KEAM 2026 SC and ST Expected Cutoff: Round 1 Closing Ranks and Top Colleges

KEAM 2026 expected SC category closing rank at CET Trivandrum (CSE) is around 14,500 to 17,000 in overall merit rank for Round 1, while ST category students may secure the same seat with an overall rank as high as 18,000 to 23,000 depending on branch, based on KEAM 2025 Round 1 allotment data released by CEE Kerala.

The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE) Kerala released KEAM 2026 Round 1 allotment on July 8, 2026. SC and ST students must understand how the category quota closing rank works before confirming their allotment or planning their Round 2 option entry. The closing ranks in this article represent the overall KEAM merit rank of the last student allotted in that category-college-branch combination — not a separate category rank list.

• KEAM 2026 expected SC closing rank at CET Trivandrum CSE is approximately 14,500 to 17,000 in overall merit rank, based on 2025 trends.
• ST category closing ranks can extend to very high overall ranks — students ranked as low as 60,000 overall secured seats at top colleges through ST quota in 2025.
• KEAM 2026 Round 1 allotment is out — log in at the official CEE portal to check and confirm your seat by the acceptance deadline.
• SC and ST students with strong overall ranks may also compete for general merit seats at top colleges, independent of reserved quota.
• Unfilled SC/ST seats in Round 1 carry to Rounds 2 and 3, where closing ranks typically relax.

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How KEAM SC/ST Cutoff Works

KEAM generates one unified rank list using a 50:50 composite index — 50% from KEAM entrance exam marks and 50% from Class 12 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics scores. There is no separate category rank list. During CEE Kerala’s Centralised Allotment Process (CAP), SC and ST reserved seats are filled from this single rank list by selecting the best-ranked SC or ST students who listed that college and branch in their option entry.

The SC or ST closing rank at a college-branch combination is the overall KEAM rank of the last student allotted to that reserved seat in a given round. If your overall rank is equal to or better (lower number) than this closing rank and you listed that seat in your options, you would have received allotment. SC closing ranks are more competitive because 8% of seats are reserved. ST closing ranks can stretch to very high overall rank numbers because only 2% of seats are reserved, the ST applicant pool is smaller, and any eligible ST student who lists a seat has a higher chance of allotment regardless of their overall rank position.

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KEAM 2025 SC Closing Ranks: Round 1 Reference

The table below shows actual KEAM 2025 Round 1 SC category closing ranks at top government engineering colleges in Kerala. All figures are overall KEAM merit ranks of the last SC student allotted in Round 1. Use these as the primary baseline for estimating 2026 expected cutoffs.

Source: CEE Kerala KEAM 2025 Round 1 last rank data.

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KEAM 2025 ST Closing Ranks: Round 1 Reference

ST closing ranks are less predictable and can extend to very high overall ranks. A student with an overall rank of 60,000+ secured an ST quota seat at top government colleges in 2025. Where no allotment was made in Round 1, seats moved to later rounds.

Source: CEE Kerala KEAM 2025 Round 1 last rank data. ST seats not allotted in Round 1 carry to subsequent rounds.

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KEAM 2026 Expected SC Cutoff (Round 1)

Based on KEAM 2025 Round 1 data and year-on-year trends showing a 3–8% shift in closing ranks, the following are expected SC category closing ranks for KEAM 2026 Round 1. Final figures will be confirmed in the official CEE Kerala last rank list.

All values are expected estimates based on KEAM 2025 trends.

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KEAM 2026 Expected ST Cutoff (Round 1)

ST quota seats are very few (2% per college) and the applicant pool is small. Based on 2025 patterns, ST students with an overall rank well above 50,000 may still receive allotment at premier colleges if they list those seats in their option entry. The table below shows projected 2026 ranges.

All values are expected estimates based on KEAM 2025 trends. ST seats that go unallotted in Round 1 open in later rounds.

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Factors Affecting KEAM SC/ST Cutoff 2026

The following variables determine where KEAM 2026 SC and ST closing ranks settle after each counselling round:

• Total SC/ST applicants: More applicants in the category push closing ranks to higher (weaker) overall rank numbers as competition grows for the same fixed number of reserved seats.
• Class 12 board scores: Since 50% of the KEAM composite index is derived from Plus Two marks, a year with generally higher board scores shifts the entire rank list and can tighten SC cutoffs at top colleges.
• Seat matrix changes: Any change in college intake approved by AICTE and CEE Kerala directly affects the number of SC/ST seats available per branch and per college.
• Option entry choices: If fewer SC/ST students list a specific college in their preferences, the closing rank for that seat weakens — benefiting students who did include it.
• Round-by-round relaxation: Closing ranks in Rounds 2 and 3 are almost always weaker than Round 1, as vacant seats attract new options from students who updated their preference lists after Round 1 allotment.