Karnataka PGCET 2026 Eligibility Criteria - Check Age Limit, Marks Required, No of Attempts, Important Factor

Karnataka PGCET eligibility criteria require you to have passed the relevant exam from a recognized college or university. You must have passed their exams with a minimum of 50% marks in their qualifying exams.

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Karnataka PGCET Eligibility Criteria 2026

The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has released the Karnataka PGCET eligibility criteria 2026 along with the Information Brochure. The PGCET 2026 eligibility criteria consist of the different parameters you need to comply with to successfully appear for the Karnataka PGCET 2026 exam. KEA announced eligibility for PGCET M.Tech, MCA, and MBA courses.

Before filling out the Karnataka PGCET 2026 registration, you should go through the PGCET Eligibility for M.Tech as provided on this page. You should take note that the eligibility guidelines consist of age limit, educational qualifications, nationality, caste certification (if applicable), etc. The eligibility criteria of Karnataka PGCET 2026 vary course-wise. Read the full post to check the Karnataka PGCET 2026 eligibility criteria for ME, M.Tech., MBA, and MCA courses.

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Karnataka PGCET 2026 Eligibility Criteria for MTech /MArch/M.E (Full-Time)

Here are the eligibility criteria for the Karnataka PGCET Full-Time M. Tech course -

  • You should have passed the qualifying or equivalent exam from a recognised university.
  • You should have a valid GATE score.

  • You should have secured at least 50% marks (45% marks in QE in the case of SC/ST & Category I of Karnataka applicants).

Karnataka PGCET Eligibility for MTech/M.Arch/M.E. (Part-Time)

  • You should have passed the qualifying or equivalent exam from a recognised university.

  • You should have secured at least 50% marks (45% marks in QE in the case of SC/ST & Category I of Karnataka applicants).

In addition to this, after obtaining the complete degree, you must have worked for not less than three years in an establishment and must be working in an organisation situated within a radial distance of 40 km from the institution in which the student seeks admission. However, the employer has to fill up the NOC duly signed by the competent authority.

Karnataka PGCET Eligibility For MBA (Full Time) 2026

Here are the eligibility criteria for the Karnataka PGCET 2026 full-time MBA course –

  • You should have a 3-year Bachelor's Degree or equivalent from a recognised board/university.

  • You should have secured at least 50% marks (45% marks in QE in the case of SC/ST and Category I of Karnataka applicants).

Karnataka PGCET 2026 Eligibility For MBA (Part-Time)

  • You should have a 3-year Bachelor's Degree or equivalent from a recognised board/university.

  • You should have secured at least 50% marks (45% marks in QE in the case of SC/ST and Category I of Karnataka applicants).

  • In addition to this, after obtaining the degree, you must have worked for not less than three years in an establishment and must be working in an organisation situated within a radial distance of 40 km from the institution in which you are seeking admission.

Karnataka PGCET Eligibility For MCA 2026

Here is the detailed eligibility for Karnataka PGCET eligibility for the MCA course –

  • You should have cleared the Graduation or an equivalent exam.

  • You should have passed the qualifying exam with Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Computer Application, Computer Programming, Business Mathematics, and Business Statistics as one of the optional subjects.

  • You should have scored at least 50% marks (45% marks in QE in the case of SC/ST and Category I of Karnataka candidates).

Detailed Karnataka PGCET Eligibility Criteria 2026: Documents

To know more about the eligibility criteria for Karnataka PGCET 2026, read the following information mentioned in the below table:

Courses

Educational Criteria

List of Documents Required to be Eligible

MBA

To be eligible for an MBA course, students must have studied and passed in one or more Government or Government recognized educational institutions located in the state for a minimum of 7 years, either in a broken period or continuously from 1st standard to the qualifying exam, either continuously or in the broken period as of 1st July of the year in which the entrance test is conducted, and must have appeared for and passed either the SSLC / 10th standard or 2nd PUC / 12th standard examination in a Government recognized institutions located in the state of Karnataka. 

To be eligible, students will be required to have the following documents:

  • Student’s Study Certificate
  • SSLC/10th Standard Marks Card
  • Caste Income Certificate (if applicable)
  • 2nd PUC/12th Standard Marks Card of the Student
  • QE Marks Card of the Student

MCA

To be eligible for the MCA course, students must have studied and passed in one or more Government or Government recognized educational institutions located in the state for a minimum of 7 years, either in a broken period or continuously from 1st standard to the qualifying exam, either continuously or in the broken period as of 1st July of the year in which the entrance test is conducted, and must have appeared for and passed either the SSLC / 10th standard or 2nd PUC / 12th standard examination in a Government recognized institutions located in the state of Karnataka.

To be eligible, students will be required to have the following documents:

  • SSLC/10th Standard Marks Card
  • Student’s Study Certificate
  • QE Marks Card
  • 2nd PUC/12th Standard Marks Card
  • Student’s Study Certificate for having studied and passed the qualifying exam in Karnataka, issued by the head of the institute.

ME / M.Tech

To be eligible for an ME / M.Tech course, students must have studied and passed in one or more Government or Government recognized educational institutions located in the state for a minimum of 7 years, either in a broken period or continuously from 1st standard to the qualifying exam, either continuously or in the broken period as of 1st July of the year in which the entrance test is conducted, and must have appeared for and passed either the SSLC / 10th standard or 2nd PUC / 12th standard examination in a Government recognized institutions located in the state of Karnataka.

To be eligible, students will be required to have the following documents:

  • SSLC/10th Standard Marks Card
  • QE Marks Card
  • 2nd PUC/12th Standard Marks Card
  • Caste Income Certificate (if applicable): Study certificate for either of the parents having studied at least 7 years from the head of the institute where he/she studied.

Karnataka PGCET 2026: Reservation of Seats For Karnataka Applicant

Students belonging to Karnataka state must note that as per the PGCET eligibility criteria, reservation is made in favour of students who belong to the scheduled tribe (ST), scheduled caste (SC), and other backward class (OBC). As per the criteria, a student must produce a ‘Caste Certificate or Caste Income Certificate’ that is issued by the concerned Jurisdictional Tahsildar.

As per the Government orders, the annual income limit from `6.00 Lakhs to `8.0 Lakhs per annum has been enhanced for claiming reservation benefits. If the student's and his/her father’s/mother's Gross Annual Income is below Rs.8.00 Lakhs, then they are eligible to claim the benefit of reservation under 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B categories, given that students belonging to SC, ST & Category I should have an Income certificate which is issued by Jurisdictional Tahasildar in the prescribed format.

Karnataka PGCET eligibility criteria are required to comply with Reservation Criteria, as per the Karnataka Educational Institutions (Regulations of Admission in the Hyderabad-Karnataka Region) Order, 2013, the details of which are mentioned below:

  • The Hyderabad-Karnataka Region, which consists of the districts of Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Bidar, Gulbarga, and Bellary, shall be regarded as the local area.

  • You must note that 70% of the available seats in every course of study in any regional educational institution or university that is located in the places referred to above in the local area shall be reserved in favour of the local persons.

  • Also, 8% of the seats that are available in every course of study provided in a statewide educational institution or a statewide University will be allocated among the localities of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

Exemption of Fee for Category-1 Karnataka Residents

By referring to the table given below, you can have a clear idea about the fee exemption or payment details for category-1 Karnataka residents:

Category

Payment of Fees

Annual Income Below 2.50 Lakhs

  • Students falling under this category are exempted from paying fees for seats in Government colleges.

  • For Private colleges, fees will be collected by deducting such fees fixed in Government college seats. However, the balance fee has to be paid by the students.

Exemption of Fee for SC / ST Karnataka Residents

By referring to the table given below, you can have a clear idea about the fee exemption or pay details for SC / ST Karnataka students:

Category

Payment of Fees

Annual Income above Rs 2.50 Lakhs but below Rs.10.00 Lakhs

Students falling under this category are exempted from paying 50% of fees in Government / Aided / Un-aided / Deemed University Colleges.

Annual Income below Rs 2.50 Lakhs

Students falling under this category, are exempted from paying 100% of fees in Government College seats and to the extent of Government College fee in Private / Deemed University Colleges

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