Karnataka PGCET 2027
Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
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Overview
The Post Graduate Common Entrance Test (PGCET) is conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) for admission to first-year MBA, MCA, M.E., M.Tech and M.Arch courses in Karnataka, full-time and part-time. KEA names each cycle by year (PGCET-2026 for 2026-27 admissions), so the next cycle is PGCET 2027, which has not been announced yet. The details below are labelled as per the PGCET-2026 information bulletin and notices.
KEA holds the entrance test for MBA, MCA and M.E./M.Tech. M.Arch applicants must qualify in PGETA-2026, conducted by the Council of Architecture, and still register with KEA for counselling. Candidates with a valid GATE score do not need to write the M.E./M.Tech test but must register and pay. The 2026 bulletin says VTU, UBDT and UVCE offer more than 100 M.E./M.Tech programmes, four M.Arch programmes and one MBA (Infrastructure Management).
Karnataka PGCET at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Conducting body | Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Bengaluru |
| Level | Postgraduate (MBA, MCA, M.E., M.Tech, M.Arch) |
| Purpose | Merit lists and seat allotment for first-year or first-semester PG courses in Karnataka (2026-27 admissions) |
| Mode | Pen-and-paper test on OMR answer sheets; objective multiple-choice questions |
| Frequency | Once a year; separate papers for MBA, MCA and M.E./M.Tech |
| Duration | Two-hour time slots in the 2026 schedule; the bulletin describes a 150-minute session |
| Official website | cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea |
Important dates (PGCET 2027)
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | Not announced yet |
| Online registration opens | Not announced yet |
| Last date to apply | Not announced yet |
| Admit card | Not announced yet |
| Exam | Not announced yet |
| Provisional answer key | Not announced yet |
| Result | Not announced yet |
PGCET 2026 cycle, for reference
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification | 18 March 2026 |
| Online registration opened | 23 March 2026, 11:00 am |
| Last date to apply | Notified as 8 April 2026, 11:59 pm (fee by 10 April); KEA later extended it, with registration open until 30 April 2026 and payment until 5 May 2026 |
| M.E./M.Tech exam | 23 May 2026 (Saturday), 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm |
| MBA and MCA exams | 14 June 2026 (Sunday), moved from 24 May 2026: MBA 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, MCA 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Provisional answer keys | M.Tech 25 May 2026 (revised 2 June 2026); MBA and MCA 15 June 2026 |
| Provisional results | 19 August 2026 (MBA, MCA and M.Tech) |
| First-round seat allotment | Mock allotment 19 September 2026; provisional result 23 September 2026; final result 25 September 2026 |
Application and counselling
Candidates register on the KEA online application with OTP verification of their own mobile number and a live photo, and caste, income and similar certificates are checked through the Revenue Department web service using the RD number. The merit list is prepared separately for MBA, MCA and M.E./M.Tech/M.Arch solely on PGCET marks; qualifying-exam marks are used only to check eligibility. KEA runs the seat allotment online: in 2026 the first round ended with the final allotment result on 25 September 2026, and KEA published a schedule for the post-allotment steps on 28 September 2026.
Sources: PGCET-2026 information bulletin; KEA notification of 18 March 2026; KEA schedule notice of 10 May 2026; KEA PGCET-2026 notices page; KEA home page. Checked on 5 October 2026.
Conducting Body
Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
Category
Design
Level
National
Important Dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Application opens | Not announced yet | Awaiting official notice |
| Application closes | Not announced yet | Awaiting official notice |
| Exam date | Not announced yet | Awaiting official notice |
Eligibility Criteria
The criteria below are from the PGCET-2026 information bulletin. Reservation is available only to candidates of Karnataka origin.
| Course | Requirement |
|---|---|
| MBA (full-time) | Recognised bachelor's degree of at least 3 years; at least 50% aggregate in all subjects including languages |
| MBA (part-time) | The same degree and marks, plus 3 years' work experience as on 31 July 2026 in an organisation within 40 km of the institution |
| MCA | BCA or a Computer Science Engineering degree or equivalent; or B.Sc, B.Com or B.A. with Mathematics at 10+2 or graduation level; at least 50% aggregate |
| M.E., M.Tech, M.Arch (full-time) | A valid GATE score, or a qualifying degree prescribed by the competent authority with at least 50% aggregate |
| M.E., M.Tech, M.Arch (part-time) | The same degree and marks, plus 3 years' work experience as on 31 July 2026, with an employer NOC |
- SCA, SCB, SCC, ST and Category-I Karnataka candidates need 45% aggregate instead of 50%.
- Candidates appearing in the qualifying examination and expecting results can apply, but those who have not passed all subjects are not eligible for seat selection. Rounding off the aggregate percentage is not permitted.
- No part-time MCA and no lateral entry to MCA are offered.
- Candidates who do not meet the eligibility clauses for Karnataka seats are treated as non-Karnataka and can take only seats surrendered by managements for MBA and MCA.
Source: PGCET-2026 information bulletin, section 3 (Who can apply), and the KEA notification of 18 March 2026 (2026 cycle).
Exam Pattern
The 2026 PGCET papers were objective multiple-choice tests with four options per question, answered on OMR sheets. Each paper had 100 questions for 100 marks.
| Course | 2026 date and time | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.E./M.Tech | 23 May 2026, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm | 100 | 100 |
| MBA | 14 June 2026, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm (moved from 24 May 2026) | 100 | 100 |
| MCA | 14 June 2026, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm (moved from 24 May 2026) | 100 | 100 |
| M.Arch | No KEA test; PGETA-2026 of the Council of Architecture | Not applicable | Not applicable |
- Marking: one mark per question; no negative marking, but no mark is given if more than one answer is marked.
- Duration: the schedule notice shows two-hour slots; the bulletin describes a 150-minute session for each paper, with 120 minutes for shading answers after the first ten minutes.
- Question paper: four versions per paper; answers marked on an OMR sheet with a blue or black ink ball-point pen, and candidates keep a replica of the sheet.
- Calculators: non-programmable calculators are allowed for M.E./M.Tech only.
- The M.E./M.Tech test is held only for Civil Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Mechanical Sciences and Electrical Sciences; Bio-Technology, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Polymer Science and Textile Technology are admitted on qualifying-degree marks (government letter of 27 June 2025).
- The new 2026 syllabus is posted on the KEA website.
Source: KEA schedule notice of 10 May 2026, notification of 18 March 2026 and PGCET-2026 information bulletin, Chapter II (2026 cycle).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who conducts Karnataka PGCET 2027?
Karnataka PGCET 2027 is conducted by Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).
What is the eligibility for Karnataka PGCET 2027?
The criteria below are from the PGCET-2026 information bulletin. Reservation is available only to candidates of Karnataka origin. Course Requirement MBA (full-time) Recognised bachelor's degree of at least 3 years; at least 50% aggregate in all subjects including languages MBA (part-time) The same degree and marks, plus 3 years' work experience as on 31 July 2026 in an organisation within 40 km of the institution MCA BCA or a Computer Science Engineering degree or equivalent; or B.Sc, B.Com or…
What is the exam pattern of Karnataka PGCET 2027?
The 2026 PGCET papers were objective multiple-choice tests with four options per question, answered on OMR sheets. Each paper had 100 questions for 100 marks. Course 2026 date and time Questions Marks M.E./M.Tech 23 May 2026, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm 100 100 MBA 14 June 2026, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm (moved from 24 May 2026) 100 100 MCA 14 June 2026, 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm (moved from 24 May 2026) 100 100 M.Arch No KEA test; PGETA-2026 of the Council of Architecture Not applicable Not applicable Marking…
What is the official website of Karnataka PGCET 2027?
The official website is https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/.