KCET First Round Cutoff 2026: Latest Ranks, Counselling Schedule & College Trends
KCET First Round Cutoff 2026 for Computer Science Engineering at RV College of Engineering is anticipated to remain highly competitive, with the latest 2025 first round cutoff settling at 934, a tighter closing rank compared to the 1,100 seen at M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology for the same branch. The KCET First Round Cutoff 2026 is the minimum rank required for admission to various engineering disciplines in Karnataka, and 2025 data indicates particularly competitive ranks for AI/ML specializations, often closing higher than traditional CSE branches. The 2026 cutoff will be updated post-release.
KCET 2026 Counselling: Key Dates & Schedule
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has outlined a tentative schedule for the KCET 2026 counselling process, with key milestones leading up to the first round of seat allotment.
| Event | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Exam Window Opened | April 22 |
| Provisional Answer Key Released | April 26 |
| Document Verification | May 4 |
| Revised Answer Key Released | May 10 |
| Special Category List Published | May 29 |
| Draft Engineering Seat Matrix | June 2 |
| Option Entry Begins | June 15 (Tentative) |
| Mock & Round 1 Allotment | July 1 (Tentative) |
KCET First Round Branch-wise Cutoffs 2025 (Latest — 2026 awaited)
The first round cutoffs for KCET 2025 highlight the competitive landscape for popular engineering branches across top colleges in Karnataka, particularly for Computer Science and its allied specializations.
| College | Branch | Cutoff Rank (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| RV College of Engineering | Computer Science Engineering | 934 |
| RV College of Engineering | Computer Science Engineering (AI&ML) | 1,494 |
| RV College of Engineering | Electrical & Electronics Engineering | 3,645 |
| RV College of Engineering | Civil Engineering | 28,670 |
| M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology | Computer Science Engineering | 1,100 |
| M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology | Computer Science Engineering (AI&ML) | 1,694 |
| M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology | Civil Engineering | 23,457 |
| BMS College of Engineering | Artificial Intelligence & Data Science | 2,442 |
| BMS College of Engineering | Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning | 2,786 |
KCET First Round Category-wise Cutoffs 2023
Category-wise cutoffs for KCET 2023 demonstrate how reservation policies influence admission ranks, offering varying thresholds for different student groups in the first round of counselling.
| College | Branch | Category | Cutoff Rank (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore | AI Artificial Intelligence | 2AH | 6,768 |
| University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore | AI Artificial Intelligence | GMH | 4,384 |
| B M S College of Engineering, Basavanagudi, Bangalore | CE Civil | 2AH | 110,712 |
| B M S College of Engineering, Basavanagudi, Bangalore | CE Civil | GMH | 97,955 |
| B M S College of Engineering, Basavanagudi, Bangalore | CE Civil | GMRH | 126,738 |
FAQs
Q: What is considered a good rank in KCET for top engineering colleges?
A: For admission to top engineering colleges in Karnataka, a KCET rank under 1,000-5,000 is generally considered good for branches like Computer Science Engineering (CSE) and Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE).
Q: How are KCET ranks calculated?
A: KCET ranks are determined by giving a 50:50 weightage to both KCET scores and Class 12 (II PUC) board marks.
Q: Does KCET have different cutoffs for various categories?
A: Yes, KCET cutoffs vary significantly across different categories such as General Merit (GM), OBC, SC, ST, and various regional quotas like Hyderabad-Karnataka (HK). Reserved categories typically have higher (easier to achieve) cutoff ranks.
Q: What is the difference between opening and closing ranks in KCET?
A: The opening rank is the highest rank at which a seat was allotted in a specific college and branch, while the closing rank is the lowest rank (last admitted rank) for that same college and branch. The closing rank indicates the minimum rank required for admission.
Q: When is the KCET 2026 cutoff expected to be released?
A: The KCET 2026 cutoffs are expected to be released by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) after the declaration of results and during each counselling round, likely starting from August 2026.
Q: Which engineering branches typically have the highest cutoffs in KCET?
A: Computer Science Engineering (CSE), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Data Science specializations consistently have the highest cutoffs in KCET due to high demand and limited seats.
