DCET Exam 2026 - Application Form (Out), Date, Syllabus, Pattern, Question Paper, Admission Process

The exam conducting authority released the Karnataka DCET 2026 eligibility criteria along with the official notification. The candidates appearing for the exam must check the eligibility criteria of Karnataka DCET before filling out the application form. Karnataka Diploma CET 2026 eligibility criteria comprises qualifying examination, minimum marks required and others. Check the below eligibility criteria based on previous year's data. 

Eligibility for BE Courses (Day Engineering Institutions)

• Candidates are required to pass the diploma or equivalent exam.

• Candidates with a minimum of 45% marks in the 5th and 6th semesters combined are eligible to fill the applications respectively

•  The minimum percentage mark for SC/ST candidates is 40%

Eligibility for BE Courses (Evening Engineering Institutions)

•  Candidates are required to pass the diploma or equivalent exam

•  Candidates with a minimum of 45% marks in the 5th and 6th semesters combined are eligible to fill out the applications respectively

• The minimum percentage mark for SC/ST candidates is 40%

Eligibility for BArch First Year (Only in Day Engineering College)

• Candidates must have passed a diploma or equivalent exam from a recognised institute

• Candidates with a 50% aggregate score in all the subjects of the final year, along with 40% marks in NATA 2026.

Reservation Quota

• Admissions under the reserved category will be made in favour of the candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes of citizens under categories 1, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B in accordance with the Government Order No.

Other Reserved Category

• (I) Candidates who have participated in the Republic Day Camp conducted by the Director-General of NCC, New Delhi, from Karnataka and who possess a ‘B’ Certificate obtained during the five years of study in Karnataka between 8th and 12th standards;

          or

• (ii) The candidates who have participated in the following camps conducted by the Director-General of NCC, New Delhi, from Karnataka and who possess ‘B’ Certificate obtained during the five years of study in Karnataka between 8th and 12th standard,s namely;

• (a) All India Thal Sainik Camp (Boys) - TSC(B)

• (b)All India Thal Sainik Camp (Girls) - TSC (G)

• (c) All India Nau Sainik Camp – NSC

• (d)All India Vayu Sainik Camp – VSC

• (e) Cadets who have been finally selected as a part of DG NCC team to participate in All India Movalankar Shooting Championship at National Level AND Youth Exchange Programmes and Foreign Naval Cruise organized by DG, NCC.

KEA has commenced the Karnataka DCET 2026 application on March 17. Candidates had to check the Diploma CET eligibility criteria before applying for the exam. The aspirant has to first register for the Karnataka DCET, followed by payment of fees, entry of details, and declaration. It is mandatory to upload the scanned documents as per the required specifications and then choose the preferred exam centres. After filling out the Karnataka DCET 2026 application, the candidates will have to take a printout of the final application form. 

How to apply for Karnataka DCET 2026 Application Form?

Candidates will have to fill out the Karnataka DCET 2026 application in two phases.

Phase 1

• Visit the official website and click on “DCET-2026 UG Online Application”.

• Click on “New User? Click Here to Register. '' Enter the basic details like name, mobile number, email Id, gender, etc. After successful registration, candidates will receive an Application number and User ID on their registered mobile number and email. 

• A login prompt will be displayed on the screen. Log in using User ID and password

• On successful login, “Student information” will be displayed on the screen. Candidates will have to fill all the required details.

• After entering all the student information, Click on the “Save” button.

• Next, candidates will have to enter educational details and click on “Save and Continue”.

• Finally upload a scanned image of Photograph, signature and left hand thumb impression.

Phase 2 

In phase 2 candidates have to read and understand the declaration and finally click on the “Submit” button.

• After completing the application form the candidates will receive an application number and password on their registered email.

• Take a print out of the challan and pay the application fee in the designated bank branches. The challan will be in triplicate; the bank will retain one copy with it and return copies to the candidates.

• Upload the scanned copy of a recent passport-size Colour Photograph and Signature in JPG / JPEG format.

• Candidates have to take a printout of the application form, affix their recent photograph and put stheir ignature and thumb impression in the designated space. After this, the candidate will have to obtain Principal's seal and signature from the college where they have studied their final year diploma on the space provided in the printed form. The printed application will be required at the time of verification along with a copy of the challan.

DCET 2026 Application Fee

The candidates applying for the Karnataka DCET 2026 exam must know the details of the exam pattern of the Karnataka DCET 2026. KEA published the DCET 2026 exam pattern along with the official notification. The Karnataka DCET 2026 exam pattern consists of the type of questions, number of questions, sections of the exam, duration ofthe  DCET exam, examination mode, etc. Understanding the exam pattern and syllabus of DCET 2026 will help candidates develop a strategy to crack the exam. Here is the DCET exam pattern based on  last year's data.

DCET 2026 aspiring candidates must follow the exam preparation tips mentioned below. 

• Know Exam Pattern and Syllabus - Having an understanding of the official exam pattern and syllabus of DCET 2026 will help aspirants prepare for the entrance exam well. Knowing the types of questions, no. of questions and subject topics will give an idea of what needs to be covered. 

• Mock Tests - Candidates are advised to solve mock tests on a regular basis to know what types of questions are asked in the exam. Solving the mock test of DCET and previous year questions will definitely help to boost the performance and preparation progress. This will also help the candidates to know their weak topics and mistakes so that the same is not made during the exam.

• Timetable - Making a study timetable and following it regularly will help candidates to prepare for the exam in a well-prepared manner.

• Revision - Make notes and revise daily so that you have a list of all important key points to revise one day before the exam. 

KEA will release the DCET 2026 admit card in online mode. Candidates can download the admit card of DCET using their login ID and password from the official website. The admit card has information related to the candidate’s name, paper, test centre name, category, etc. In case of any issues, candidates can contact the officials immediately after taking a printout of the same.

How to download the DCET 2026 Admit Card?

• Visit the official website.

• Click on the Karnataka Diploma CET 2026 admit card link.

• Enter the login credentials.

• DCET admit card 2026 will be displayed on the screen.

• Download the admit card and take a printout.

Details Mentioned in Karnataka Diploma CET 2026 Admit Card

The following are the details that will appear on the Hall Ticket of the Karnataka Diploma CET : 

• Candidates name 

• Signature of the candidates

•  Candidates photograph

•  Application number

•  Exam Schedule

•  Roll number

• Subjects

•  Exam Venue 

• General instructions

KEA will release the final answer key for DCET 2026 on the official website. Candidates who appeared for the DCET 2026 exam can download the answer key of the DCET exam 2026 online. In case of any discrepancies in the provisional answer key, candidates could raise objections to the answer key. The DCET 2026 answer key challenge date will be scheduled by the authority. The final answer key of DCET 2026 will be published after checking all the objections raised. 

How to download the DCET answer key 2026

• Click on the "Answer Key" link given on the official website.

• DCET 2026 answer key will be displayed.

KEA will release the DCET result 2026 on the official website. Candidates can check their results and marks in the DCET result. The Karnataka DCET 2026 result consists of scores, ranks and other information. The candidates who pass the qualifying exam with the requisite marks are eligible to apply for the Diploma Common Entrance Test counselling.

How to check the Karnataka DCET 2026 result?

• Open the Karnataka DCET 2026 official website- kea.kar.nic.in

• Click on the link “Karnataka DCET result”.

• Enter the Karnataka DCET registration number & hall ticket number.

• DCET results will be displayed on the screen. 

• Download the Karnataka DCET result & take a printout of it.

DCET Merit List 2026

The authority will release the Karnataka DCET 2026 result on the basis of marks secured by the candidates in the examination. Note that the authority releases a separate merit list for 2nd year B.E. and 1st year B.Arch courses. Also, the authority uploads the DCET 2026 merit list for day and evening colleges separately. Candidates can check their names in the merit list of DCET 2026, and eligible candidates have to participate in the counselling process.

KEA will release the DCET 2026 cutoff at kea.kar.nic.in. The DCET 2026 cutoff is the minimum mark required to be eligible for admission into the participating institutes. The DCET cutoff 2026 determining factors depend on the total number of candidates who appeared in the exam, difficulty level of the exam, performance of candidates in the entrance test, and availability of seats in DCET participating institutes or colleges.

The Karnataka DCET 2026 counselling schedule will be announced online. Candidates clearing the DCET exam will be eligible to participate in the counselling of DCET 2026. Candidates have to apply for the Karnataka counselling registration. The process will be followed by the document verification process. The allotment of seats will be made based on the candidate's merit in the exam, choice filled and the availability of seats. The detailed DCET counselling process is mentioned below.

DCET 2026 Counselling Procedure

• Document Verification- Candidates have to visit the allotted centres for document verification according to the schedule. Candidates have to report to the centre with all the original documents. Candidates will have to carry a “Verification Slip” after the verification process and a “Unique Keyword” will be mentioned on the verification slip.

• Option Entry- In the option entry process candidates have to select the choices of colleges and courses. Candidates will be allowed to enter as many choices before the last date.

• Seat Allotment- Based on the marks secured by candidates, and options locked by the candidates, the authorities release the DCET 2026 seat allotment result. Qualified candidates will have to report to the allotted college and pay the fee and not satisfied candidates have to wait for the next round of counselling.