Karnataka Common Entrance Test Cut Off 2026

What is KCET Cutoff 2026?

KCET cutoff is the closing rank for admission to a particular course in a college. For example, if BMS College of Engineering admits students for CSE up to rank 500, the cutoff rank for CSE at BMSCE is 500.

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) will release the KCET 2026 cutoffs after counselling. Cutoffs are determined by factors such as the number of students appearing and the difficulty level of the exam.

KCET cutoffs are divided into two parts: qualifying cutoff and admission cutoff. The qualifying cutoff is the minimum percentage required to appear for the KCET exam. The admission cutoff is based on ranks derived from a 50:50 weightage of KCET marks and 2nd PUC marks.

KCET 2026: Qualifying Cutoff

Qualifying cutoff is the minimum aggregate percentage required in 2nd PUC or Class 12th to be eligible for the KCET exam and counselling. Candidates must meet this requirement to participate in the admission process.

KCET 2026: Expected Cutoff Course and College-Wise

KCET cutoffs vary by course and college. Engineering has over 65,000 statewide seats, while Veterinary has only around 200-300 total statewide seats, making Veterinary more competitive per seat.

For RVSC College of Engineering, the CSE closing rank for General Merit increased by approximately 30% from 2023 to 2025. For PES University, Bangalore, the CSE cutoff dropped about 52% in 2025 compared to 2024.

In top CSE seats at colleges like RVCE or BMSCE, SC/ST closing ranks reach around 5,000 to 10,000, while General Merit stays under approximately 1,000. This shows a 5-10 times difference between categories.

Last year, RVCE Bangalore CSE General Merit closed at approximately 234-500, one of the lowest in KCET history. Pharmacy and allied streams saw final overall closing ranks around 70,000 for Government College of Pharmacy Bangalore.

Private mid-tier colleges such as Vydehi, Acharya, and B.M. Reddy College saw late round jumps of around 150-250%, indicating vacant seats even after extended counselling.

KCET 2026: Expected Cutoff Category-Wise

Category-wise cutoffs show significant variation. The gap between General Merit and SC/ST closing ranks in top CSE colleges is one of the largest category gaps in any state entrance exam.

General Merit closing ranks in top CSE colleges stay under approximately 1,000.
SC/ST closing ranks in top CSE colleges reach around 5,000 to 10,000.

KCET 2026: Cutoff Shifts

Overall cutoffs have remained stable to slightly higher due to increased competition and high demand for branches like CSE, AI, and ML. In 2025, cutoffs were released round-wise by KEA after counselling began in July.

The final round cutoffs showed maximum relaxation due to withdrawals, upgrades, and vacant seats. Private mid-tier colleges saw massive late round jumps of around 150-250%, indicating vacant seats even after multiple counselling rounds.

KCET 2026: Marks Vs Ranks

KCET ranks are determined by combining KCET marks and 2nd PUC marks with 50:50 weightage. The rank determines admission to a particular branch in a particular college.

KCET 2026: Safe Score

A safe score is the marks required to secure admission to a desired branch in a desired college. Understanding cutoffs is essential for strategic preparation to get a desired branch in a desired college.

KCET 2026: Factors Influencing Cutoffs

KEA determines cutoffs based on several factors, including the number of students appearing and the difficulty level of the exam. In 2025, around 3 lakh+ candidates appeared for KCET, and the difficulty of the exam was moderate.

KCET 2026: Important Dates

The KCET 2026 exam is scheduled for 23rd and 24th April. Results are anticipated in May 2026.

KCET 2025 Round-Wise Cutoffs

KCET 2025 cutoffs were released round-wise by KEA. The table below shows the cutoff PDFs for each round.

Round	KCET 2025 Cutoff	KCET 2025 Cutoff Hyderabad-Karnataka Region
KCET Cutoff 2025 Round 1	Download PDF	Download PDF
KCET Cutoff 2025 Round 2	Download PDF	Download PDF
KCET Cutoff 2025 Round 3	Download PDF	Download PDF

Key Summary

Overall cutoffs have remained stable to slightly higher due to increased competition and high demand for branches like CSE/AI/ML.
Last year, RVCE Bangalore CSE General Merit closed at approximately 234-500, one of the lowest in KCET history.
Pharmacy and allied streams saw final overall closing ranks around 70,000 for Government College of Pharmacy Bangalore.
Private mid-tier colleges such as Vydehi and Acharya & B.M. Reddy College saw massive late round jumps of around 150-250%, indicating vacant seats even after extended counselling.

KCET 2026 College Predictor
KCET 2026 Seat Matrix
KCET 2026 Marks Vs Rank

KCET 2026: Frequently Asked Questions

KCET cutoffs are the closing ranks for a particular branch or course. They are released by KEA after counselling for admissions to professional courses such as Engineering/Technology, Farm Science, and Veterinary and Animal Husbandry courses.

KCET 2026: Expected Cutoff Course and College-Wise

As per the 2025 exam trend, CSE and AI courses are expected to remain highly competitive with high cutoffs, especially at popular colleges like RVCE. Emerging branches such as AI/ML and Data Science often have ranks that are ~500-1000 higher than CSE in the same college.

For Engineering Courses

College Name	CSE (Computer Science)	AI/ML or AI & Data Science	ISE / CS (AI&ML) / Related	ECE (Electronics & Comm.)	Mechanical / EEE	Civil / Other Core Branches
RV College of Engineering (RVCE), Bangalore	150–500	400–900	300–700	700–1,400	5,000–9,000	12,000–20,000+
BMS College of Engineering (BMSCE), Bangalore	300–900	600–1,300	700–1,500	1,200–2,800	8,000–18,000	15,000–30,000+
PES University (Ring Road Campus), Bangalore	800–2,000	1,500–3,500	1,200–2,800	2,000–4,500	12,000–25,000	20,000–35,000+
MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT)	800–2,200	2,000–4,500	1,800–3,500	2,500–5,000	12,000–25,000	20,000–40,000+
Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT)	4,000–9,000	6,000–11,000	5,000–10,000	5,000–9,000	18,000–35,000	30,000–50,000+
New Horizon College of Engineering (NHCE)	12,000–20,000	15,000–25,000	14,000–22,000	12,000–20,000	30,000+	40,000+
Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology	7,000–15,000	9,000–18,000	8,000–16,000	7,000–13,000	20,000–40,000	35,000+

For Farm Sciences Courses

Course / Branch	UAS Bangalore (Top Preference)	UAS Dharwad / UAHS Bagalkot	UAS Raichur / UAHS Shivamogga
B.Sc (Hons) Agriculture	2,000–8,000	5,000–15,000	8,000–20,000
B.Sc (Hons) Horticulture	4,000–12,000	8,000–18,000	10,000–22,000
B.Sc (Hons) Forestry	6,000–15,000	10,000–20,000	12,000–25,000
B.Sc (Hons) Sericulture	8,000–18,000	12,000–22,000	15,000–30,000
B.Tech (Food Technology / Agri Engineering)	10,000–22,000	15,000–28,000	20,000–35,000
B.Sc (Hons) Agri Business Management	5,000–15,000	10,000–20,000	15,000–28,000

For Pharmacy Courses

College / Institute	B.Pharm (Bachelor of Pharmacy)	Pharm.D (Doctor of Pharmacy)
Government College of Pharmacy, Bangalore (Top Govt)	10,000–25,000	8,000–20,000
Government College of Pharmacy, Gulbarga / Other Govt	20,000–50,000	15,000–40,000
Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy, Bangalore	25,000–60,000	20,000–50,000
Acharya & BM Reddy College of Pharmacy, Bangalore	30,000–80,000	25,000–70,000
MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore	40,000–90,000	30,000–80,000
Dayananda Sagar College of Pharmacy, Bangalore	50,000–1,00,000	40,000–90,000
PES College of Pharmacy / Other Bangalore Privates	60,000–1,20,000	50,000–1,00,000
Vydehi Institute of Pharmacy / Other Mid-Tier	80,000–1,80,000+	70,000–1,50,000+

For Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Courses

Veterinary College / Institute	Expected Closing Rank (GM)
Veterinary College, Bangalore (Top Preference)	800–2,000
Veterinary College, Bidar	1,900–3,600
Veterinary College, Shimoga	3,000–6,000
Veterinary College, Hassan	4,000–8,000
Other Affiliated / Constituent Colleges	6,000–12,000+

KCET 2026: Expected Cutoff Category-Wise

The minimum aggregate required in PCM/PCB for the General Category is 45%. For Reserved Categories, the minimum aggregate required in PCM/PCB is 40%.

Kannada Language Test: This is a mandatory qualifying test only for certain candidates (Horanadu & Gadinadu Kannadigas). A candidate needs 12 marks out of 50 to qualify in this test.

Around 456 candidates out of 1520 failed the Kannada Language Test. 12 candidates scored 0 out of 50 in the test.

Category-wise Closing Ranks for KCET

Reserved category students get significant rank relaxation in KCET counselling. The closing ranks for SC, ST, and OBC categories can be 2-5 times higher than the closing ranks for unreserved category students.

This relaxation is provided to ensure social justice and equality. The categories that come under the reserved category include SC, ST, OBC, and EWS.

Engineering Courses: Closing Ranks for Reserved Categories

The closing ranks for engineering branches vary by college and category. The table below shows the expected closing ranks for CSE, AI/ML, ECE, and Mechanical or other core branches.

College / Institute	Branch (CSE) Closing Ranks	Branch (AI/ML or Related) Closing Ranks	Branch (ECE) Closing Ranks	Branch (Mechanical / Core) Closing Ranks
RV College of Engineering (RVCE), Bangalore (Top)	OBC: 500–1,500 SC: 5,000–15,000 ST: 5,000–15,000+	OBC: 1,000–2,500 SC: 8,000–20,000 ST: 10,000–25,000+	OBC: 2,000–4,000 SC: 10,000–25,000 ST: 15,000–30,000+	OBC: 10,000–20,000 SC: 30,000–60,000+ ST: 25,000–50,000+
BMS College of Engineering (BMSCE), Bangalore	OBC: 1,000–3,000 SC: 8,000–25,000 ST: 10,000–30,000+	OBC: 1,500–4,000 SC: 10,000–30,000 ST: 15,000–40,000+	OBC: 3,000–6,000 SC: 15,000–40,000 ST: 20,000–50,000+	OBC: 15,000–30,000 SC: 40,000–80,000+ ST: 40,000–70,000+
PES University (Ring Road Campus), Bangalore	OBC: 2,000–5,000 SC: 10,000–30,000 ST: 10,000–25,000+	OBC: 3,000–7,000 SC: 15,000–40,000 ST: 15,000–40,000+	OBC: 4,000–8,000 SC: 20,000–50,000 ST: 25,000–50,000+	OBC: 20,000–40,000 SC: 50,000+ ST: 40,000+
MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT), Bangalore	OBC: 2,000–5,500 SC: 10,000–25,000 ST: 10,000–25,000+	OBC: 4,000–8,000 SC: 15,000–35,000 ST: 15,000–40,000+	OBC: 5,000–10,000 SC: 20,000–50,000 ST: 25,000–50,000+	OBC: 20,000–40,000 SC: 50,000+ ST: 40,000+
Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT), Bangalore	OBC: 8,000–15,000 SC: 20,000–50,000 ST: 30,000–80,000+	OBC: 10,000–20,000 SC: 30,000–60,000 ST: 40,000+	OBC: 10,000–18,000 SC: 25,000–55,000 ST: 35,000+	OBC: 30,000–50,000 SC: 60,000+ ST: 80,000+

Farm Sciences Courses: Closing Ranks for Reserved Categories

The closing ranks for farm science courses depend on the university and the course. UAS Bangalore is the top preference for these courses.

Course / Branch

UAS Bangalore (Top Preference)

UAS Dharwad / UAHS Bagalkot

UAS Raichur / UAHS Shivamogga

B.Sc (Hons) Agriculture

OBC: 6,000–16,000
SC: 12,000–35,000
ST: 15,000–45,000+

OBC: 8,000–20,000
SC: 20,000–50,000
ST: 25,000–60,000+

OBC: 15,000–35,000
SC: 30,000–60,000
ST: 40,000+

B.Sc (Hons) Horticulture

OBC: 10,000–25,000
SC: 20,000–45,000
ST: 25,000–55,000+

OBC: 15,000–30,000
SC: 25,000–50,000
ST: 30,000–70,000+

OBC: 18,000–40,000
SC: 35,000–70,000
ST: 40,000+

B.Sc (Hons) Forestry

OBC: 12,000–25,000
SC: 20,000–45,000

KCET 2026 Pharmacy and Veterinary Closing Ranks

This section lists expected closing ranks for pharmacy and veterinary courses under KCET 2026. The ranks are based on previous year trends and are split by category (OBC, SC, ST).

B.Pharm and Pharm.D Closing Ranks for Pharmacy Colleges

The table below shows the expected closing ranks for Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D) courses. Ranks are listed for different categories and colleges.

College / Institute	B.Pharm Closing Ranks	Pharm.D Closing Ranks
Government College of Pharmacy, Bangalore (Top Govt)	OBC: 20,000–60,000 SC: 40,000–90,000+ ST: 50,000–1,10,000+	OBC: 15,000–50,000 SC: 35,000–80,000+ ST: 45,000–1,00,000+
Government College of Pharmacy, Gulbarga / Other Govt	OBC: 30,000–90,000 SC: 50,000–1,30,000+ ST: 60,000–1,60,000+	OBC: 25,000–80,000 SC: 45,000–1,10,000+ ST: 55,000–1,30,000+
Al-Ameen College of Pharmacy, Bangalore	OBC: 40,000–1,10,000 SC: 70,000–1,60,000+ ST: 80,000–2,00,000+	OBC: 35,000–1,00,000 SC: 60,000–1,40,000+ ST: 70,000–1,90,000+
Acharya & BM Reddy College of Pharmacy, Bangalore	OBC: 50,000–1,30,000 SC: 80,000–2,00,000+ ST: 1,00,000–2,50,000+	OBC: 40,000–1,20,000 SC: 70,000–1,80,000+ ST: 90,000–2,30,000+
MS Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore	OBC: 60,000–1,50,000 SC: 1,00,000–2,20,000+ ST: 1,20,000–2,80,000+	OBC: 50,000–1,40,000 SC: 90,000–2,00,000+ ST: 1,10,000–2,50,000+
Dayananda Sagar College of Pharmacy, Bangalore	OBC: 70,000–1,70,000 SC: 1,20,000–2,50,000+ ST: 1,50,000+	OBC: 60,000–1,60,000 SC: 1,00,000–2,30,000+ ST: 1,30,000+
PES College of Pharmacy / Other Bangalore Privates	OBC: 80,000–2,10,000+ SC: 1,50,000+ ST: 1,80,000+	OBC: 70,000–1,90,000+ SC: 1,30,000+ ST: 1,60,000+
Vydehi Institute of Pharmacy / Other Mid-Tier	OBC: 1,00,000–2,50,000+ SC: 1,80,000+ ST: 2,00,000+	OBC: 90,000–2,30,000+ SC: 1,60,000+ ST: 1,90,000+

Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Closing Ranks

The table below shows the expected closing ranks for Veterinary and Animal Husbandry courses. Ranks are listed for different categories and colleges.

Veterinary College / Institute	OBC Closing Ranks	SC Closing Ranks	ST Closing Ranks
Veterinary College, Bangalore (Top Preference)	2,000–6,000	6,000–16,000	8,000–22,000+
Veterinary College, Bidar	3,000–8,000	8,000–20,000	10,000–28,000+
Veterinary College, Shimoga	5,000–12,000	12,000–30,000	15,000–35,000+
Veterinary College, Hassan	6,000–15,000	15,000–35,000	18,000–45,000+
Other Affiliated / Constituent Colleges	10,000–20,000+	20,000–50,000+	22,000–55,000+

KCET 2026: Cutoff Shifts

Cutoffs in KCET will be relaxed in later rounds due to withdrawal, upgrades and vacant seats. However, top branches such as CSE in RVCE will see minimal shifts due to high competition and demand.

In 2025, for pharmacy courses closing ranks were around ~70k.

KCET 2026: Marks vs Rank

KCET is scored out of 180 marks, with three papers of 60 marks each. The final rank is not based on KCET marks alone. Ranks are calculated with a 50:50 weightage to KCET marks and 2nd PUC normalized marks.

Engineering / PCM Streams

Marks Range (out of 180)	Expected Rank Range
175 – 180	1 – 50
170 – 174	51 – 200
165 – 169	201 – 500
160 – 164	501 – 1,000
155 – 159	1,001 – 2,000
150 – 154	2,001 – 3,000
140 – 149	3,001 – 5,000
130 – 139	5,001 – 10,000
120 – 129	10,001 – 20,000
110 – 119	20,001 – 30,000
100 – 109	30,001 – 40,000
90 – 99	40,001 – 50,000
80 – 89	50,001 – 60,000
70 – 79	60,001 – 80,000
Below 70	80,001+

Pharmacy / PCB and Agri/Vet Streams

Marks Range (out of 180)	Expected Rank Range
170 – 180	1 – 200
160 – 169	201 – 1,000
150 – 159	1,001 – 3,000
140 – 149	3,001 – 6,000
130 – 139	6,001 – 10,000
120 – 129	10,001 – 20,000
Below 120	20,001+

KCET 2026: Safe Score

A safe score is one that is above the closing marks for a given rank. It increases the chance of getting a desired college or branch despite yearly cutoff fluctuations.

Based on 2025 data, a rank under 500 requires a score of around 170+. This is based on previous years' toppers.

Target Rank Range (GM)	Safe KCET Score (out of 180)
Under 100–500	165–175+
Under 500–1,000	160–168
Under 1,000–2,000	150–160
Under 2,000–5,000	140–150
Under 5,000–10,000	130–140
Under 10,000–20,000	115–130
Under 20,000–50,000	95–115
Above 50,000	Below 95

KCET 2026: Factors Influencing Cutoffs

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) sets cutoffs based on several factors. These include the number of candidates, exam difficulty, and available seats.

Number of Registered / Appearing / Qualified Candidates
Difficulty level of the exam
Total number of available seats or seat matrix
Performance of candidates in 2nd PUC as well as in KCET 2026
Reservation Policies and Quota’s
Popularity of Branch / College / Course
Counselling Rounds

KCET 2026: Expected Cutoff Trends by Round

Cutoff ranks change across counselling rounds. The mock allotment shows the tightest range, while the final round shows the maximum relaxation.

Qualifying Cutoff vs Admission Cutoff in KCET 2026

The qualifying cutoff is the minimum eligibility to appear for the exam and counselling process. The admission cutoff is based on the rank acquired by students on the basis of merit and marks obtained.

Category-wise Cutoff Differences in KCET 2026

Yes, cutoffs differ for different categories such as SC, ST and OBC. These categories get relaxation due to the fixed quota of seats reserved for them.

For example, a general category student should require around a rank of 500 for CSE. An SC/ST candidate can get CSE at around a 10,000 rank.

Predicting College or Branch Before Official Cutoffs

Yes, you can predict your college or branch using your expected marks or rank through college predictors available online. MyKollege provides a college predictor which you can use.

Changes in Cutoff Policy for KCET 2026

As of now, there are no changes in the cutoff policy. Students are advised to check the official website for any changes in the near future.

Borderline Rank and Later Rounds in KCET 2026

Yes, if your rank is on the borderline, you should wait for later rounds. Many seats will open in the 2nd or 3rd rounds due to vacant seats.

You should fill multiple options in choice filing or option entry to get a seat.

Course / Branch / College Example	Mock Allotment (Tightest)	Round 1 (Initial)	Round 2 (Moderate Relaxation)	Round 3 / Final (Maximum Relaxation)	Typical % Shift from Round 1 to Final
Engineering – CSE (Top Colleges), e.g., RVCE Bangalore	150–400	200–500	300–800	400–1,000	50–100%
Engineering – CSE (Mid-Tier), e.g., BIT Bangalore	3,000–5,000	4,000–6,000	5,000–9,000	6,000–12,000	80–150%
Engineering – ECE / AI/ML, e.g., BMSCE Bangalore	800–2,000	1,200–2,800	2,000–4,500	2,500–6,500	80–140%
Engineering – Mechanical / Civil e.g., MSRIT Bangalore	5,000–12,000	8,000–15,000	12,000–22,000	18,000–35,000+	120–200%
B.Pharm / Pharm.D (Govt Bangalore)	8,000–20,000	15,000–40,000	30,000–70,000	50,000–90,000+	150–200%
B.Pharm / Pharm.D (Private Mid-Tier) e.g., Vydehi	40,000–80,000	60,000–1,20,000	1,00,000–1,80,000	1,50,000–2,20,000+	150–250%
B.Sc (Hons) Agriculture (UAS Bangalore)	2,000–5,000	4,000–8,000	6,000–12,000	8,000–18,000	100–150%
B.Sc Horticulture / Forestry	4,000–10,000	6,000–15,000	10,000–20,000	15,000–30,000	130–180%
B.V.Sc & A.H (Veterinary – Bangalore)	800–1,500	1,000–2,500	2,000–4,000	3,000–6,500

Karnataka Common Entrance Test Cut Off 2026