KCET exam pattern and syllabus
Last checked against the official KEA site: September 2026
KCET is an offline, pen-and-paper examination administered across two consecutive days (plus a third day for the Kannada Language Test), consisting of four separate 60-mark subject papers.
Paper-wise structure & schedule
| Paper | Day & Session | Total Time | Questions / Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Day 1 · Afternoon (2:30 PM – 3:50 PM) | 80 minutes (70 mins answering + 10 mins reading) | 60 MCQs / 60 Marks |
| Biology | Day 1 · Morning (10:30 AM – 11:50 AM) | 80 minutes (70 mins answering + 10 mins reading) | 60 MCQs / 60 Marks |
| Physics | Day 2 · Morning (10:30 AM – 11:50 AM) | 80 minutes (70 mins answering + 10 mins reading) | 60 MCQs / 60 Marks |
| Chemistry | Day 2 · Afternoon (2:30 PM – 3:50 PM) | 80 minutes (70 mins answering + 10 mins reading) | 60 MCQs / 60 Marks |
| Kannada Language Test | Day 3 · Morning (11:30 AM – 12:30 PM) | 60 minutes | 50 MCQs / 50 Marks (Min 12 to pass) |
Marking scheme and OMR rules
- Zero Negative Marking: Each correct response awards +1 mark. There is no penalty (0 marks deducted) for wrong answers or unattempted questions. Candidates are strongly advised to attempt all 60 questions in every session.
- Session Timing Breakdown: Each session is 80 minutes long. The first 10 minutes are strictly reserved for filling roll numbers, version codes, and reading instructions on the OMR sheet; the remaining 70 minutes are dedicated to answering questions (averaging 70 seconds per question).
- 16 Question Paper Versions: Question papers are distributed in 16 randomized version codes (A1 to A4, B1 to B4, C1 to C4, D1 to D4) to prevent copying. Shading the wrong version code on your OMR sheet invalidates automated scanning.
- OMR Shading: Only blue or black ballpoint pens are permitted. Gel pens, ink pens, or pencils are strictly barred. Erasing or applying correction fluid is prohibited and leads to rejection by the high-speed OMR scanner.
- Language of Papers: All science question papers are bilingual (printed simultaneously in English and Kannada). In case of any ambiguity in translation, the English text is considered final.
The Kannada language test, specifically
Only Horanadu and Gadinadu Kannadiga candidates need to sit this. It's a 50-mark, 60-minute qualifying test, and you need at least 12 out of 50 to pass. It's held only at four centres: Bengaluru, Belagavi, Vijayapura and Mangalore. Candidates who completed all 10 years of school (Class 1 to Class 10) in Kannada medium outside Karnataka are exempted from sitting it.
Syllabus & Chapter Weightage
The KCET syllabus is drawn from the Karnataka 2nd PUC (Class 12) syllabus (~75% weightage) and 1st PUC (Class 11) syllabus (~25% weightage) for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. Explore our exhaustive 5-year question analysis in the KCET Chapter-Wise Marks Weightage Blueprint to discover high-yield Tier 1 topics and pacing strategies.
Download the exact syllabus PDF and previous years' question papers directly from the official KEA portal. Karnataka government content is copyrighted, so we link to the official source rather than hosting re-distributable copies here.