Updated By Soham Mitra on 28 Aug, 2025 12:14
KCET Eligibility Criteria 2026 is set by KEA. According to the KCET 2026 Eligibility Criteria, candidates have to the citizens of Karnataka and score at least 50-60% marks from a recognized university listed under VTU.
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KCET Eligibility Criteria 2026 is set by the Karnataka Examination Authority for aspiring candidates of the KCET 2026 exam. According to the KCET 2026 Eligibility Criteria, candidates have to the citizens of Karnataka and score at least 50% to 60% marks from a recognised university listed under Visvesvaraya Technological University. The eligibility criteria of KCET 2026 entail various aspects such as the nationality of the candidate, the score obtained in the qualifying exam, caste category, combination of subjects, domicile criteria etc. Candidates must have a complete awareness of the KCET eligibility criteria 2026 before filling out the KCET Application Form 2026. The eligibility criteria of KCET 2026 will vary as per the category of the candidates. The KCET 2026 aspirants must meet the eligibility criteria of KCET 2026 to appear for the exam.
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Check the detailed eligibility criteria of KCET 2026 below.
1. Candidates must be Indian citizens and residents of Karnataka.
2. Candidates should have completed the qualifying examination with at least 50-60% marks from a university recognized by VTU (Visvesvaraya Technological University).
3. Candidates who have obtained their qualifying exam certification from a university not recognized by VTU or from Karnataka State Open University are not eligible to apply for KCET 2026.
4. Candidates who are currently taking the qualifying exam (2nd PUC (Pre-University Colleges)/ 12th board exams) in 2026 and whose results are pending can apply for KCET 2026, but they will not be eligible for admission if they do not pass the qualifying examination.
5. Candidates wishing to enrol in medical, dental, or Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, and Homeopathy) courses must qualify for NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test).
6. Candidates aiming for admission to architecture programs are required to take either the NATA (National Aptitude Test for Architecture) or the JEE Main 2026 paper 2.
7. For agriculture quota candidates, the merit list will be determined based on 25% of the marks obtained in relevant combinations in the 2nd PUC & KCET and 50% of the marks earned in the practical examination.
KEA has set certain parameters for various clauses A to O as part of KCET 2026 eligibility criteria. Candidates satisfying any of the domicile rules mentioned below are eligible to appear for KCET. Applicants must produce appropriate documents supporting their eligibility, The domicile rules for KCET 2026 are as follows -
| Rules | Clause Code | Domicile Norms | Applicability of Kannada Language Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domicile Rule 1 | A |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 2 | B |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 3 | C |
| Yes |
| Domicile Rule 4 | D |
| Yes |
| Domicile Rule 5 | E |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 6 | F |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 7 | G |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 8 | H |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 9 | I |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 10 | J |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 11 | K |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 12 | L |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 13 | M |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 14 | N |
| No |
| Domicile Rule 15 | O |
| No |
Candidates seeking admission into UG courses in the state of Karnataka must meet the eligibility criteria set by KEA. Only eligible candidates will be allowed to proceed with the KCET 2026 application process. The course-wise KCET 2026 eligibility criteria is as follows -
| Name of the Course | Eligibility Requirements |
|---|---|
| BTech |
|
| BArch |
|
|
|
| B.VSc & AH (Vetinary Science and Animal Husbandry) |
|
| B.Pharma |
|
| Lateral Entry B.Pharma |
|
| Pharma D |
|
| Naturopathy & Yoga |
|
One question that candidates often wonder is: Can other state students apply for KCET? No, students who do not have a Karnataka domicile cannot apply for KCET. The exam is conducted specifically for students with Karnataka domicile. If you are an other state student aiming for admission into Karnataka colleges, you can explore other entrance exams like COMEDK which is conducted for admission to private engineering colleges in Karnataka.
The table below contains the list of documents required for admission through the KCET 2026 Exam.
| Rules | Code | List of Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Domicile Rule 1 | CODE A |
|
| Domicile Rule 2 | CODE B |
|
| Domicile Rule 3 | CODE C |
|
| Domicile Rule 4 | CODE D |
|
| Domicile Rule 5 | CODE E |
|
| Domicile Rule 6 | CODE F |
|
| Domicile Rule 7 | CODE G |
|
| Domicile Rule 8 | CODE H |
|
| Domicile Rule 9 | CODE I |
|
| Domicile Rule 10 | CODE J |
|
| Domicile Rule 11 | CODE K |
|
| Domicile Rule 12 | CODE L |
|
| Domicile Rule 13 | CODE M |
|
| Domicile Rule 14 | CODE N |
|
| Domicile Rule 15 | CODE O |
|
Want to know more about KCET
Only those candidates aspiring for admission in B.Sc Agriculture through Farmers/ Agriculture Quota will have to undergo a practical test.
Karnataka residents who studied outside Karnataka or resided in disputed Kannada speaking area of South Sholapur or Akkalkot or Jath or Gadhinglaj Taluks of Maharashtra State or Kasargod or Hosadurga or Manjeshwar Taluks of Kerala State. These candidates shall undergo a Kannada Language Testconducted by KEA.
The candidate must have scored a minimum of 45% (40% for reserved category) in class 12th to appear for KCET test. The candidates from B.Arch stream need to have a minimum of 50% (45% for reserved category) in class 12th for appearing in KCET.
The minimum age to apply for KCET is 17 years. There is no upper age limit to apply for KCET.
Diploma students cannot apply for KCET exam. However, they can apply for Karnataka Diploma CET (KDCET) for lateral entry into B.E and B.Arch programmes offered by KCET Participating Institutions.
Only once can the students apply for KCET Exam.
The eligibility to apply for KCET for OBC (2A, 2B, 3A and 3B) candidates is same as the eligibility criteria for SC and ST candidates.
ST category candidates with an aggregate of 40% at the 10+2 level where they have studied Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects in addition to either of the subjects - Chemistry/Computer/Electronics/Biology/Biotechnology are eligible to apply for KCET. The rest of the eligibility criteria remains same.
SC category students must at least have an aggregate score of 40% in the qualifying level (class XIIth) exam (or equivalent). SC candidates must have studied Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects at the qualifying level along with either of the subjects - Chemistry/Computer/Electronics/Biology/Biotechnology to be eligible for KCET. The rest of the eligibility criteria remains same.
Candidates who had PCM and PCB subjects in their qualifying examination can apply. For General category and other categories, the minimum marks required in 12th Class is different for every course.
Candidates who had PCM and PCB subjects in their qualifying examination can apply. For General category and other categories, the minimum marks required in 12th Class is different for every course.
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