KCET 2026 Exam Guide: Dates, Eligibility, Pattern & Karnataka Colleges
Everything for KCET 2026 — the Karnataka CET for government-quota professional seats: exam dates, eligibility, the pattern and marking, KEA counselling, and the Karnataka engineering colleges that admit through KCET.
By Krishna Pandey, Founder & Lead Counsellor · Reviewed by Pritam Kumar, Engineering Admissions Lead · Updated 19 June 2026
KCET — Key Facts
- Conducting body: Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
- Purpose: admission to government-quota seats in Karnataka’s engineering, B.Pharm, agriculture and other professional colleges (for Karnataka-domicile candidates)
- Mode & frequency: Offline (OMR-based), conducted once a year around April–May
- Eligibility: Karnataka-domicile candidates who passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics
KCET 2026 Exam Overview
KCET is the route to Karnataka’s government-quota professional seats at subsidised fees. The KCET rank — combined 50:50 with Class 12 marks for the engineering rank — feeds KEA’s centralised online counselling. Many top Karnataka colleges (such as RVCE, BMSCE and MSRIT) offer both KCET government-quota seats and COMEDK private seats; Karnataka-domicile students should apply for both.
KCET 2026 Important Dates (Expected)
| Event | Expected window |
|---|---|
| Registration | January–February 2026 |
| KCET exam | April–May 2026 |
| Result | May–June 2026 |
| KEA counselling | June–August 2026 |
⚠ These KCET dates are indicative (based on the usual cycle) — the official 2026 schedule was not released at the time of writing. Always confirm on the official portal kea.kar.nic.in before planning.
KCET 2026 Eligibility
KCET is for Karnataka-domicile candidates (eligibility determined by KEA’s Clause A–P) who have passed (or are appearing in) Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for engineering (and the relevant subjects for other streams).
KCET Exam Pattern & Marking
- Engineering: Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics — separate papers based on the Class 11 and 12 syllabus
- Biology paper additionally for relevant streams
Each correct answer scores 1 mark with no negative marking. The engineering rank is computed with 50:50 weightage between KCET marks and Class 12 PCM marks, and used in KEA’s online counselling for government-quota seats.
Colleges Accepting KCET 2026 — Full List
KCET government-quota seats are offered by Karnataka’s engineering colleges. Below are the colleges on FindUrCollege. Click any college for its fees, cutoffs, placements and admission process.
Related: COMEDK Counselling · JEE Main 2026.
How FindUrCollege Helps KCET Aspirants
From shortlisting the right colleges for your expected score/rank to counselling guidance, application strategy and document help, FindUrCollege guides KCET aspirants end-to-end. Use the free form on this page, or message us on WhatsApp at +91 91126 50438 for a free profile review.