CET Delhi Polytechnic 2026 Expected Cutoff: OBC, SC and ST Trends

CET Delhi Polytechnic 2026 minimum qualifying marks are 10% for General category and 5% for OBC, SC and ST categories; however, the actual admission closing cutoff for popular branches is significantly higher and is expected to follow the rising trend seen in 2023–25.

The Training and Technical Education (TTE) Department, Delhi conducts the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission to 3-year diploma programmes at government and government-aided polytechnics in Delhi. The engineering diploma paper carries 120 marks (60 MCQs, +2 per correct answer). While the qualifying threshold is low, the real competition is the closing cutoff — the last score at which a seat is allotted in a specific branch and institute. With the 2026 result expected in July 2026, OBC, SC and ST students can use previous year trends to estimate their admission chances before the official merit list is released.

• Minimum qualifying marks: 12 out of 120 for General and 6 out of 120 for OBC, SC and ST — these are eligibility thresholds, not admission cutoffs.
• OBC category closing cutoff for Computer Science is expected around 78–86 marks out of 120, based on 2024–25 trends.
• SC category students can expect a closing cutoff of 62–70 marks for Computer Science and 48–56 marks for Civil Engineering.
• ST category cutoffs are the lowest among reserved categories, estimated at 50–58 marks for Computer Science and 36–44 marks for Civil Engineering.
• Closing cutoffs have risen 3–5 marks per year across all categories as competition for government polytechnic seats in Delhi increases.
• Official category-wise closing cutoffs are published by TTE Delhi on tte.delhi.gov.in after the merit list and counselling schedule are released.

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CET Delhi Polytechnic 2026 Cutoff Overview

The CET Delhi Polytechnic cutoff has two distinct layers. First is the minimum qualifying mark — the floor below which a student is not listed in the merit list at all. Second is the closing cutoff — the last score at which a seat is allotted in a specific branch and institute during counselling. Most discussions about category cutoffs refer to the closing cutoff, which is where competition is actually felt.

OBC students benefit from 27% reservation in government polytechnic seats in Delhi. SC students get 15% reservation and ST students get 7.5% reservation, in line with Delhi government norms. These reserved seats lower the effective competition for each category, resulting in closing cutoffs that are meaningfully below the General category figure for the same branch.

Closing cutoff ranges above are expected estimates for Computer Science and Electronics branches based on 2023–25 trends. Official cutoffs will be published by TTE Delhi after the 2026 merit list is released.

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Qualifying Marks vs Closing Cutoff: What Students Must Know

A common point of confusion is the difference between the qualifying threshold and the admission closing cutoff. Understanding both is essential for realistic planning.

• Qualifying threshold — the minimum marks to appear on the merit list. For General it is 10% of total marks (12 out of 120 for engineering diploma). For OBC, SC, ST and PwD it is 5% (6 out of 120). Scoring at this level does not guarantee admission.
• Closing cutoff — the actual last score at which a seat is allotted in a specific branch and institute. This is much higher than the qualifying threshold and varies by branch popularity and seat availability. For Computer Science, the closing cutoff is typically 6–7 times the qualifying floor for all categories.

Students should target scores well above the qualifying threshold — ideally in the range shown in the section below — if they want a realistic chance at a preferred branch in the first round of counselling.

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Previous Year Category-wise Closing Cutoff Trends

The tables below show how OBC, SC and ST closing cutoffs have trended over recent years for the Computer Science branch, which consistently records the highest scores at Delhi government polytechnics.

Figures are estimated closing cutoffs for the Computer Science branch at government polytechnics in Delhi, based on publicly available trend data. These are not official TTE Delhi figures.

OBC closing cutoffs for Computer Science have increased by approximately 3–4 marks each year since 2023. SC and ST cutoffs have followed the same upward trajectory. Students scoring at or above the midpoint of the expected 2026 range stand a strong chance of admission in the first counselling round.

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Branch-wise Expected Closing Cutoff for OBC, SC and ST (2026)

Cutoff pressure varies considerably across branches. Computer Science and Electronics consistently attract the highest scores while Civil Engineering and Chemical Technology have comparatively lower closing cutoffs. The table below provides expected 2026 closing cutoffs for major engineering diploma branches across OBC, SC and ST categories.

All figures are expected estimates based on previous year trends. Official 2026 cutoffs will be published on the TTE Delhi portal at tte.delhi.gov.in once the merit list is released.

OBC students targeting Computer Science should aim for at least 80 marks out of 120 to stay safely above the expected closing cutoff. SC students should target 65+ marks and ST students should aim for 52+ marks for the same branch.

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Factors Affecting CET Delhi Polytechnic Cutoff

The closing cutoff for each category is not fixed — it moves every year based on several variables. Understanding these helps you set a realistic score target before the result.

• Number of applicants per category: A higher number of OBC, SC or ST applicants in any year increases competition and pushes the closing cutoff up for that category.
• Exam difficulty level: A harder paper than the previous year lowers average scores across the board and can pull the closing cutoff down by 3–6 marks.
• Total seats and seat matrix: Any increase in intake at government polytechnics in Delhi, or new approved seats, eases competition and lowers the cutoff for all categories.
• Reservation enforcement and vacancy carry-forward: Seats left vacant in the ST category may be de-reserved and opened to SC or General students in later counselling rounds, affecting effective closing cutoffs for those categories.
• Branch and institute popularity: Growing demand for Computer Science and Electronics continues to drive cutoffs upward for those branches each year, while less popular branches see more stable or even declining cutoffs.

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How to Assess Your Admission Chances Using the Cutoff

Once the CET Delhi Polytechnic 2026 result is declared, comparing your score with expected cutoffs helps you plan your branch and institute preferences before counselling begins.

1. Check your score out of 120 on the official TTE Delhi result portal after the result is declared in July 2026.
2. Confirm your category — OBC, SC or ST — and locate the expected cutoff range for your target branch in the table above.
3. Compare score against the expected closing cutoff range. Scores above the upper end of the range indicate a high probability of first-round admission. Scores near the lower end suggest waiting for later rounds.
4. Review institute-wise cutoffs once the official merit list is published — government polytechnics with higher reputation or location advantage within Delhi record higher closing cutoffs for the same branch and category.
5. Fill multiple branch preferences during counselling — if your score is borderline for your first-choice branch, list lower-cutoff branches as backup options to avoid losing a seat in early rounds.
6. Monitor tte.delhi.gov.in regularly for round-wise cutoff updates once the counselling process begins.

Students whose scores fall above the upper end of the expected cutoff range for their category have a strong chance of securing their preferred branch in the first counselling round. Those near or below the midpoint should prepare a wider preference list and participate in all available rounds.