KCET Cutoff 2026: Round 1 Closing Ranks Out, Category Wise Cutoff and Branch Wise Cutoff

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) declared the KCET 2026 Round 1 seat allotment on July 15, 2026. Official college-wise and branch-wise closing ranks are now live at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/. A total of 2,92,782 candidates received a valid CET rank in 2026.

KCET 2026 Round 1 closing ranks are out as of July 15, 2026. You need a GM rank below 500 to secure CSE at RVCE Bengaluru. This is the most competitive seat in Karnataka engineering admissions.

Here is what you need to know about KCET 2026 cutoff right now:

• You need a GM rank below 500 to get CSE at RV College of Engineering (RVCE), Bengaluru in Round 1.
• The MSRIT CSE GM closing rank in Round 1 2026 is around 3,000 to 3,500. This is consistent with the 2025 final-round figure of 3,478.
• SC and ST candidates compete in a separate category merit list. Their closing ranks at top colleges are numerically much higher than GM ranks at the same college.
• The qualifying marks for GM candidates are 45% in Class 12 PCM. The minimum KCET score required is 90 out of 180.
• Round 2 option entry is expected in late July 2026. KEA will announce confirmed dates at the official portal.
• CSE, AI and ML, and ISE branches continue to show the tightest closing ranks across all Bengaluru colleges.
• Round 1 closing ranks are always tighter than final-round ranks. More seats open as candidates decline or upgrade in later rounds.

KCET Cutoff 2026: Important Dates

The table below lists all key events in the KCET 2026 counselling timeline. Upcoming events appear first, followed by past events in chronological order.

Round 2 and Spot Round dates are expected timelines based on KEA’s 2025 counselling calendar. Confirm all deadlines at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/ before taking any action.

Factors Affecting KCET Cutoff 2026

Several things decide how tight or relaxed the KCET 2026 closing ranks are. Knowing them helps you set realistic college targets.

• Total number of candidates: More candidates mean tighter closing ranks. In 2026, 2,92,782 students received a valid CET rank. This keeps strong pressure on top college seats.
• Number of available seats: New college approvals or additional seats from existing colleges relax the cutoff slightly. Fewer seats make it tighter.
• Exam difficulty level: A tougher exam shifts scores lower across the board. This changes rank distribution at certain score bands and can affect closing ranks.
• Branch demand: CSE, AI and ML, and Data Science attract the most candidates. Their closing ranks stay far tighter than Mechanical or Civil at the same college.
• College location: Bengaluru-based colleges show consistently tighter closing ranks than colleges in Mysuru, Mangaluru, or other cities.
• Round of counselling: Round 1 always has the tightest closing ranks. Seats freed when candidates decline or upgrade open up in Round 2 and later rounds.
• Category reservation: Each category has its own closing rank. GM, Cat-1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, SC, ST, and PWD all have separate closing ranks. These depend on reserved seat count and category candidate pool size.

KCET Cutoff 2026: Category-Wise Qualifying Marks

Before you can participate in KCET 2026 counselling, you must meet the qualifying cutoff. This is the minimum you need in the KCET exam and in your Class 12 examination.

Clearing these marks makes you eligible for counselling. It does not guarantee a seat. The actual seat depends on your CET rank and the closing rank of your chosen college, branch, and category.

KCET 2026: Top College-Wise Closing Ranks (Round 1)

The table below shows Round 1 closing ranks for the CSE branch at top Karnataka engineering colleges. These figures are from the July 15, 2026 KEA allotment. All ranks are CET ranks.

Closing ranks in later rounds will be higher (less competitive) than Round 1. If your rank is slightly above the Round 1 closing rank, you may still get a seat in Round 2. More seats open in the spot round.

The gap between RVCE CSE and the next Bengaluru college (UVCE) is 1,602 ranks in the GM category. This shows how sharply competition drops once you move past the top seat in the state.

KCET 2026: Branch-Wise Cutoff at RVCE Bengaluru (Round 1)

RVCE Bengaluru shows the sharpest closing-rank difference across branches in Karnataka. The table below shows Round 1 2026 closing ranks across branches at RVCE for the GM, 2A, and SC categories.

The GM closing rank gap between CSE and Mechanical at RVCE is 22,002 ranks. This shows how sharply the cutoff relaxes as you move from software-oriented branches to core engineering at the same college.

KCET Previous Year Cutoff Trends

The table below tracks GM closing ranks at three benchmark colleges for the CSE branch from 2022 to 2025. These are final-round figures from KEA’s official allotment PDFs.

Source: KEA UGCET Official Allotment PDFs — cetonline.karnataka.gov.in

RVCE CSE GM closing rank tightened by 189 ranks over four years. MSRIT CSE GM shifted by 1,378 ranks over the same period. BMSCE CSE GM moved by 1,520 ranks. All three colleges show consistent tightening each year.

The sharpest single-year movement at RVCE was between 2024 and 2025 — 107 ranks in one year. If the 2026 pool holds at a similar level, the RVCE final-round GM rank may cross 550 to 600. All rounds are expected to conclude by August 2026.

CSE-AI and ML branches have shown sharper closing-rank tightening than core CSE since 2023. Aim for a rank 100 to 200 below the core CSE closing rank if AI/ML is your target.

KCET Cutoff 2026: Qualifying Marks vs Admission Cutoff

Many students confuse qualifying marks with the admission cutoff. These are two separate things in KCET.

The qualifying marks are the minimum you need in KCET and in Class 12. Meeting them allows you into counselling. GM candidates need at least 90 out of 180 in KCET and 45% in Class 12 PCM. Reserved category candidates need 72 out of 180 in KCET and 40% in Class 12. Scoring at this threshold does not mean you get a good college.

The admission cutoff is the closing rank of each college-branch-category combination after all seats in that round are filled. Two students can both clear the qualifying marks. Only the one with a better CET rank secures the sought-after college.

At RVCE CSE in 2025, the qualifying cutoff score was 90 out of 180 for GM. But the admission cutoff at RVCE CSE for GM was a rank of 499. You needed to score high enough to land in the top 499 ranks in the state. Clearing 90 marks alone was not enough.

Always track your CET rank, not just your KCET score, when comparing yourself to previous-year closing ranks.

KCET Cutoff 2026: Marks vs Rank

The table below gives an approximate mapping of KCET scores to CET ranks. Use it to estimate which college bracket is realistic for your score. These figures are based on 2025 rank distribution from KEA’s official merit list.

Class 12 marks also contribute to the KCET rank calculation. Two students with identical KCET scores may get different CET ranks based on their 10+2 performance. Always use your actual CET rank for college comparison — not your raw KCET score.

How to Use KCET Cutoff for College Prediction

The KCET closing ranks published after each round are your most reliable tool for shortlisting colleges. Here is how to use them before Round 2 option entry.

• Find your CET rank: Your rank card is available at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea/. Note your category — GM, SC, 2A, etc. Closing ranks differ by category.
• Compare Round 1 closing ranks. If your rank is below a college-branch closing rank, you will likely get it in Round 2. More seats open in the final round. If your rank is higher by 50 to 200 ranks, you may still get it as seats open up.
• Build a range of options: Target colleges where your rank is comfortably below the closing rank. Add stretch options where your rank is slightly above. Fill both during Round 2 option entry.
• Check category-wise ranks. If you belong to a reserved category, compare your rank against that category’s closing rank only. Do not compare against the GM closing rank — it does not apply to reserved seats.
• Watch for seat vacancies: Candidates who prefer a better option will upgrade in Round 2. This frees seats at top colleges. Monitor the KEA portal after Round 2 allotment.
• Do not skip Round 2: Even if you are unhappy with your Round 1 allotment, participate in Round 2. Your allotment will either stay or improve. It cannot worsen if you keep your current seat as a fallback option.