Karnataka Post Graduate Common Entrance Test Eligibility Criteria 2026

Karnataka PGCET Eligibility Criteria 2025

Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) prescribes the eligibility criteria for Karnataka PGCET every year. The basic requirement is a Bachelor's Degree of minimum 3 years from a recognized university. The latest criteria will be updated here once released on the official website.

Karnataka PGCET is a state-level exam for admission to part-time or full-time MBA, MCA, M.E., M.Tech, and M.Arch courses. Applications are rejected if a candidate fails to meet any defined standard.

KPGCET Eligibility: MBA Program

MBA admissions are offered as full-time or part-time programs. The eligibility for each type is listed below.

Full-Time MBA Course

• A candidate must have passed a recognized Bachelor's Degree of a minimum of 3 years' duration or equivalent examination.
• A minimum aggregate of 50% marks in all subjects including languages in all years of the Degree Examination is required.
• For SC/ST and Category-I of Karnataka, the aggregate of 45% marks in the Qualifying exam is required.

Part-Time MBA Courses

• The standards remain the same as mentioned above.
• Candidates must have worked for at least 3 years after obtaining the degree as of July 31, 2025, in a recognized establishment.
• The candidate's organization must be situated within the radial distance of 40 km from the Institution in which the candidate seeks admission.

KPGCET Eligibility: MCA Program

Aspirants can take admissions to full-time or part-time MCA Programs. Both Karnataka and Non-Karnataka candidates are offered admissions to 2nd year lateral entry to MCA courses.

Full-Time Course

• Bachelor's Degree from a recognised institution or equivalent examination.
• Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Computer Applications, Computer Programming, Business Mathematics, or Business Statistics — any one of these optional subjects is mandatory at the UG level.
• A minimum aggregate of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST and Category-I of Karnataka candidates) in all years of the Degree Examination.
• A candidate who has studied and passed one of the subjects specified above in Pre-University Course with 50% of marks in that subject shall also be considered for admission.

Lateral Entry to 2nd Year MCA

• Bachelor's Degree of minimum 3 years' duration in BCA, B.Sc. (I.T. / Computer Science) with Mathematics at 10+2 level or at Graduate Level.
• A minimum aggregate of 50% marks in all years of the Degree Examination is required.
• For SC/ST and Category-I of Karnataka candidates, 45% of marks in the Qualifying Examination is required.

Note: There are no part-time courses offered for the MCA degree.

KPGCET Eligibility: M.E./ M. Tech / M. Arch

Full-Time M.E./ M. Tech / M. Arch Courses

Eligibility for these courses is prescribed separately by KEA. The requirements follow the same pattern of academic qualification and minimum marks as other programs.

Karnataka PGCET 2025 Eligibility Clauses

Certain clauses apply to all candidates seeking admission through Karnataka PGCET. These clauses define the conditions under which a candidate's application is considered valid.

Karnataka PGCET 2025 Exam Dates

The exam for M.E./M.Tech and M.Arch courses will be conducted on May 31, 2025. The exam for MBA and MCA courses has been scheduled on June 22, 2025.

The registration process for Karnataka PGCET 2025 will start on April 25, 2025.

Karnataka PGCET Eligibility FAQs

Common questions about eligibility are addressed below. Candidates should check the official KEA website for the most accurate and updated information.

Karnataka PGCET 2025 Eligibility Criteria

Admission to Karnataka PGCET 2025 is based on the candidate's qualifying examination marks and, in some cases, a valid GATE score. A candidate with a valid GATE score is given first preference for admissions to the course.

Eligibility for Full-Time M.E./M. Tech/M. Arch Courses

• A candidate must have passed the qualifying examination or equivalent examination as prescribed by the Competent Authority.
• A minimum aggregate of 50% marks taken together in all the subjects of all the years/semesters of the Degree Examination is required.
• For SC/ST and Category-I candidates, the aggregate of 45% is required.

Part-Time M.E./M. Tech/M. Arch Courses

• A candidate must have passed the qualifying examination or equivalent examination as prescribed by the Competent Authority.
• A minimum aggregate of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST and Category-I) taken together in all the subjects of all the years/semesters of the Degree Examination is required.
• The candidate must have worked for at least 3 years after obtaining the degree as of July 31, 2025, in a recognized establishment.
• The candidate's organization must be situated within the radial distance of 40 km from the Institution in which the candidate seeks admission.
• The employer has to fill up the NOC duly signed by the Qualified Authority.

Note: Rounding off aggregate percent is not permitted under any circumstances.

Admission to the Part-Time M. Tech Quality Improvement Program (QIP)

• A candidate must have passed B.E./B. Tech examination (in the relevant field) of VTU or any other recognized University/Institution and has obtained a minimum of 50% aggregate marks (No relaxation in this case).
• The candidate must have experience of at least one academic year.
• The candidate's working place shall be within 100 kms radius from the institution where they seek admission.
• A candidate appearing for the qualifying examination and expecting the results is also eligible to apply for Karnataka PGCET 2025.

Karnataka PGCET 2025 Eligibility Clauses

Candidates must satisfy one of the following eligibility guidelines in order to be treated as Karnataka Candidates. Each condition is specified in the clause and is referred to by a code. Each clause is followed by the set of documents to be produced during the seat allocation process in order to support the claim.

The candidates who do not satisfy any of the clauses/criteria given below shall be treated as non-Karnataka candidates and will be eligible to select only the seats surrendered by the management if any.

Eligibility Guidelines for MBA and MCA

1. The candidate must have studied and passed in one or more Government or Government recognized educational institutions located in the State of Karnataka for at least SEVEN academic years (from 1st standard to Qualifying Examination) either continuously or in a broken period as on 1st July of the year in which the Entrance Test is held.
2. The candidate must have appeared and passed either SSLC/10th standard or 2nd PUC/12th standard examination from a Government recognized institution located in Karnataka.
3. The candidate must have studied and passed the qualifying examination within the State of Karnataka from an Educational Institution run or recognized by the State Government.
4. Either of the candidates' parents should have studied in Government recognized institutions in Karnataka for a minimum period of 7 years.
5. For the son or daughter of ex-servicemen who at the time of joining the defense service had declared a place in Karnataka as their hometown, proof of such domicile should be obtained and produced from the "Deputy Director, Department of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement."
6. Further, the candidate should have passed the Q.E. from a University or Board or any other institution located anywhere in India.

Eligibility Guidelines for M.E./M. Tech

• The candidate must have studied and passed in one or more Government or Government recognized educational institutions located in the State of Karnataka for at least 7 academic years (from 1st standard to Qualifying Examination) either continuously or in the broken period as on 1st July of the year in which the Entrance Test is held.
• The candidate must have appeared and passed either SSLC/10th standard or 2nd PUC/12th standard examination from a Government recognized institution located in Karnataka State.
• The candidate must have studied and passed the qualifying examination within the State of Karnataka from an Educational Institution run or recognized by the State Government.
• Either of the candidates' parents should have studied in Government recognized institutions in Karnataka for a minimum period of 7 years.
• A candidate or a parent of the candidate has resided in Karnataka for a minimum period of 7 years.

Karnataka PGCET Eligibility FAQs

Ques. If I have passed a specialized Bachelor's degree program of 2 years, will I be eligible for KPGCET?

The source does not provide an answer to this question.

KPGCET Eligibility: Minimum Bachelor's Degree Duration

No. Candidates must have completed a bachelor's degree program that was at least 3 years long to be eligible for KPGCET.

Courses Offered Through KPGCET

Karnataka PGCET is conducted to offer admissions to part-time or full-time MBA, MCA, M.E., M. Tech, and M. Arch courses.

Required Subjects for MCA Admission

Any one of the following subjects is mandatory at the undergraduate level for admission into MCA courses via KPGCET:

• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Computer Science
• Computer Applications
• Computer Programming
• Business Mathematics
• Business Statistics

Part-Time MCA Availability

No part-time courses in MCA are offered through KPGCET.

GATE Score Preference for M. Tech

Yes, candidates with valid GATE scores are given preference for admission into M. Tech courses through KPGCET.

M. Tech QIP Eligibility Without Results

Yes. Candidates who expect to finish their qualifying exams and receive the marks before the counselling process of Karnataka PGCET are eligible to apply for the exam in the case of M. Tech QIP programs.

Karnataka Candidate Status: Residency Rules

No. A candidate must have studied and passed in one or more Government or Government-recognized educational institutions located in the State of Karnataka for at least SEVEN academic years (from 1st standard to Qualifying Examination) as on 1st July of the year the Entrance Test is held.

This period can be continuous or broken. Candidates are also eligible under the same criteria if they have appeared and passed either SSLC / 10th standard or 2nd PUC / 12th standard examination from a Government-recognized institution located in Karnataka.

Karnataka Candidate Status: Parent's Education

If either of the candidate's parents have studied in Government-recognized institutions in Karnataka for a minimum period of 7 years, the candidate is eligible to apply for KPGCET as a Karnataka candidate.

Minimum Marks Required in Undergraduate Program

Candidates must score a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in their papers across all semesters in their undergraduate program to fulfill KPGCET eligibility criteria for any program.

Non-Karnataka Candidate Eligibility

Yes, non-Karnataka candidates are eligible for KPGCET. However, they will not be eligible for any reservations.

Karnataka PGCET Overview

Karnataka Post Graduate Common Entrance Test (KPGCET) is a state-level entrance exam. It is conducted for admission to postgraduate courses in Karnataka.

The exam offers admission to part-time or full-time MBA, MCA, M.E., M. Tech, and M. Arch courses.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must have completed a bachelor's degree program that was at least 3 years long. A 2-year specialized bachelor's degree program does not meet this requirement.

A minimum of 50% aggregate marks in the undergraduate program is required across all semesters. This applies to all programs offered through KPGCET.

MCA Eligibility

For MCA admission, one of the following subjects is mandatory at the undergraduate level:

• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Computer Science
• Computer Applications
• Computer Programming
• Business Mathematics
• Business Statistics

Part-time MCA courses are not offered through KPGCET.

M. Tech Eligibility

Candidates with valid GATE scores are given preference for M. Tech admission. For M. Tech QIP programs, candidates who expect to finish their qualifying exams before the counselling process are eligible to apply.

Karnataka Candidate Criteria

To qualify as a Karnataka candidate, the candidate must have studied in Karnataka for at least seven academic years. This period runs from 1st standard to the Qualifying Examination, as of 1st July of the exam year.

The study must be in one or more Government or Government-recognized institutions in Karnataka. The seven years can be continuous or in a broken period.

Candidates are also eligible if they have passed either SSLC / 10th standard or 2nd PUC / 12th standard from a Government-recognized institution in Karnataka.

If either parent has studied in Government-recognized institutions in Karnataka for a minimum of 7 years, the candidate is also eligible as a Karnataka candidate.

Studying in Karnataka for only 5 years does not qualify a candidate as a Karnataka candidate.

Non-Karnataka Candidates

Non-Karnataka candidates are eligible for KPGCET. However, they are not eligible for any reservations.