KCET 2026 result: Over 2.92 lakh candidates qualify, engineering stream draws highest number of eligible candidates

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) on Friday declared the results of the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) 2026, setting the stage for admissions to engineering, pharmacy, agriculture and other professional courses across the state.

Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar announced the results from the KEA office. Candidates can access their scorecards through the official portals.

This year's examination saw participation from more than three lakh students, underlining the continued importance of KCET as Karnataka's primary gateway to professional education.

Nearly 3 lakh candidates declared eligible

According to data released by KEA, 3,09,014 candidates appeared for the examination, while 2,92,782 were declared eligible for admission across various streams.

Engineering remained the largest category, with 2,82,603 candidates becoming eligible. Pharmacy-related programmes also saw significant participation, with 2,86,609 candidates qualifying for Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) courses and 2,86,965 for Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharma-D).

Other streams included 2,18,785 eligible candidates for Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Nursing, 2,12,909 for Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc), 2,12,730 for Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences (BNYS), and 2,09,220 for agriculture-related programmes including agriculture, sericulture, forestry and food science.

The figures reflect the broad range of professional courses for which students use KCET beyond engineering admissions.

Subject participation remained largely uniform

Participation across core science subjects remained relatively consistent.

Physics recorded the highest attendance with 3,09,014 candidates appearing, followed by Chemistry with 3,08,946 candidates. Mathematics saw 3,02,384 candidates taking the examination, while Biology recorded 2,31,023 candidates.

The examination was conducted between April 22 and April 24 across 745 centres in Karnataka.

KEA had released the provisional answer key on April 27 and allowed candidates to raise objections until April 30. The final answer key was published on May 10, following which the results were prepared.

Bengaluru and Mangaluru students feature among top engineering rank holders

The top ranks in the engineering stream were secured by students from Bengaluru and Mangaluru institutions.
The top five engineering rank holders are:

1. Tanisha Karthik, RV PU College, Jayanagar, Bengaluru
2. Srajan B S, KMWA PU College, Bengaluru
3. Ninaad Vasisht, RV PU College, Jayanagar, Bengaluru
4. Ira Jain, The Learning Centre PU College, Mangaluru
5. Rishon Fernandes, The Learning Centre PU College, Mangaluru

The list shows the continued presence of established pre-university colleges among the state's highest performers.

Government PU college students find place in top ranks

The results also provide a view of how students from government institutions performed.

A total of 8,414 students from Government Pre-University Colleges applied for KCET 2026, of whom 7,620 appeared for the examination.

Among them, 12 students secured engineering ranks within the top 1,000. In the same rank bracket, 15 students featured in BNYS admissions and 13 in agriculture-related courses.

Within the top 5,000 ranks, 53 government college students qualified in engineering, 45 in BNYS and 48 in agriculture streams.

The numbers increased further in the top 10,000 category, where 108 students featured in engineering, 85 in BNYS and 101 in agriculture.

Counselling phase now comes into focus

With results now declared, attention is expected to shift to the counselling and seat-allotment process.

For many students, the rank list will matter more than the score itself, as admissions to engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, veterinary science and other professional courses depend on both rank and seat availability.

KEA is expected to release further details regarding merit lists, counselling schedules and option-entry procedures in the coming weeks.

For the more than three lakh students who appeared for the examination, the result marks the end of one stage. The next question is where those ranks will eventually take them, as competition for seats in leading institutions begins.

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