PGECET 2026 cutoff for SC category requires no minimum qualifying marks — SC and ST students can participate in counselling regardless of their score, as long as they have appeared in the exam.
The Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) conducts PGECET for admission to M.Tech, M.E., M.Pharm, and Pharm.D (PB) programs across Telangana universities and colleges. Under the state reservation policy, SC category students are entitled to 15% of total seats. The actual cutoff rank — the last rank at which an SC student secures a seat in a given college and branch — depends on the number of SC applicants, seat availability, and branch preference. Based on PGECET 2025 trends, expected SC category closing ranks for 2026 are outlined in this article.
- Minimum qualifying marks for SC category: Nil (no minimum percentage required to appear in counselling)
- OC and BC category minimum qualifying marks: 25% (30 out of 120 marks)
- SC seat reservation: 15% of total seats in each participating institution
- PGECET 2026 is conducted for 120 marks with no negative marking
- Expected SC category closing ranks range from 500 to 15,000+ depending on college and branch
| Direct Link to PGECET 2026 Official Website (Active) — pgecet.tsche.ac.in |
PGECET 2026 Minimum Qualifying Marks for SC Category
PGECET is conducted for 120 marks (120 questions, 1 mark each, with no negative marking). The minimum qualifying marks differ significantly by category. SC and ST category students are exempt from the minimum qualifying marks requirement — they can participate in PGECET 2026 counselling based on rank alone, as long as they have attempted the exam.
| Category | Minimum Qualifying Marks (out of 120) | Minimum Qualifying Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| OC (General) | 30 marks | 25% |
| BC (OBC) | 30 marks | 25% |
| SC | Nil | 0% |
| ST | Nil | 0% |
| PH (Persons with Disability) | Nil | 0% |
Even with no minimum marks requirement, a lower score results in a higher rank number, which limits your choices during counselling. Scoring above 40 marks (33%) improves your chances of securing a seat in preferred colleges and branches within the SC category pool.
PGECET 2025 SC Category Cutoff (Previous Year Trends)
The following table shows approximate SC category closing ranks from PGECET 2025 counselling across major branches. These figures are the primary reference for estimating PGECET 2026 expected cutoffs and are based on 2025 seat allotment trends.
| Branch | Government Colleges SC Closing Rank (2025 Trends) | Private Colleges SC Closing Rank (2025 Trends) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science Engineering (CSE) | 1 – 3,500 | 3,500 – 18,000 |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) | 1 – 4,000 | 4,000 – 15,000 |
| Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) | 1 – 3,000 | 3,000 – 12,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 1 – 2,500 | 2,500 – 10,000 |
| Civil Engineering | 1 – 2,000 | 2,000 – 8,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | 1 – 1,500 | 1,500 – 6,000 |
| M.Pharm (Pharmaceutics) | 1 – 1,200 | 1,200 – 5,000 |
All figures above are based on PGECET 2025 counselling data and represent approximate ranges. PGECET 2026 SC category cutoffs are expected to follow similar patterns, with a variation of ±500 to ±1,000 ranks depending on total applicants and seat availability that year.
PGECET 2026 Expected SC Category Cutoff by Branch
Based on PGECET 2025 trends and the projected applicant pool for 2026, the expected SC category cutoff ranks are given below. These are predictions based on 2025 data and will be officially confirmed only after PGECET 2026 counselling rounds conclude.
| Branch | Expected SC Closing Rank – Tier 1 Govt Colleges | Expected SC Closing Rank – Tier 2 Govt Colleges |
|---|---|---|
| CSE / IT / Data Science | 1 – 1,500 | 1,500 – 4,000 |
| ECE / VLSI / Embedded Systems | 1 – 2,000 | 2,000 – 5,000 |
| EEE / Power Electronics | 1 – 1,800 | 1,800 – 4,500 |
| Mechanical / Production Engineering | 1 – 1,500 | 1,500 – 3,500 |
| Civil / Structural Engineering | 1 – 1,200 | 1,200 – 3,000 |
| M.Pharm (all specialisations) | 1 – 800 | 800 – 2,500 |
SC category students with a rank within the top 2,000 have strong chances at government colleges across most branches. Students in the 2,000 to 8,000 rank range should focus on private deemed universities and self-finance seats. Students with ranks beyond 10,000 may still find options in newer or remote private institutions participating in PGECET counselling.
Factors Affecting PGECET 2026 SC Category Cutoff
Several factors determine where the SC category cutoff rank falls each year. Understanding these helps you set realistic expectations before PGECET 2026 counselling begins.
- Total number of SC applicants: A larger SC applicant pool pushes the closing rank higher, making competition tighter within the reserved seats.
- Total SC seats available: SC category receives 15% of all seats. If new colleges or branches join the PGECET counselling process, more SC seats become available.
- Branch popularity: CSE and ECE attract the most students, resulting in tighter SC closing ranks. Less popular branches such as Chemical Engineering show more relaxed cutoffs.
- College tier and location: Top government institutions like Osmania University and JNTUH see tighter SC closing ranks compared to private or newer colleges.
- Counselling seat fill-up pattern: If seats go vacant after early rounds, the closing rank extends in later rounds to accommodate more students.
- Exam difficulty: A harder PGECET paper compresses score differences across students, which can slightly shift rank distribution and cutoff positions compared to easier years.
PGECET 2026 SC Category Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the minimum qualifying marks for SC category in PGECET 2026?
Ans. SC category students have no minimum qualifying marks requirement in PGECET 2026. They need to appear in the exam and will be assigned a rank based on their score. Only OC and BC students must score at least 25% (30 out of 120 marks) to qualify.
Ques. What is the total marks for PGECET 2026?
Ans. PGECET 2026 is conducted for 120 marks. There are 120 questions carrying 1 mark each, and there is no negative marking in the exam.
Ques. What is the expected SC category closing rank for CSE in PGECET 2026?
Ans. Based on PGECET 2025 trends, the expected SC category closing rank for CSE in Tier 1 government colleges is around 1 to 1,500. For Tier 2 government colleges, the expected range is 1,500 to 4,000. These are predictions and will be confirmed after official PGECET 2026 counselling rounds.
Ques. How much seat reservation does SC category get in PGECET 2026?
Ans. SC category students receive 15% reservation of total seats across all participating Telangana institutions in PGECET 2026 counselling. This applies to government, aided, and private unaided colleges included in the process.
Ques. When will the PGECET 2026 official cutoff be released?
Ans. PGECET 2026 official cutoff ranks are published by TSCHE during the counselling process, after web options entry and seat allotment rounds are completed. You can check the official cutoff at pgecet.tsche.ac.in once counselling concludes.
Ques. Can an SC student with a very low PGECET score still get a seat?
Ans. Yes. Since there is no minimum qualifying marks for SC category, even a low score may lead to a seat depending on where your rank falls against the closing rank of a college. However, branch and college options are more limited for students with higher rank numbers. Scoring above 40 marks (33%) improves your choices considerably during counselling.
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