KCET Reservation Criteria: Types of Reservation, Category-wise Breakup

The KCET exam is one of the top common entrance exams in the state. It is an entrance exam conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) for admission into engineering, agriculture, pharmacy, etc courses. The KCET reservation  Criteria are introduced by the government to ensure students from disadvantaged or underrepresented groups get fair opportunities for admission.

KCET reservation plays a vital role in promoting social justice, inclusion, and balanced representation in higher education in Karnataka. In this article, we will discuss the Legal Basis for Reservation in KCET, Category-wise Reservation, Special Reservation Categories, and the eligibility criteria for availing of a reservation. 

KCET Category-wise Reservation Breakup

Several categories for reservation are created by the authorities, which can be availed by candidates to get a fair chance for admission in KCET 2026 participating colleges. The KCET Category-wise Reservation is as follows:

Scheduled Castes (SC):

• Around 15% of seats are reserved for SC candidates.
• You must provide a valid caste certificate (Form D) from the respective authorities.
• The minimum percentage required for admission is relaxed for the SC category.

Scheduled Tribes (ST): 

• Around 7.5% of the seats are reserved for the ST category.
• A valid ST certificate is mandatory. 
• The relaxation as same for the other categories is given to them.

Other Backward Classes (OBC): 

• 27 % reservation covering subcategories 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B is given to OBC’s.
• The caste certificate and the income certificate need to be submitted to take the benefit.
• OBC reservation is only applicable for Karnataka domicile candidates

Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) & Supernumerary Quota (SNQ): 

• 10 % seats are reserved for EWS candidates among the general category.
• A Supernumerary Quota (SNQ) of 5 % is assigned to candidates whose family income is below ₹8 lakh per annum.
• A tuition fee waiver can be applied to the EWS reservation criteria if taken by a candidate.

Persons with Disabilities (PwD)

• Reservation for PwD is usually 5 % if the disability is 40% or above.
• The candidate must submit a disability certificate, certified by a recognised medical board, to take advantage of this quota.

Women Reservation

• 30 % within each category is reserved for women candidates.

Special Reservation Categories

Along with the regular reservation criteria, KCET adds some special reservation criteria as well, i.e.,

Special Reservation Categories

Reservation Type	Reservation % / Seats	Eligibility & Key Conditions
Rural Area Reservation	15% of Government Seats	- Candidate must have studied for a specific number of years in rural schools (outside city / municipal limits). - Must meet rural education / residence criteria as per KEA norms.
Kannada Medium Students	5% of Seats	- For students who have studied in Kannada medium schools for a prescribed number of years. - Must produce a valid Kannada Medium Certificate or school study proof.
Defence / Ex-Defence / CAPF / NCC / Scouts & Guides	Varies (e.g. 10% seats for defence origin candidates)	- Applicable to wards of Defence / Ex-Defence / CAPF / CRPF personnel of Karnataka origin. - Includes NCC / Scouts & Guides participants with valid certificates (e.g. NCC ‘B’ Certificate). - Candidates must meet service or participation criteria defined by KEA.
Jammu & Kashmiri Migrants	1 Seat per Engineering College	- Reserved for candidates who are migrants from Jammu & Kashmir. - Must submit a valid Migration / Identity Certificate issued by the respective district authorities.
Hyderabad-Karnataka (Hy-Kar) Region Reservation	Up to 70% of Seats in local institutions	- Applies to candidates from Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, and Bellary districts. - Treated as a local area quota under KEA rules. - Seats are reserved only in colleges located in these districts.

Legal & Policy Basis for Reservation in KCET

Reservation in KCET is decided by:

• State legislation and policies of the Karnataka government.
• KEA’s official admission rules and seat allotment regulations.
• Supreme Court / High Court precedents on reservations and quotas.
• Constitutional provisions (Articles 15, 16, etc.) that allow for affirmative action.

KCET Reservation Eligibility & Documents Required

To claim any reservation in KCET, you must fulfil the KCET eligibility and submit the required documents. The given table contains the eligibility criteria and the Documents required to be submitted during the counselling process.

Eligibility Criteria	Details / Requirements
Domicile / Study Requirement	Candidate must be a Karnataka domicile or must have studied for a specific number of years in recognised institutions located in Karnataka.
Minimum Marks Requirement	- General Category: Minimum 50% in 12th / PUC. - SC / ST / OBC: Minimum 40% in 12th / PUC (relaxation applicable).
Special Category Criteria	Candidates applying under NCC, Sports, Defence, Scouts & Guides, etc., must meet participation criteria such as number of years served or certificate level (e.g., NCC ‘B’ Certificate).
Income Eligibility (EWS / SNQ)	For Supernumerary Quota (SNQ) or EWS, annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh as per the latest KEA norms.

How KCET Reservation Works in KCET Counselling Seat Allotment

The KCET counselling process takes place in an online form. This online conduct of KCET counselling allows you to have a transparent process, giving a fair chance to everyone looking for a KCET seat. A detailed seat matrix is released by the authorities the day before the counselling, which has all the information regarding the number of seats present in all the participating institutes. It also gives you the information on how many seats are assigned to reserved categories such as General, SC, ST, OBC, EWS, PwD, Women, Rural, Kannada Medium, and Special Quotas.

2 lines of reservations are covered by KCET. One is horizontal and the other is vertical. These are as follows:

• Vertical Reservation covers the major reservation categories such as SC, ST, and OBC.
• Horizontal Reservation covers the small reservation categories, including women candidates, rural students, Kannada medium students, and persons with disabilities.

These are created to prevent overlapping of reservations while assigning a seat. This makes the seat allotment process much simpler, giving everyone the advantage of the reservations that apply to them.

The KCET reservation system is designed to create a fair balance between merit and social equality by giving students from disadvantaged backgrounds better avialibilty to higher education in Karnataka. It includes various types of reservations, such as vertical, horizontal, and special categories like SNQ and regional quotas. Though there is so much ongoing to grasp but once understood properly, you can actually take advantage of these reservation criteria and get the maximum educational benefits.