The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) officially announced the results of the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) 2026 on Friday, marking a crucial step for admissions into engineering, pharmacy, agriculture, and other professional courses across the state. Higher Education Minister Dr. M.C. Sudhakar revealed the outcomes at the KEA office, and candidates can now access their scorecards via the official portals.
Participation and Eligibility Highlights
This year, more than three lakh students participated in the examination, underscoring the continued significance of KCET as Karnataka's primary gateway to professional education. According to KEA data, 3,09,014 candidates appeared for the test, with 2,92,782 declared eligible for admissions across various streams. Engineering remained the largest category, with 2,82,603 candidates qualifying. Pharmacy-related programs also saw high participation, with 2,86,609 candidates eligible for Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) and 2,86,965 for Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharma-D). Other streams included 2,18,785 eligible for 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 fields such as agriculture, sericulture, forestry, and food science. These figures demonstrate the broad range of professional courses for which students utilize KCET beyond engineering.
Subject Participation and Examination Details
Participation across core science subjects remained largely uniform. Physics recorded the highest attendance with 3,09,014 candidates, followed by Chemistry with 3,08,946, Mathematics with 3,02,384, and Biology with 2,31,023. The examination was conducted from April 22 to April 24 across 745 centers in Karnataka. KEA released the provisional answer key on April 27, allowing candidates to raise objections until April 30. The final answer key was published on May 10, leading to the preparation of results.
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:
- Tanisha Karthik, RV PU College, Jayanagar, Bengaluru
- Srajan B.S., KMWA PU College, Bengaluru
- Ninaad Vasisht, RV PU College, Jayanagar, Bengaluru
- Ira Jain, The Learning Centre PU College, Mangaluru
- Rishon Fernandes, The Learning Centre PU College, Mangaluru
This list highlights the continued presence of established pre-university colleges among the state's highest performers.
Performance of Government PU College Students
The results also provide insight into 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. 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, with 108 students in engineering, 85 in BNYS, and 101 in agriculture.
Next Steps: Counselling and Seat Allotment
With results now declared, attention shifts 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, the result marks the end of one stage and the beginning of another, as competition for seats in leading institutions intensifies.
