Karnataka DCET
Diploma Common Entrance Test
Conducted by: Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
About Karnataka DCET
Lateral entry test for diploma holders seeking direct admission to the second year of B.E/B.Tech in Karnataka.
Important Dates
Karnataka DCET dates from this site’s exam calendar, oldest first: every one still ahead, and up to three of the most recent that have passed, each cited to the official notice or portal it was read from. “(passed)” marks a date already past on 23 September 2026, when this page was generated; the KEA and COMEDK counselling portals this site watches were last re-read on 20 September 2026.
- 6 September 2026 (passed) — Round-2 FINAL seat allotment result, after 6:00 PMSource: KEA No. ED/KEA/DCET/CER-1/2026-27, 02-09-2026 · After this result there is no choice left: KEA states candidates have no CHOICE options, may not refuse the allotted seat, and must take admission by the stated date. The PROVISIONAL result came a day earlier, on 5 September, about three hours past its own printed hour.
- 9 September 2026, 5:00 pm (passed) — Round-2 fee payment and Confirmation Slip download closes 5:00 PM (opened 7 Sep, 11:00 AM)Source: KEA No. ED/KEA/DCET/CER-1/2026-27, 02-09-2026 · A fee already paid in the earlier round is adjusted against this one when a seat is taken here.
- 10 September 2026, 6:00 pm (passed) — Round-2 reporting at the allotted college closes 6:00 PMSource: KEA No. ED/KEA/DCET/CER-1/2026-27, 02-09-2026
The whole calendar, and each counselling round as it runs:
- Karnataka exam calendar — official dates for 8 exams, each cited to the notice or portal it was read from.
- Counselling tracker — round by round, with the official notification behind each stage.
Always confirm dates on the official website before acting on them.
Eligibility
Passed a recognised diploma in engineering or technology.
Karnataka DCET — Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose a different branch from my diploma through DCET?
Yes. Government Order No. ED 88 DTE Bangalore dated 14 July 2022 permits eligible diploma holders to select any engineering branch for lateral entry to the 2nd year / 3rd semester — branch mapping from the diploma is not a constraint. The one exception is the working-professionals stream, where admission is restricted to the branch of the diploma itself.
What does the DCET paper actually test?
A single paper headed "Common to all Engineering Diploma Programmes" — not your diploma branch's technical subjects. The 2026 syllabus covers Engineering Mathematics, Statistics and Analytics, IT Skills, Fundamentals of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Project Management Skills: 100 questions, 100 marks, 3 hours, no negative marking. A civil diploma holder and a computer-science diploma holder sit the same paper.
Which marks decide DCET eligibility — the whole diploma or the final year?
The final year only. The bulletin requires an aggregate of 45% taken together in all subjects of the fifth and sixth semesters (40% for SC, ST and Backward Classes candidates of Karnataka). A weak first year does not disqualify you; a weak final year does.
Is there a separate DCET route for working professionals?
Yes, with tighter conditions: the same marks requirement, plus full-time work experience after the diploma — two years, reduced to one year by an AICTE circular of 24 August 2023 — as on 1 September 2026, in the branch of the diploma, in a registered establishment within the distance limits the bulletin sets out (15 km of the city corporation limits, widened to 75 km from residence or workplace by an AICTE circular of 21 March 2024). Sponsored apprenticeship counts as experience.
Who has to take the Kannada language test?
Only candidates claiming government seats under the Horanadu and Gadinadu Kannadiga clauses, whose mother tongue is Kannada, Tulu or Kodava. The paper is at 4th-standard level and the test centre is in Bengaluru only.
Karnataka DCET — common questions
Answered from verified records — official closing ranks, published fees and accreditation. Not written by students. How we verify data.
- Who conducts Karnataka DCET?
- Karnataka DCET (Diploma Common Entrance Test) is conducted by Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), as a state-level examination held online.
- Who is eligible for Karnataka DCET?
- Passed a recognised diploma in engineering or technology.
- How many Karnataka colleges accept Karnataka DCET?
- We hold 1,771 verified closing ranks across 161 colleges for Karnataka DCET, transcribed from the official 2026 publications.
- What is a good Karnataka DCET rank?
- It depends entirely on the branch and category you are looking at. In our verified data the tightest General Merit seat closed at rank 6, while other seats stayed open well beyond 17,009. Check the band your own rank falls in rather than a single headline number.
- Are Karnataka DCET cut-offs different for reserved categories?
- Yes. Karnataka DCET publishes separate closing ranks for 21 categories, and the difference between them is often tens of thousands of ranks. Compare a category column against your category rank, which is a different number from your overall rank.
- Where do I apply for Karnataka DCET?
- Applications are made on the official site, https://cetonline.karnataka.gov.in. Always confirm dates and fees there rather than on any portal, including this one.
Cut-offs on file for Karnataka DCET
Every closing rank below was transcribed from the official publication and checked against it. Nothing here is estimated, and nothing is behind a sign-up.
| Year | Round | Colleges | Closing ranks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Round 2 | 161 | 1,771 |
Cut-off records last updated 6 Sept 2026
What your rank gets — from verified allotments
Counts computed from closing ranks transcribed from the official publications — not score-band guesses. Pick your band for the full college-by-college table.
| Karnataka DCET rank | Colleges |
|---|---|
| 1 – 5,000 | 49 |
| 5,000 – 10,000 | 80 |
| 10,000 – 20,000 | 132 |