KEAM 2026 Pass Percentage by Category: Appeared vs Qualified

KEAM 2026 recorded an overall pass percentage of 75.2%, with 93,147 out of 1,23,856 students who appeared securing a rank in the KEAM 2026 merit list, as per data released by CEE Kerala on June 26, 2026.

The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala declared the KEAM 2026 result and rank list on June 26, 2026. A total of 1,36,248 students registered for KEAM 2026 across all categories. The General/Open category recorded the highest pass percentage at 80.4%, while ST students recorded 54.9%. The category-wise breakdown reflects continuing disparities in access to coaching and preparation resources across Kerala.

• Total students registered for KEAM 2026: 1,36,248
• Total students appeared in KEAM 2026: 1,23,856
• Total students qualified (included in rank list): 93,147
• Overall KEAM 2026 pass percentage: 75.2%
• Highest category pass percentage: General/Open Category at 80.4%
• Result declared by: CEE Kerala on June 26, 2026

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KEAM 2026 Pass Percentage Highlights

CEE Kerala published the KEAM 2026 pass percentage statistics alongside the rank list on June 26, 2026. The table below summarises the key figures from the official data release for quick reference.

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KEAM 2026 Total Candidates Appeared and Qualified

Of the 1,36,248 students who registered for KEAM 2026, a total of 1,23,856 appeared for the exam. This means approximately 12,392 registered students were absent on exam day. Out of those who appeared, 93,147 students qualified for the KEAM 2026 rank list. The remaining 30,709 students did not meet the minimum qualifying criteria set by CEE Kerala and received an NR (Not Ranked) status in the result.

The absentee count of 12,392 (roughly 9.1% of registrations) is broadly consistent with trends from previous KEAM cycles. Students who were absent are not eligible to participate in KEAM 2026 counselling unless they meet other eligibility routes specified by CEE Kerala.

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KEAM 2026 Category-Wise Pass Percentage

CEE Kerala releases KEAM pass percentage data broken down by reservation category. The General/Open category students consistently record the highest pass rate, while SC and ST category students show comparatively lower qualification rates. The data below reflects the official category-wise statistics released on June 26, 2026.

SEBC/OBC students form the second-largest group of KEAM test-takers after the General category. It is worth noting that Kerala’s reservation policy guarantees seats in government engineering colleges for SC, ST, and other backward category students during the KEAM 2026 counselling process, irrespective of a lower category-wise pass percentage.

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KEAM Pass Percentage: Year-Wise Trend (2023 to 2026)

The KEAM overall pass percentage has shown a steady upward trend over the last four years. Wider availability of online coaching, school-level preparation improvement, and increased student participation in Kerala have contributed to this gradual rise.

Total student participation in KEAM has grown from approximately 1.17 lakh in 2023 to over 1.23 lakh in 2026, with the overall pass percentage improving by 1.6 percentage points across the same period.

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KEAM 2026 Qualifying Criteria: What Does Qualified Mean?

In KEAM 2026, "qualified" means a student has been awarded a rank in the official KEAM 2026 rank list by CEE Kerala. To qualify for the rank list, you must satisfy both academic eligibility and a minimum entrance exam score.

• You must have passed 10+2 or an equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as core subjects.
• You must secure the minimum qualifying marks specified by CEE Kerala for your category in the KEAM 2026 entrance paper.
• The qualifying mark threshold is lower for SC, ST, SEBC, and EWS category students compared to the General category.
• Students who do not meet the minimum qualifying mark threshold are assigned NR (Not Ranked) status in the KEAM 2026 result.
• The final KEAM 2026 rank uses a 50:50 weightage formula — 50% from KEAM entrance exam marks and 50% from normalised 10+2 board marks.

Students who qualify for the rank list but receive a lower rank can still participate in the KEAM 2026 counselling process. CEE Kerala conducts multiple rounds of seat allotment, giving all qualified students a chance at seats in government and private engineering and architecture colleges across Kerala.