Karnataka Common Entrance Test — PCB Group (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)

Key facts

Conducting body

Karnataka Examinations Authority

Eligible class

Class-12

Exam level

State

Exam areas

Agriculture, Engineering, Pharmacy, Veterinary

Typical exam month

The exam is typically conducted in the month of April. For the 2026 cycle, the main exam dates were April 23 and 24, 2026. --

Academic year

2026-2027

Primary goal

The primary goal of the Karnataka Common Entrance Test — PCB Group (KCETPCB) is to determine eligibility and merit for admission to full-time undergraduate courses for the government share of seats in Karnataka state institutions. The courses admit to the first year or first semester of: Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc. & A.H.) Farm Science courses: B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture, B.Sc. (Hons) Sericulture, B.Sc. (Hons) Horticulture, B.Sc. (Hons) Forestry, B.Sc. (Hons) Community Science, B.F.Sc. (Fisheries), and B.Sc. (Hons) Agri. Business Management B.Tech courses: B.Tech (Bio-Technology), B.Tech (Agricultural Engineering), B.Tech (Food Technology), and B.Tech (Dairy Technology) Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharma), Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm-D), and 2nd Year B-Pharma (Lateral Entry) Bachelor of Yoga and Naturopathy (BNYS) Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.Sc. Nursing) --

Syllabus subjects

Biology, Chemistry, Physics

Exam structure

Testing Format: Offline, Pen-and-Paper based exam utilizing physical Optical Mark Reader (OMR) response sheets. Session Division: The entrance test is structured as three separate subject papers (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) spread across two consecutive days: Day 1: Biology. Day 2: Physics and Chemistry. Question Format: Objective, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). Total Questions Presented: 180 questions (60 questions per subject paper). Total Questions to Attempt: 180 questions (no choices or optional sections are offered within the papers). Paper Duration: 80 minutes (1 hour 20 minutes) is allocated for each subject session, translating to a total exam session time of 240 minutes. Marking Scheme: +1 mark is awarded for each correct response. Exam Medium: The question paper is provided in both English and Kannada. --