The KCET Eligibility Criteria is prescribed by the Karnatak Examination Authority (KEA) and refers to the age limit, minimum education qualifications required to appear for the exam, domicile requirements, and other important aspects. Candidates who are willing to appear for the exam must check the eligibility criteria before applying as the ineligible candidates will be filtered out automatically during the KCET admission process. KEA has announced the exam date for KCET 2025 and the exam will be conducted on April 18 and 19, 2025. However, the KCET application form is yet to be released.
On this page, candidates can learn more about the KCET eligibility criteria including the course-wise criteria, domicile clauses and requirements, and the basic educational criteria required.
KCET Eligibility Criteria - Basic Requirements
The KCET eligibility criteria covers a number of aspects, and no candidate shall be offered admission to any course unless they fit into the basic criteria of KCET 2025 mentioned below.
- Candidates should be citizens of India and domicile in Karnataka.
- Candidates should have passed the qualifying exam with a minimum of 50-60% marks from a recognized university listed under VTU (Visvesvaraya Technological University).
- Candidates who have passed the qualifying exam from a university not listed under VTU or from Karnataka State Open University are not eligible to apply for KCET 2025.
- Candidates who are appearing in the qualifying exam (2nd PUC (Pre University Colleges)/ 12th boards) in 2025 and whose results are awaited can apply for KCET 2025, but they will not be eligible for admission if they do not pass the qualifying exam.
- Candidates seeking admission to medical, dental, or AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, and Homeopathy) courses must qualify NEET(National Eligibility cum Entrance Test).
- Candidates seeking admission to architecture courses should appear for NATA (National Aptitude Test for Architecture) or JEE Main 2025 paper 2.
- In the case of agriculture quota candidates, the merit list will be prepared based on 25% marks each secured in concerned combinations in 2nd PUC & KCET and 50% marks secured in the practical test.
KCET Educational Qualification: Course-Wise
The KCET education requirements may vary depending upon the course. The table below presented below lists out these educational criteria for the different courses.
Course | Eligibility Norms | Admission Criteria |
Passed 2nd PUC / Class 12with 50% (45% for SC / ST / OBC / PwD) marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics | NATA JEE Main Paper 2 | |
BE/B. Tech | Passed 2nd PUC / Class 12 board with English as one of the languages and obtained a minimum of 45% (40% for SC / ST / OBC / PwD) marks in Physics and Mathematics along with Chemistry / Biotechnology / Biology / Electronics / Computer. | KCET |
Farm Science BSc (Hons) Agriculture / Sericulture / Horticulture / Forestry / Agriculture Marketing & Cooperation B. Tech Agriculture / Food Technology / Dairy Technology / Food Science B.F.Sc Fisheries | Passed 2nd PUC / Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology | KCET |
Bachelors of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc & AH) | Passed 2nd PUC / Class 12 with 50% (40% for SC / ST / OBC / PwD) marks in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English | KCET |
| KCET | |
| KCET |
KCET Eligibility Criteria -Domicile Norms
Other than the general and academic KCET eligibility norms set by KEA, there is a domicile eligibility criterion that states that a candidate applying to appear for KCET 2025 should be a resident of India and a domicile of Karnataka. KEA has set some conditions under the domicile norms for KCET. Each condition is specified as a clause and is individually referred by a code. Take a look at the detailed domicile norms for KCET 2025.
Also Check: KCET Admit Card
CODES | Eligibility |
CODE A | A candidate who has studied and is passed in one or more Government recognized educational institutions located in the State of Karnataka for a minimum period of 7 academic years commencing from 1ststandard to 2ndPUC to 12thstandard as on July 1 of the year in which KCET is being held. Candidate must have also appeared and passed either SSLC / Class 10 or 2ndPUC / Class 12 examination from Karnataka. In case of candidates who have taken more than one year to pass a class or standard, the years of academic study is counted as one year only. |
CODE B | Candidate has studied and passed either 1stor 2ndyear Pre-University Examination or 1+ 2 examinations within Karnataka from an Educational Institution recognized by the State Government. Either of the parents should have studied in Karnataka for 7 years |
CODE C | Either candidate or one of the parent’s mothers tongue should be Kannada, Tulu or Kodava and either of parents domiciled in the State of Karnataka. Such candidate should have passed the qualifying examination from a University or Board or any other Institution located outside Karnataka and should be residing outside the State of Karnataka as on May1, 2019. |
CODE D | A candidate whose mother tongue is Kannada, Tulu or Kodava who also resides and studied for a period of 7 years between 1stand 12thstandards in disputed Kannada speaking area of South Sholapur or Akkalkot or jathor Gadhinglaj taluks of Maharashtra State or Kasargod or Hosadurga Taluks of Kerala State. Provided that the candidate shall undergo a Kannada Language test conducted by KEA. |
CODE E | In the case of a candidate who is son or daughter of defence personnel who has worked continuously in Karnataka for a minimum period of one year during the two year period of study of candidates in PUC/Class 11 or Class 12. The candidate should have studied and passed the qualifying examination from any Government recognized educational institution located in the State. |
CODE F | Son or daughter of serving Defence personnel from Karnataka who at the time of joining the Defence service had declared his/her hometown a place in the State. Proof of such domicile should be obtained and produced by obtaining the extract from the AG’S branch (Army Hqs) respective branch of integrated HQ of MoD for Officers and respective Record Offices for JCOs/OR. Further, the candidate should have passed the Q.E. from a University or board or any other institution located anywhere in India. |
CODE G | In case if a candidate who is a son or daughter of defence personnel who had served in Karnataka for at least one year. The officer is also posted on duty in Field/Active service and whose family is permitted by Defense Authorities to continue to stay in Karnataka. Such candidate should have studied and passed the qualifying examination from any government or government recognized educational institution located in Karnataka. |
CODE H | Son or daughter of ex-servicemen who at the time of joining the defence 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” of that district and the same should be countersigned by the Director, Department of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement. Further, the candidate should have passed the qualifying examination from a university or board or any other institution located anywhere in India. |
CODE I | In the case if a candidate being a son or daughter of an employee of the Union Government of the Karnataka State Government Undertaking or Joint Sector Undertaking, who is liable to be transferred anywhere in India as per the terms and conditions of his employment and has worked in Karnataka for a minimum period of one year during the two year period of study of candidate in PUC/Class 11 or Class 12 standards course and, such candidate has studied and passed the qualifying examination from any government or government recognized educational institution located in the state of Karnataka. |
CODE J | Son or daughter o fa working or retired employee of the Union Government or employee of Union or Karnataka State Government undertaking or Joint Sector undertaking where such employee; (a) had declared to the employer at the time of joining service any place in Karnataka to be their hometown; (b) had studied in any government or government recognized educational institutions or institutions located in Karnataka for a minimum period of seven years, and was or is liable to be transferred anywhere in India as per the terms and conditions of his employment. The candidate also should have passed the qualifying examination from a university or board or any other institution located anywhere in India. |
CODE K | Son or daughter of Members of Parliament elected from Karnataka. Further, the candidate should have passed the qualifying examination from a university or board or any other institution located anywhere in India. |
CODE L | Son or father of serving or retired employee: (a) belonging to All India Service of Karnataka cadre; (b) of the Karnataka State Government, who has served or is serving outside the State of Karnataka during the period corresponding to candidate’s study outside the state from 1ststandard to 2ndPUC or Class 12 examination can be added to make up for seven years within Karnataka. |
CODE M | For son or daughter of Jammu and Kashmir migrants, a proof of migration is needed to be produced from jurisdictional “District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner” of any state in India. |
CODE N | Candidates having studied 10 years in Kannada medium from Class 1 to 12in places outside of Karnataka need not to appear for Kannada Language test conducted by KEA. |
CODE O | Son/daughter of working or retired employee in Central Armed Police Force service, who at the time of joining the CAPF service had declared the hometown as a place in the state of Karnataka, proof of such domicile having been produced by obtaining the extract from the Record Office of the CAPF unit where the parents’ service record is maintained. Further, the candidate should have passed the Q.E. from a University or board or any other institution located anywhere in India. |
KCET Eligibility Criteria - Documents Required Candidates
As mentioned earlier, the domicile norms for KCET have certain eligibility clauses categorized as Codes, basis which candidates will be required to produce the relevant documents. Documents to be produced at the time of verification in support of the claim for each of the clauses are mentioned below.
Code | List of Documents |
CODE A |
|
CODE B |
|
CODE C |
|
CODE D |
|
CODE E |
|
CODE F |
|
CODE G |
|
CODE H |
|
CODE I |
|
CODE J |
|
CODE K |
|
CODE L |
|
CODE M |
|
CODE N |
|
CODE O |
|