KEA DCET 2026 Round 1 Schedule: Option Entry and Allotment Dates

Diploma student checking the KEA DCET 2026 result and lateral-entry counselling updates on the official cetonline.karnataka.gov.in website

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DCET 2026 counselling is complete (checked 18 October 2026). For regular diploma candidates, KEA's Round 1 option entry closed at 11:00 AM on 17 August. The final allotment followed, and choice entry, fee payment and college reporting were extended to 25 August. Working-professional candidates had a separate Round 1 schedule (option entry to 21 August, reporting by 26 August). Round 2, for regular candidates, ran from 2 to 10 September 2026. Eligibility, ranking and documents below are from KEA's 2026 bulletin and will be broadly similar for 2027.

DCET 2026 counselling is over. For regular diploma candidates, Round 1 option entry closed at 11:00 AM on 17 August 2026, and choice entry, fee payment and college joining were extended to 25 August. Working professionals had a separate Round 1 schedule ending with reporting by 26 August. Round 2 for regular candidates ran from 2 to 10 September 2026, with no choices after allotment. For DCET 2027, KEA typically notifies the exam in March and holds counselling in July–September. Check the official KEA portal for the new dates.

DCET is the Karnataka Examinations Authority's route for diploma holders into the second year (third semester) of B.E. courses, including a separate working-professionals stream. The 2026 edition was notified on 16 March 2026 (No. ED/KEA/DCET/CR-01/2026); every fact below is from KEA's notification, Information Bulletin-1 or the official DCET pages.

DCET 2026 timeline: how the cycle ran

  1. 17 Mar 2026 Notification published; online registration opened from 12 noon; Information Bulletin-1 and syllabus hosted (official)
  2. 10 Apr 2026 Extended last date to register, apply and pay online (11.59 pm), per KEA press note dated 2 April 2026 (official)
  3. 4 May 2026 Application correction window; notice for SC candidates on internal reservation (Category-A/B/C)
  4. 16 May 2026 Admit-ticket download links posted (regular and working-professional)
  5. 23 May 2026 Exam held: one 100-mark paper, 2–5 PM; Kannada language test for Horanadu/Gadinadu candidates 10.30–11.30 AM, Bengaluru only
  6. 25 May 2026 Provisional key answers and online objection link published
  7. 2 Jun 2026 Revised (final) key answers published (official)
  8. Jul 2026 Document verification for clauses B to O (notice of 7 July); verification-slip download from 21 July; option-entry portal and provisional fee structure from 27 July
  9. 6 Aug 2026 Mock allotment result and cut-offs
  10. 12 Aug 2026 Seat matrix and revised Round 1 schedule for regular candidates (official)
  11. 17–18 Aug 2026 Option entry closed at 11:00 AM on 17 August; Round 1 result published, with the final result link dated 18 August
  12. 21–25 Aug 2026 Extension: choices to 1 PM and fees (Choice 1 and 2) to 2 PM on 24 August; joining by 5:30 PM on 25 August (official)
  13. 18–26 Aug 2026 Working-professional Round 1: option entry to 21 August, final result 22 August, fees 24–25 August, reporting by 26 August (official)
  14. 2–10 Sep 2026 Round 2 for regular candidates: option entry 2–5 September, results 5–6 September, fees 7–9 September, reporting by 6 PM on 10 September (official)
  15. 2027 cycle Expected to follow a similar pattern: notification around March, exam around May, counselling around July–September. Watch KEA for official dates.

Source: KEA DCET 2026 page (rechecked 18-10-2026) and the KEA notification No. ED/KEA/DCET/CR-01/2026 dated 16-03-2026.

100marks, single common paper
50:50rank weight: DCET vs final-year diploma marks
10%of course intake = KEA govt lateral-entry seats
45%min diploma aggregate (40% Karnataka SC/ST/OBC)

Who is eligible — and who is not

Regular lateral entry

You need a pass in any diploma (or equivalent) with minimum 45% aggregate across all final-year (5th + 6th semester) subjects — 40% for Karnataka SC, ST and Backward Classes candidates. Final-semester candidates awaiting results could apply.

Branch choice is open: G.O. ED 88 DTE 2022 dated 14-07-2022 lets eligible diploma holders pick any engineering branch, not just their diploma stream.

Diploma working professionals

Under G.O. ED 137 DTE 2023 dated 12-12-2023, working diploma holders compete against a separate seat matrix. They write the same DCET, meet the same marks rule, and must show minimum two years (one year per the AICTE circular dated 24-08-2023) of full-time experience as on 1 September 2026 in their diploma branch, with workplace or residence within 75 km of the institution (AICTE circular dated 21-03-2024); sponsored BOAT/Government apprenticeship counts.

Who cannot use DCET lateral entry

Diploma-in-Architecture holders are not eligible — their route is 1st-year B.Arch with a NATA-2026 score of at least 70 marks out of 200 (stated by KEA as 40%), with KEA registration but no DCET paper. KSOU (open university) qualifiers are barred from all professional courses via KEA, and Dip NTTF (Tool and Dye Making) and Dip NTTF (Electronics) stand deleted from Schedule-I per notification ED 155 TEC 2022, as cited in the DCET-2026 notification.

Domicile rules for Government seats

Government-quota seats need a clause under Rule 5(1) of the CET-2006 rules — most commonly clause (a): seven academic years of study in Karnataka plus SSLC/10th or the diploma passed in Karnataka; or clause (b): a Karnataka diploma with a parent who studied seven years in Karnataka. Horanadu/Gadinadu Kannadiga candidates must pass KEA's Kannada test with at least 12/50. OCI/PIO candidates get General Category seats only, with no reservation (Supreme Court order, W.P.(C) 891/2021).

How your rank and seat are decided

The lateral-entry rank list blends your DCET performance and your final-year (5th + 6th semester) diploma aggregate percentage in equal proportions — diploma marks matter as much as the entrance test.

KEA government lateral-entry seats are 10% of each course's sanctioned intake, with PH (5%), SPL, HK (Article 371(j) Kalyana-Karnataka) and RK (rest of Karnataka) sub-quotas, notified separately for government, aided and private unaided colleges.

DCET 2026 Round 1 schedule (regular candidates)

Stage12 Aug scheduleAfter the 21 Aug extension
Option entryUp to 11:00 AM on 17 Aug 2026—
Round 1 resultAfter 2:00 PM on 17 Aug 2026—
Choice entry4:00 PM on 17 Aug to 19 Aug 2026Up to 1:00 PM on 24 Aug 2026
Fee payment and confirmation slip18–20 Aug 2026 (Choice 1)Fees by 2:00 PM, slip by 6:00 PM on 24 Aug 2026 (Choice 1 and 2)
Reporting to the collegeBy 5:30 PM on 21 Aug 2026By 5:30 PM on 25 Aug 2026

Sources: KEA schedule dated 12-08-2026 and KEA extension note dated 21-08-2026 ("no further extension will be given"). The schedule dated 18-08-2026 applied to working-professional candidates, not regular candidates.

Documents to keep ready for counselling

Most claims at the application stage were verified online, with a separate document-verification step for some eligibility clauses (B to O) in July 2026. Originals must be produced when you report to the college:

  • DCET-2026 application printout and admission ticket — all candidates.
  • SSLC/10th marks card — all candidates.
  • Diploma marks cards of all years/semesters — a provisional final-semester card needs the polytechnic principal's signature; internet printouts are rejected.
  • Seven-year Karnataka study certificate — BEO/DDPI-countersigned, for clause (a) government-seat claims.
  • Income certificate in the candidate's own name — for SC/ST/Category-1 fee-exemption claims.
  • Caste certificate with RD number — Form-D (SC/ST), Form-E (Cat-1), Form-F (2A/2B/3A/3B); SC candidates also need internal-reservation (Category-A/B/C) details from the Tahsildar per G.O. SKE 08 SLP 2024.
  • Kannada-medium / rural study certificates — 10 full years, BEO-countersigned; GM rural claimants also need the NCLC.
  • Article 371(j) Annexure-A certificate — from the Assistant Commissioner, for the HK quota.
  • BTE equivalency certificate — for diplomas not from the Karnataka Board of Technical Examinations.

Source: KEA DCET 2026 Information Bulletin-1 (17-03-2026), documents chapter.

Use the current official DCET 2026-27 seat matrix

For 2026, KEA published the official DCET 2026-27 seat matrix. Before Round 2 it also published a vacant-seat matrix (3 September 2026). For 2027, use the new matrix to check the college, course and category rows before option entry. This guide does not reproduce a prior-year branch table because the current KEA matrix—and any later official revision—is the controlling source.

See our GEC Haveri college page, and the college compare tool to weigh options once you have your rank.

Fee exemptions and scholarships (official policy)

Per KEA's bulletin, Karnataka SC/ST candidates with parental annual income below ₹2.5 lakh get 100% fee exemption in government, aided, private and deemed-university seats (G.O. SKE 178 PKV 2015 dated 31-12-2015; a companion order dated 30-06-2016 covers income up to ₹10 lakh). Category-1 candidates below ₹2.5 lakh are exempt in government colleges; in private colleges the government-college fee is deducted and the balance is payable. Claims must be made in the online application, with an income certificate in the candidate's name. KEA published a provisional 2026-27 fee structure for diploma candidates on 27 July 2026; check the new one for 2027.

The bulletin directs candidates to apply online via the Social Welfare / Backward Classes department websites — in practice Karnataka's State Scholarship Portal; see our post-matric SC scholarship guide.

DCET vs KCET vs COMEDK: don't mix the streams

DCET is only for diploma holders entering the second year; PUC students use KCET or COMEDK for first-year admission. COMEDK UGET 2026 counselling ran alongside — see our update on COMEDK UGET 2026 round-1 registration. Neither affects your DCET seat.

Sources

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FAQs

What were the DCET 2026 Round 1 allotment dates?
For regular diploma candidates, KEA's schedule dated 12 August 2026 closed option entry at 11:00 AM on 17 August, with the Round 1 result due after 2:00 PM that day. Choices were due by 19 August, Choice-1 fees by 20 August and reporting by 5:30 PM on 21 August. A note dated 21 August extended choice entry to 1 PM and fee payment (Choice 1 and 2) to 2 PM on 24 August, and college joining to 5:30 PM on 25 August. Working-professional candidates followed a separate schedule dated 18 August: option entry to 21 August, final result on 22 August, fees on 24–25 August and reporting by 26 August.
What is the minimum diploma percentage for lateral entry through DCET?
Per KEA's Information Bulletin-1, you need a minimum 45% aggregate across all subjects of the final-year (5th and 6th semester) diploma examination — relaxed to 40% for SC, ST and Backward Classes candidates of Karnataka. Candidates who appeared for the final semester and were awaiting results were also allowed to apply.
Can I choose a different engineering branch from my diploma branch?
Yes. Government Order ED 88 DTE 2022 dated 14-07-2022 allows eligible diploma holders to select any engineering branch for 2nd-year/3rd-semester lateral entry. The exception is Diploma-in-Architecture holders, who can only join 1st-year B.Arch via NATA-2026 (minimum 70 marks out of 200, stated by KEA as 40%), not engineering lateral entry.
How is the DCET lateral-entry rank different from a KCET rank?
KEA prepares the lateral-entry rank list from your DCET score and your final-year (5th + 6th semester) diploma aggregate percentage in equal proportions, so diploma marks count as much as the test. The exam is one combined 100-mark paper rather than separate PCM papers, and allotment runs on a separate lateral-entry seat matrix where KEA government seats are 10% of each course's sanctioned intake.
Does Government Engineering College Haveri take DCET lateral-entry students?
Use KEA's current official DCET 2026-27 seat matrix to verify whether Government Engineering College Haveri and your intended course/category row are available before option entry. This guide no longer reproduces prior-year branch counts because the current KEA matrix, including any later official revision, is the controlling source.
What is the DCET counselling process after results?
After results, download the verification slip, check KEA's seat matrix, and enter college and branch options on the official DCET portal. After Round 1, pick a choice: Choice 1 and Choice 2 candidates pay the fee, and Choice 1 candidates report to the college. In 2026, Round 2 option entry ran from 2 to 5 September, results came on 5–6 September, fees were due by 9 September and reporting by 10 September. After Round 2 there were no choices, and allotted candidates had to join. Expect a similar sequence in 2027, but follow KEA's notified dates.
Is there a separate quota for diploma working professionals?
Yes. Under Government Order ED 137 DTE 2023 dated 12-12-2023, working diploma holders compete against a separate seat matrix. They write the same DCET and must show minimum two years (one year per AICTE's 24-08-2023 circular) of full-time experience as on 1 September 2026 in their diploma branch, with the workplace or residence within 75 km of the institution.
Can lateral-entry students get fee concessions or scholarships?
Yes, at the policy level set out in KEA's bulletin: Karnataka SC/ST candidates with parental annual income below ₹2.5 lakh get 100% fee exemption in government, aided, private and deemed-university seats (G.O. SKE 178 PKV 2015; a companion 2016 order covers income up to ₹10 lakh), and Category-1 candidates below ₹2.5 lakh are exempt in government colleges. The claim must be made in the online application with an income certificate in the candidate's own name, and post-matric scholarship applications go through Karnataka's State Scholarship Portal.
I did my diploma outside Karnataka. Can I get a government-quota seat?
Only if you satisfy a Rule 5(1) eligibility clause — for example seven academic years of study in Karnataka (clause a), a parent who studied seven years in Karnataka with a Karnataka diploma (clause b), or the Horanadu/Gadinadu Kannadiga clauses, which require passing KEA's Kannada test with at least 12/50. A diploma not issued by the Karnataka Board of Technical Examinations also needs a BTE equivalency certificate. Candidates meeting no clause cannot be allotted government-quota seats through KEA.

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