KCET 2027: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
KCET, officially the Undergraduate Common Entrance Test (UGCET), is the Karnataka Examinations Authority's entrance test for government-quota seats in engineering and other professional courses in Karnataka. If you are planning for 2027, the KEA had not announced the KCET 2027 dates when we checked on 20 October 2026: the KEA site still showed UGCET 2026 admissions. For reference, CET-2026 was held on 23 and 24 April 2026, with the Kannada language test on 22 April.
KCET at a glance
| Conducting body | Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) |
| What it is for | Government-quota seats in engineering and technology, pharmacy, farm science, veterinary science, naturopathy and yoga, and B.Sc. Nursing in Karnataka |
| Mode | Pen and paper, with an OMR sheet, at centres in Karnataka |
| Papers | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology, each a separate session |
| Questions | 60 per subject, 1 mark each |
| Time | 80 minutes per subject (10 for your particulars, 70 for answers) |
| Marking | No negative marking |
| Syllabus | Karnataka First and Second PUC |
| How often | Once a year |
| Official website | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea |
KCET 2027 exam date
| Item | Status (checked 20 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| KCET (UGCET) 2027 dates | Not announced on the KEA site |
| CET-2026 Kannada language test | 22 April 2026, 10.30 to 11.30 am |
| CET-2026, day 1 | 23 April 2026: Physics 10.30–11.50 am, Chemistry 2.30–3.50 pm |
| CET-2026, day 2 | 24 April 2026: Mathematics 10.30–11.50 am, Biology 2.30–3.50 pm |
The KEA publishes the information bulletin and the timetable on its UGCET page for the year (for 2026 it was cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/ugcet2026). Watch the KEA home page for the 2027 one.
How to apply for KCET
These steps follow the UGCET-2026 bulletin; the 2027 bulletin may change details.
- Read the information bulletin on the KEA UGCET page. It explains eligibility and the claims you can make for seats.
- Register online with your own mobile number and email.
- Fill in the application, choose the courses you want and the subjects you will sit.
- Upload your photograph, signature and the documents the bulletin asks for.
- Pay the fee online and print the application.
- Download the admission ticket when the KEA releases it.
Which subjects to sit: engineering and technology need PCM; veterinary science, naturopathy and yoga, and B.Sc. Nursing need PCB; farm science needs all four; B.Pharm and Pharm.D use the better of PCM and PCB. If you want MBBS, BDS or AYUSH in Karnataka, the rank comes from NEET UG, and if you want architecture, from NATA, but you still register with the KEA for those seats.
Exam pattern
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physics | 60 | 60 | 80 minutes, own session |
| Chemistry | 60 | 60 | 80 minutes, own session |
| Mathematics | 60 | 60 | 80 minutes, own session |
| Biology | 60 | 60 | 80 minutes, own session |
- Four options per question and one correct answer. A wrong answer scores 0, the same as a blank.
- Shading more than one circle scores 0.
- Shade the version code of your question paper on the OMR sheet. The first 10 minutes of each session are for this and your particulars.
- The engineering rank is not your CET total alone. It combines CET marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics with your marks in the same subjects in the qualifying exam, in equal proportions. Ties go to the higher CET Mathematics mark, then CET Physics.
KCET syllabus
The papers follow the First and Second PUC syllabi of the Karnataka Department of Pre-University Education. The KEA published a reviewed PCMB syllabus for CET-2026 on its website; check it for any chapter left out.
- Physics: motion and laws of motion, work and energy, rotation and gravitation, heat and thermodynamics, oscillations and waves, electrostatics and current electricity, magnetism, EMI and AC, optics, atoms, nuclei and semiconductors.
- Chemistry: mole concept, atomic structure, states of matter, equilibrium and thermodynamics, electrochemistry, kinetics and solutions, periodic table and bonding, p-, d-block and coordination compounds, organic chemistry through amines, biomolecules and polymers.
- Mathematics: algebra, complex numbers, sequences, binomial theorem, matrices and determinants, trigonometry, calculus, coordinate geometry, vectors and 3D geometry, probability and statistics.
See our KCET syllabus page.
A plan for the months that are left
If 2027 follows 2026, the exam is in late April, about six months from now.
| Period | What to do |
|---|---|
| Now to December | Finish Second PUC chapters and revise First PUC. One timed 60-question paper per subject each fortnight. |
| January to the PUC exams | Board marks count in the engineering rank, so give the PUC exams full attention. Keep one CET paper a week for speed. Apply when the form opens. |
| After the PUC exams | A full CET paper per subject every day or two, at the real 80-minute length, on an OMR-style sheet. |
There is no negative marking, so never leave a question blank. With 60 questions in 70 answering minutes, you have just over a minute each: do the quick ones first, mark a best guess on the rest, and come back. See how to use mock tests.
Useful links
- Official KEA site, for the application and notices: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea
- Official UGCET-2026 page and bulletin: KEA UGCET 2026
- Free KCET mock tests on Mockrooms
- KCET syllabus and KCET exam dates
- Related: NEET UG 2027 exam date and how to apply and how to analyse a mock test
Frequently asked questions
When is KCET 2027?
The KEA had not announced it as of 20 October 2026. CET-2026 was held on 23 and 24 April 2026.
Is there negative marking in KCET?
No. A wrong answer scores 0, the same as a blank, so answer every question.
How is the KCET engineering rank calculated?
The KEA combines your CET marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics with your qualifying-exam marks in the same subjects, in equal proportions. Board marks therefore matter as much as the CET.
Do I need KCET for MBBS in Karnataka?
No. Medical, dental and AYUSH seats use the NEET UG rank, but you still register with the KEA for those seats.
Is there a minimum mark to pass KCET?
The bulletin prescribes no minimum mark in the CET itself. Eligibility rules, including the qualifying-exam requirement, are in the bulletin and the admission rules.
What is the Kannada language test?
It is only for Horanadu and Gadinadu Kannadiga candidates, who must show they can speak, read and write Kannada. In 2026 it was a 50-mark paper with a pass mark of 12.