KCET Chemistry Syllabus 2026: Important Topics, Chapter-Wise Weightage, Best Books, Recent Changes

The KCET 2026 chemistry syllabus will be released soon on the official website. The Syllabus for the exam follows the Karnataka Pre-University Course (PUC) curriculum for Classes 11/1st PUC and 12/2nd PUC.

• The Chemistry exam will be conducted on 23rd April 2026 from 02:30 to 03:50 pm.
• KCET Chemistry syllabus 2026 primarily focuses on topics such as Classification of Elements, Some basic concepts of Chemistry, and Electrochemistry.
• The Chemistry section consists of 60 questions, one mark each, with no negative marking. A total duration of 80 minutes would be given to attempt the Chemistry section.
• For the KCET Chemistry Syllabus 2026, around 20% weightage is given to topics from 1st PUC (Class 11), while 80% weightage comes from 2nd PUC (Class 12) Chemistry.

Among all the subjects, Chemistry has the highest average student score of around 45-48 out of 60. In 2025, two questions in Chemistry had multiple correct answers for which grace marks were given to candidates.

Watch the following playlist on KCET Chemistry by Deeksha Karnataka to score 60/60. The series includes concept lectures, daily multiple-choice questions, previous year questions, and weekly mock tests.

Related Articles:

• KCET Chemistry Previous Year Papers
• KCET 2026 Chemistry Best Books
• KCET 2026 Chemistry Mock Test

Key Summary

• The syllabus overlaps with national exams like JEE MAIN and NEET, but remains state-specific in depth.
• Organic Chemistry consistently accounts for 30-35% of the paper in recent years.
• Questions from the Inorganic chemistry are memory-based but volatile. They vary in depth year to year.
• Chemistry have fewer lengthy calculations as compared to Physics/Math.

KCET 2026: Chemistry Syllabus Overview

KCET 2026 Chemistry: Download PDF

Given below is the official syllabus for chemistry released on the official website.

KCET 2026 Chemistry: Important Topics

KCET 2026 Chemistry: Syllabus

1st PUC

Unit I: Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry

• General Introduction: Importance and scope of chemistry.

• Historical approach to particulate nature of matter, laws of chemical combination, Dalton's atomic theory: concept of elements, atoms and molecules.

• Atomic and molecular masses. Mole concept and molar mass; percentage composition and empirical and molecular formula, chemical reactions, stoichiometry and calculations based on stoichiometry.

Unit II: Structure of Atom

Discovery of electron, proton and neutron; atomic number, isotopes and isobars. Thomson's model and its limitations, Rutherford's model and its limitations, Bohr's model and its limitations, concept of shells and subshells, dual nature of matter and light, de Broglie's relationship, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, concept of orbitals, quantum numbers, shapes of s, p and d orbitals, rules for filling electrons in orbitals - Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle and Hund's rule, electronic configuration of atoms, stability of half-filled and completely filled orbitals.

Unit III: Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties

Significance of classification, brief history of the development of periodic table, modern periodic law and the present form of periodic table, periodic trends in properties of elements -atomic radii, ionic radii, inert gas radii, Ionization enthalpy, electron gain enthalpy, electronegativity, valence. Nomenclature of elements with atomic number greater than 100.

Unit IV: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure

Valence electrons, ionic bond, covalent bond, bond parameters, Lewis structure, polar character of covalent bond, covalent character of ionic bond, valence bond theory, resonance, geometry of covalent molecules, VSEPR theory, concept of hybridization involving s, p and d orbitals and shapes of some simple molecules, molecular orbital theory of homonuclear diatomic molecules (qualitative idea only). Hydrogen bond.

Unit V: Thermodynamics

• Concepts of system, types of systems, surroundings, work, heat, energy, extensive and intensive properties, state functions.

• First law of thermodynamics - internal energy and enthalpy, heat capacity and specific heat, measurement of ΔU and ΔH, Hess's law of constant heat summation, enthalpy of : bond dissociation, combustion, formation, atomization, sublimation, phase transition, ionization, solution and dilution.

• Introduction of entropy as a state function, Second law of thermodynamics, Gibbs energy change for spontaneous and non-spontaneous process, criteria for equilibrium.

• Third law of thermodynamics -Brief introduction.

Unit VI: Equilibrium

• Equilibrium in physical and chemical processes, dynamic nature of equilibrium, law of mass action, equilibrium constant, factors affecting equilibrium – Le Chatelier's principle;

• ionic equilibrium – ionization of acids and bases, strong and weak electrolytes, degree of ionization, ionization of polybasic acids, acid strength, concept of pH., Hydrolysis of salts (elementary idea), buffer solutions, Henderson equation, solubility product, common ion effect (with illustrative examples).

Unit VII: Redox Reactions

Concept of oxidation and reduction, redox reactions, oxidation number, balancing redox reactions in terms of loss and gain of electron and change in oxidation numbers, applications of redox reactions.

Unit VIII: Organic Chemistry – Some Basic Principles and Techniques

• General introduction, methods of purification, qualitative and quantitative analysis, classification and IUPAC nomenclature of organic compounds.

• Electronic displacements in a covalent bond: inductive effect, electromeric effect, resonance and hyper conjugation.

• Homolytic and heterolytic fission of a covalent bond: free radicals, carbocations, carbanions; electrophiles and nucleophiles, types of organic reactions.

Unit IX: Hydrocarbons

Classification of hydrocarbons:

Aliphatic Hydrocarbons:

• Alkanes – Nomenclature, isomerism, conformations (ethane only), physical properties, chemical reactions including free radical mechanism of halogenation, combustion and pyrolysis.
• Alkenes – Nomenclature, structure of double bond (ethene), geometrical isomerism, physical properties, methods of preparation; chemical reactions: addition of hydrogen, halogen, water, hydrogen halides (Markovnikov's addition and peroxide effect), ozonolysis, oxidation, mechanism of electrophilic addition.
• Alkynes – Nomenclature, structure of triple bond (ethyne), physical properties, methods of preparation, chemical reactions: acidic character of alkynes, addition reaction of - hydrogen, halogens, hydrogen halides and water.

Aromatic hydrocarbons – Introduction, IUPAC nomenclature; Benzene: resonance, aromaticity; chemical properties: mechanism of electrophilic substitution – nitration sulphonation, halogenation, Friedel Craft's alkylation and acylation; directive influence of functional group in mono-substituted benzene; carcinogenicity and toxicity.

2nd PUC

Unit I: Solutions

Types of solutions, expression of concentration of solutions of solids in liquids, solubility of gases in liquids, solid solutions, colligative properties – relative lowering of vapour pressure, Raoult's law, elevation of B.P., depression of freezing point, osmotic pressure, determination of molecular masses using colligative properties, abnormal molecular mass, Vant Hoff factor.

Unit II: Electrochemistry

Redox reactions; conductance in electrolytic solutions, specific and molar conductivity variations of conductivity with concentration, Kohlrausch's Law, electrolysis and laws of electrolysis (elementary idea), dry cell – electrolytic cells and Galvanic cells; lead accumulator, EMF of a cell, standard electrode potential, Nernst equation and its application to chemical cells. Relation between Gibbs energy change and EMF of a cell, fuel cells; corrosion.

Unit III: Chemical Kinetics

Rate of a reaction (average and instantaneous), factors affecting rates of reaction: concentration, temperature, catalyst, order and molecularity of a reaction; rate law and specific rate constant, integrated rate equations and half-life (only for zero and first order reactions); concept of collision theory (elementary idea, no mathematical treatment). Activation energy, Arrhenius equation.

Unit IV: d and f Block Elements

• General introduction, electronic configuration, occurrence and characteristics of transition metals, general trends in properties of the first row transition metals – metallic character, ionization enthalpy, oxidation states, ionic radii, colour, catalytic property, magnetic properties, interstitial compounds, alloy formation. Preparation and properties of K₂Cr₂O₇ and KMnO₄.

• Lanthanoids – electronic configuration, oxidation states, chemical reactivity and lanthanoid contraction and its consequences.

• Actinoids – Electronic configuration, oxidation states and comparison with lanthanoids.

Unit V: Coordination Compounds

Coordination compounds: Introduction, ligands, coordination number, colour, magnetic properties and shapes, IUPAC nomenclature of mononuclear coordination compounds, bonding, Werner's theory VBT, CFT; isomerism (structural and stereo) importance of coordination compounds (in qualitative analysis, extraction of metals and biological systems).

Unit VI: Haloalkanes and Haloarenes

• Haloalkanes: Nomenclature, nature of C-X bond, physical and chemical properties, mechanism of substitution reactions. Optical rotation.

• Haloarenes: Nature of C-X bond, substitution reactions (directive influence of halogen for monosubstituted compounds only).

• Uses and environmental effects of – dichloromethane, trichloromethane, tetrachloromethane, iodoform, freons, DDT.

Unit VII: Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers

• Alcohols: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties (of primary alcohols only); identification of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols; mechanism of dehydration, uses, with special reference to methanol and ethanol.

• Phenols: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, acidic nature of phenol, electrophilic substitution reactions, uses of phenols.

• Ethers: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, uses.

Unit VIII: Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids

• Aldehydes and Ketones: Nomenclature, nature of carbonyl group, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, and mechanism of nucleophilic addition, reactivity of alpha hydrogen in aldehydes; uses.

• Carboxylic Acids: Nomenclature, acidic nature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties; uses.

Unit IX: Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen

• Amines: Nomenclature, classification, structure, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, uses, identification of primary secondary and tertiary amines.

• Cyanides and Isocyanides – will be mentioned at relevant places in context.

• Diazonium salts: Preparation, chemical reactions and importance in synthetic organic chemistry.

Unit X: Biomolecules

• Carbohydrates – Classification (aldoses and ketoses), monosaccharide (glucose and fructose), D-L configuration, oligosaccharides (sucrose, lactose, maltose), polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, glycogen); importance.

• Proteins - Elementary idea of a - amino acids, peptide bond, polypeptides, proteins, primary structure, secondary structure, tertiary structure and quaternary structure (qualitative idea only), denaturation of proteins; enzymes.

• Hormones – Elementary idea (excluding structure).
  • Vitamins – Classification and functions.
  • Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA

KCET 2026 Chemistry: Chapter-Wise Weightage

1st PUC

2nd PUC

KCET 2026 Chemistry: Recent Changes

In 2025, KEA added a new unit on Principles related to Practical Chemistry, as this unit is included in both NEET UG and JEE Main.

KCET 2026 Chemistry: Best Books