HORTICET 2026 Eligibility for Diploma and Intermediate Candidates

HORTICET 2026 eligibility requires Intermediate (10+2) students to be aged 17–22 years with Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects, while Diploma course applicants must have passed SSC and be aged 15–22 years as on August 31, 2026.

Dr. YSR Horticultural University (DRYSRHU) conducts HORTICET annually for admission to B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture and Diploma in Horticulture programs across Andhra Pradesh. Intermediate students and SSC-pass students seeking a Diploma in Horticulture have separate eligibility rules — and the two tracks do not overlap. Most application rejections happen because students enter the wrong age, pick the wrong course track, or misreport their marks. Reviewing these criteria before you submit the HORTICET 2026 form is the simplest way to protect your application.

• Age — Intermediate/B.Sc. track: 17–22 years as on August 31, 2026.
• Age — Diploma course track: 15–22 years as on August 31, 2026.
• Qualifying exam (Intermediate track): 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) from a recognised board.
• Qualifying exam (Diploma track): SSC (Class 10) pass; students who have already passed Intermediate are not eligible through the Diploma route.
• Minimum marks — General/OBC: 25% of total marks in the qualifying examination.
• Minimum marks — SC/ST: No minimum marks requirement.
• Domicile: 85% of seats reserved for AP local area students; 15% seats open to all-India merit.

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HORTICET 2026 Eligibility Overview

HORTICET 2026 covers two parallel admission tracks — the B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture track for Intermediate students and the Diploma in Horticulture track for SSC-pass students. Each track has its own age band and qualifying examination requirement. The table below gives the full eligibility snapshot for both.

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Age Limit for HORTICET 2026

For the B.Sc. (Hons.) Horticulture track, you must be between 17 and 22 years of age as on August 31, 2026. For the Diploma in Horticulture track, the lower age limit is 15 years and the upper limit remains 22 years as on the same date.

Age relaxation for SC, ST and PwD students may apply as per DRYSRHU reservation guidelines — check the official HORTICET 2026 notification for the exact figures. The most common age-related error is entering a date of birth that puts you above 22 years on August 31, 2026. The form flags this as ineligible even if you are within the current academic year. Always enter your date of birth exactly as it appears on your Class 10 certificate or birth certificate.

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HORTICET 2026 Eligibility for Intermediate Candidates

Intermediate students must have passed or be appearing for the 2-year Intermediate examination from the Board of Intermediate Education, Andhra Pradesh or any other recognised board, with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) as core subjects.

• The subject combination must include Biology — students from the MPC (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry) stream without Biology are not eligible.
• Students appearing in their Intermediate final exams in 2026 may apply provisionally; they must produce their mark sheet at the time of counselling.
• The board must be recognised by the relevant State or Central education authority.
• Students from CBSE, ICSE or other state boards are eligible provided their subjects match the PCB combination.
• A minimum of 25% of total marks in the qualifying Intermediate examination is required for General and OBC students. SC and ST students have no minimum marks requirement.

When filling the form, select your subject combination carefully from the dropdown. Choosing MPC instead of BiPC — even accidentally — triggers an eligibility mismatch at the document-verification stage, regardless of what your actual mark sheet shows. Re-read the subject combination options before confirming your selection.

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HORTICET 2026 Eligibility for Diploma Course Candidates

Students who have passed SSC (Class 10) from a recognised board and have not passed the Intermediate (10+2) examination are eligible to apply for the Diploma in Horticulture track through HORTICET 2026.

• The qualifying examination for this track is SSC or an equivalent Class 10 board examination.
• If you have already passed the Intermediate (10+2) examination, you are not eligible through the Diploma route — apply via the Intermediate/B.Sc. track instead.
• Students with a gap in study must submit a Residential Certificate from the Tahsildar or MRO covering the gap period.
• Minimum marks for General and OBC applicants: 25% of total marks in SSC. SC and ST applicants have no minimum marks requirement.

A recurring error is Intermediate-pass students applying through the Diploma route in the belief that it opens a separate or simpler path. The two tracks are mutually exclusive based on your highest qualification. Applying on the wrong track results in rejection during verification and the forfeiture of your application fee.

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Minimum Marks Required for HORTICET 2026

The minimum marks threshold for HORTICET 2026 eligibility applies to your qualifying examination — either Intermediate or SSC — not to the entrance test itself. General and OBC students need 25% of total marks in their qualifying exam; SC and ST students have no minimum marks barrier.

Do not confuse this with the HORTICET entrance test score. The 25% threshold is your qualifying exam eligibility floor. Enter your qualifying exam marks exactly as printed on your official mark sheet. Even a marginal exaggeration — entering 62% when your mark sheet reads 59% — is caught at verification and can lead to cancellation of your seat even after counselling has been completed.

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Common Eligibility-Related Errors in the HORTICET 2026 Application Form

Most HORTICET 2026 form errors that affect eligibility fall into a small set of recurring patterns. The table below covers the most common ones and how to avoid each.

The HORTICET 2026 exam is scheduled for June 12, 2026. Visit the official portal at drysrhu.ap.gov.in for the exact application last date and to check whether a form-correction window is available after submission. Once the portal closes, no eligibility-related corrections are typically permitted.

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