can check their qualification status. The login credentials required to check KCET results 2026 are the registration number and the first four characters of the student's name. The scorecard of KCET 2026 comprises scores in individual subjects, rank, personal details, and others. Applicants declared qualified based on results will be called for the counselling process later. The exam authority will also announce the KCET toppers 2026 list for all streams.
The KCET Toppers list for 2026 will be made available after the results are declared; however, candidates can check the past year's toppers list here.
KCET Toppers List 2025
The KCET Topper's List 2025 for engineering, agriculture, and veterinary streams can be checked below. Candidates can check the toppers list 2025 for KCET below.Â
KCET Toppers 2025 - Engineering stream
| Candidates name | Marks obtained |
|---|---|
| Bhavesh Jayanthi | 99.06% |
| Satwik B Biradar | 98.83% |
| Dinesh Gomati | 98.67% |
KCET Topper 2025 List - Agriculture stream
| Candidates name | Marks obtained |
|---|---|
| Akshay M Hedge | 179 marks |
| Aathreya Venkatachalam | 179 marks |
| Saphal S Shetty | 178 marks |
KCET Topper's List - Veterinary stream
| Topper's Name | Marks Obtained |
|---|---|
| Harishraj DV | 99.39% |
| Aathreya Venkatachalam | 99.39% |
| Saphal S Shetty | 99.28% |
KCET Topper's List 2025 - BNYS
| Topper's Name | Marks Obtained |
|---|---|
| Harishraj DV | 179 marks |
| Aathreya Venkatachalam | 179 marks |
| Saphal S Shetty | 178 marks |
KCET 2024 Topper's List
Candidates can check the KCET topper's 2024 below -
| Rank | Topper's Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Harsha Karthikeya |
| 2 | Manoj Sohan |
| 3 | PJ Abhinav |
KCET 2023 Topper's List
| KCET Toppers 2023 | Qualifying examination marks | CET Marks | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99.667% | 96.11% | 97.889% |
| 2 | 100% | 95% | 97.5% |
| 3 | 99.3% | 95% | 97.167% |
| 4 | 99.67% | 94.44% | 97.056% |
| 5 | 97% | 96.6% | 96.23% |
KCET 2026 Cutoff
KCET Contact Information 2026
KCET Eligibility Criteria 2026 - Who can apply?
KCET Application Form 2026 - Step by Step Registration Guide
KCET 2026 FAQs
309 Institutes accepting KCET
NIT Surathkal - National Institute of Technology
Mangalore ⢠Public
Manipal Institute of Technology, MAHE
Manipal ⢠Private
Jain Deemed-to-be University, Bangalore
Jayanagar, Bangalore ⢠Private
- 4 years
- |
- Full Time
Ramaiah Institute of Technology
M S R Nagar, Bangalore ⢠Private
- âı 13.35 Lakh
- 4 years
- |
- Full Time