Kerala SET 2026 Eligibility Criteria - Check Age Limit, Marks Required, No of Attempts, Important Factor

Kerala SET 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for the Kerala SET January 2026 session have been prescribed by the LBS Centre for Science & Technology. While the written examination was successfully conducted on February 22, 2026, candidates must fulfill the following requirements to be eligible for the SET certificate and subsequent appointment as a Higher Secondary School Teacher:

• Educational Qualification: Candidates must have completed a Master’s Degree in the relevant subject with at least 50% marks or an equivalent grade. A 5% relaxation is provided for SC/ST and PwD candidates.
• Professional Qualification: Along with the Master’s degree, a B.Ed. Degree from a recognized university in Kerala or its equivalent is mandatory for most subjects.
• Age & Nationality: Candidates must be citizens of India, and there is no upper age limit for applying or qualifying. Furthermore, no prior teaching experience is required.
• Final Year Candidates: Those who appeared for the exam while currently pursuing a master’s degree or awaiting final year results remain eligible; however, the SET certificate will only be issued upon the successful completion of their degree with the required aggregate score.

Meeting the Kerala SET eligibility criteria is crucial, as any discrepancy found during the post-exam verification process may result in the cancellation of candidature. Since the February 22, 2026 exam is now concluded, candidates should ensure all supporting documents are ready for the upcoming certificate verification phase.

Educational Qualifications Required for Kerala SET 2026

Students need to fulfil the following educational qualification requirements for Kerala SET 2026.

• The student must have acquired a master’s degree along with B.Ed. or any equivalent degree with a minimum aggregate of 50% from any regional educational institute.
• For subjects including Physics, Botany, Chemistry, and Zoology, students must acquire a degree in M.Sc. Ed. from an NCERT recognised institute with a minimum aggregate of 50%. For Botany and zoology, students having a degree in M.Sc. from any regional institute with a minimum aggregate of 50% are also eligible. 
• For subjects including Commerce, French, Home Science, Geology,  Philosophy, German, Latin, Journalism, Music, Russian, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Syriac and Statistics; the student must acquire a B.Ed. degree as a compulsion.
• Applicants who have acquired a master’s degree in communicative English with an aggregate of 50%, along with B.Ed. can apply for the SET 2026 exam in English.
• Students having a master’s degree with subjects as DLEd/LTTC in Arabic, Hindi and Urdu can apply for the exam without a B.Ed. Degree.
• Applicants who have acquired their educational degree in correspondence from any school/university not recognised by Kerala Government will are not eligible for the Kerala SET 2026 exam.
• The applicant who are in their final year of B.Ed. or Master’s acquiring a minimum marks requirement can also apply for Kerala SET 2026 exam. However, they would have to submit the qualifying examination documents within one year from the release of the result, failing which, will result in disqualification.

Kerala SET 2026 Age Limit

According to the notification issued by the Kerala Government, there is no upper age limit for students to take the Kerala SET exam. This means that whether you're a recent graduate starting your career or an experienced professional, you are encouraged to participate. As long as you meet the Kerala SET eligibility criteria and qualifications set by the conducting authority, you can appear for the Kerala SET exam.

Kerala SET Nationality 2026

The LBS Center for Science and Technology has notified that Indian citizens can apply for the Kerala SET 2026 examination. This opportunity allows people from all over the country to take part in a competitive test to determine their suitability for teaching positions in Kerala's universities and colleges.

Exemptions from Kerala SET 2026

There is only one rule for exemptions in Kerala SET 2026 exam and it is for the applicants who have passed their B.Ed. Degree in Hindi conducted by Dakshin Bharatha Hindi Prachar Sabha will be exempted to submit the educational certificates as it is recognised by the universities in Kerala.