KEAM 2026 Round 1 Closing Ranks: College-Wise Analysis for Round 2 Planning

KEAM 2026 Round 1 final allotment was released on July 8, 2026 at cee.kerala.gov.in — the Phase 1 last rank table shows the closing rank for each college and branch across all reservation categories including State Merit (SM), EZ, MU, LA, SC, ST and EW.

With Round 2 option entry opening shortly, comparing Round 1 closing ranks against 2024 and 2025 data helps you decide whether to accept the current seat or target an upgrade. College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET), Government Engineering College Thrissur (GEC Thrissur), Model Engineering College Ernakulam (MEC) and TKM College of Engineering Kollam recorded the tightest closing ranks in both 2024 and 2025.

• Fee payment deadline for Phase 1 is July 12, 2026 — lock in your allotted seat before attempting a Round 2 upgrade.
• CSE at CET Trivandrum is the most competitive KEAM seat, closing between ranks 271 and 571 in Round 1 across the last three years.
• Round 2 closing ranks are typically 10–20% more relaxed than Round 1 across top government colleges based on 2024 and 2025 trends.
• Students outside the Round 1 cutoff for a preferred branch can re-enter choices during Phase 2 option entry without losing their current allotment.

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KEAM 2026 Round 1 Allotment at a Glance

The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) Kerala released the provisional Phase 1 allotment on July 7 and the final allotment on July 8, 2026. The Phase 1 Last Rank Table is now published at cee.kerala.gov.in, listing the highest rank admitted to each college-course-category combination. Students must pay the seat confirmation fee between July 9 and July 12 to lock in their seat before Phase 2 begins.

Paying the Phase 1 confirmation fee does not block you from Phase 2 participation. Students who receive a better seat in Phase 2 will have their Phase 1 seat automatically cancelled by CEE.

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College-Wise Closing Ranks: 2024 vs 2025

The table below is based on official CEE Kerala Phase 1 last rank documents for 2024 and 2025 in the State Merit (SM) category. Use it as a reference alongside the 2026 Phase 1 last rank PDF at cee.kerala.gov.in. Closing ranks have risen year-on-year across most colleges, reflecting a shift in top-ranked students choosing national institutes before KEAM rounds.

Source: Official CEE Kerala Phase 1 last rank PDFs, 2024 and 2025. Tilde (~) denotes approximate figures based on available trend data; dash (—) denotes data not published in verified sources for that year. Visit cee.kerala.gov.in for the 2026 Phase 1 last rank table.

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CSE Closing Rank Trend (2023–2025)

Computer Science Engineering is the highest-demand branch in KEAM across all college tiers. CSE closing ranks at top government colleges have risen consistently from 2023 to 2025, a trend that reflects how many top-ranked KEAM students are prioritising IITs, NITs and centrally-funded institutes before exercising KEAM options. For Round 2 planning, this upward trend means students with ranks beyond the Round 1 cutoff have a realistic shot at CSE seats in the next phase.

Note: Tilde (~) indicates extrapolated estimates where verified Phase 1 last rank data was unavailable. 2023 source: CEE Kerala official last rank document. 2024–2025: official Phase 1 last rank PDFs. Check cee.kerala.gov.in for 2026 figures.

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Branch-Wise Closing Ranks at Top Colleges (2024)

The table below shows closing ranks for all major branches at top colleges in the 2024 Phase 1 allotment, SM category. CSE closes earliest at every college, followed by ECE then EEE, while Civil and Mechanical Engineering have the most relaxed closing ranks. Students targeting a branch upgrade in Round 2 should check whether their rank falls within 300–500 ranks of the relevant Round 1 closing rank shown here.

Based on official CEE Kerala 2024 Phase 1 last rank data. For 2025 and 2026 figures, download the respective last rank PDFs from cee.kerala.gov.in.

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Using Round 1 Data for Round 2 Planning

Round 1 closing ranks are the primary benchmark for Round 2 strategy. If your KEAM rank is within 200–400 of the Round 1 closing rank for a target seat, that seat is a realistic Round 2 option — students who secured better allotments in Phase 1 will vacate those seats, relaxing the cutoff in Phase 2.

1. Download the 2026 Phase 1 last rank PDF from cee.kerala.gov.in and locate your target college-branch rows.
2. Note the SM closing rank and the closing rank for your reservation category if applicable — category seats often have more relaxed cutoffs.
3. During Phase 2 option entry, rank your most preferred college-branch at the top of the list.
4. Pay the Phase 1 confirmation fee regardless — it secures a fallback seat while you attempt an upgrade.
5. Do not cancel or de-register your Phase 1 seat before Phase 2 results are published.

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Factors Affecting Round 2 Closing Ranks

Round 2 closing ranks shift from Round 1 figures due to several variables. Understanding these helps set realistic expectations for your Phase 2 option entry.

• Seat vacancies from Phase 1 non-payers: Students who do not pay the Phase 1 fee release their seats into Round 2, increasing available seats.
• Preference rearrangement: How students reorder their Round 2 choices determines which college-branch combinations see more or less demand.
• Category-wise movement: EZ, MU, LA, DV and other category seats have independent closing ranks. A student moving out of a category seat to a better SM seat frees that category seat for other students.
• Additional seat approvals: CEE may add seats between rounds following government or AICTE approvals, slightly relaxing cutoffs in affected branches.
• Lateral upgrades from aided to government colleges: Students moving from aided to government seats create vacancies in aided institutions, making those seats accessible in Round 2.

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