BCECEB · Diploma admissions
BCECEB DCECE 2026 — Polytechnic (PE) and Para-medical (PMM, PM) Eligibility, Pattern, Reservation
The Diploma-Certificate Entrance Competitive Examination (DCECE) decides admission to engineering diplomas in Bihar's government polytechnics and to para-medical courses. This page follows the BCECEB DCECE (PE/PMM/PM)-2026 prospectus.
01 Overview & official source
Three course groups, one board
DCECE-2026 course groups [1]
| Group | Courses | Level |
|---|---|---|
| PE — Polytechnic (Engineering) | All 3-year engineering diplomas in polytechnic institutions | Matric |
| PMM — Para-medical (Matric level) | Dresser and other Matric-level para-medical courses | Matric |
| PM — Para-medical (Intermediate level) | D.Pharm, Sanitary Inspector, Ophthalmic Assistant, OT Assistant, Lab Technician, X-ray Technician, Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistant, GNM, ANM, Dental Mechanics, Dental Hygienist | Intermediate |
2026 calendar [1]
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online registration | 19 Mar – 21 Apr 2026 |
| Last date for fee | 22 Apr 2026 (11.59 pm) |
| Editing of the form | 23 – 24 Apr 2026 |
| Admit card | 15 May 2026 |
| Exam — PE | 23 May 2026 |
| Exam — PM and PMM | 24 May 2026 |
Through DCECE, 50% of GNM / ANM seats in recognised private para-medical institutions are also filled. [1]
02 Eligibility & age limits
Who can apply to each group
| Group | Qualification | Age |
|---|---|---|
| PE | Class 10 (BSEB Matric or equivalent); 2026 appearing candidates may apply but must pass before the first counselling | No minimum or maximum age |
| PMM | Class 10 with science and English (BSEB, CBSE, ICSE or equivalent) | 15 to 30 on 31 Dec 2026 |
| PM | Intermediate science with physics, chemistry, biology and English (D.Pharm: PCE + maths or biology; GNM: 40% in 10+2 science with English, 5% less for SC/ST; ANM: 40% in 10+2 with English) | 17 to 32 on 31 Dec 2026 (GNM and ANM: up to 35) |
Source [1]
- Residence: the applicant must be an Indian citizen whose parent or spouse is a permanent resident of Bihar, a registered refugee in Bihar, a Bihar government employee, a central government / PSU employee posted in Bihar, or a UN employee posted in Bihar.
- Government women's polytechnics admit only women. GNM and ANM are for women only.
- A medical examination is held before admission. [1]
03 Exam scheme
One OMR paper per group
PE (polytechnic) paper — 2 h 15 min, Matric level [1]
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | 30 | 150 |
| Chemistry | 30 | 150 |
| Mathematics | 30 | 150 |
| Total | 90 | 450 |
PM and PMM papers — 90 questions, 450 marks, 2 h 15 min each [1]
| PM (Intermediate level) | PMM (Matric level) |
|---|---|
| General science 25 Q (125) | Physics 20 Q (100) |
| Arithmetic 15 Q (75) | Chemistry 20 Q (100) |
| Hindi 15 Q (75) | Mathematics 10 Q (50) |
| English 15 Q (75) | Biology 10 Q (50) |
| General knowledge 20 Q (100) | Hindi, English, GK 10 Q (50) each |
- Question papers are in English and Hindi; answers are marked on OMR.
- Merit lists are made group-wise and category-wise. Ties in PE are broken by the mathematics score, then physics, then the older candidate. [1]
04 Fee structure
Examination / counselling fee
| Groups applied for | General / BC / EBC | SC / ST / persons with disabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Any one group | ₹750 | ₹480 |
| Any two groups | ₹850 | ₹530 |
| All three groups | ₹950 | ₹630 |
Source [1]
The fee is paid online and is not refunded; a failed payment must be repeated before the deadline. [1]
05 Reservation & certificates
Bihar reservation under the 2003 admission act
Seats for permanent residents of Bihar [1]
| Category | Share |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste | 16% |
| Scheduled Tribe | 1% |
| Extremely Backward Class | 18% |
| Backward Class | 12% |
| Reserved-category girls (RCG) | 3% |
| EWS | 10% |
| Unreserved | 40% |
- Candidates who are not permanent residents of Bihar can take only Unreserved seats.
- In PMM / PM courses, one-third of seats in every category are reserved for women who are permanent residents of Bihar (horizontal).
- Persons with disabilities: 5% of seats in all institutions, with a disability certificate from a listed medical college.
- Tuition Fee Waiver: 5% supernumerary diploma seats for students whose parents' income is below ₹8 lakh a year (AICTE scheme).
- Servicemen's quota (SMQ): one seat in every branch of each polytechnic for children of serving or retired soldiers of Bihar. [1]
06 Document checklist
Enclosures for counselling
- Matric pass certificate, marks sheet and admit card (Intermediate too for PM).
- Caste certificate and permanent residence certificate from the circle officer / revenue officer.
- EWS income and asset certificate from the DM / SDM / CO in the prescribed form.
- Character certificate from the last institution, and an income certificate if needed.
- Application form Part-A with photo, Aadhaar card, and SMQ / disability / refugee / parent-employment certificates where applicable. [1]
07 Costs & support
Fee waiver
Under the AICTE Tuition Fee Waiver scheme, diploma students whose parents earn under ₹8 lakh a year can take one of the 5% supernumerary seats and pay no tuition fee. [1]
The prospectus does not print institution tuition fees, so none are shown here.
08 After the test
Counselling and seat allotment
Seats are allotted on group-wise, category-wise merit and the candidate's choices; institution or branch change requests are decided only by the Board. [1]
09 Official sources & verification
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this page is taken from the official files below, read on 18 October 2026. Boards change rules, fees and dates every cycle — open the current notification before you apply.
- BCECEB — Prospectus, DCECE (PE/PMM/PM)-2026 (Hindi) (opens in a new tab) course groups, eligibility, age, residence, exam pattern, fee, dates, reservation, PwD, TFW, SMQ, documents · Last checked 18 Oct 2026
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