KEAM 2026 — Nativity Rules, Exam Pattern, +4/−1 Marking, 50:50 Rank Formula, Reservation, Fees
The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations, Kerala conducts KEAM for admission to engineering, architecture, pharmacy and medical & allied degree courses in Kerala. This page follows the KEAM 2026 notification of 5 January 2026 and the KEAM 2026 Prospectus.
One application, three ranking routes
How each course is ranked [1]
| Course | Ranked on |
|---|---|
| B.Tech (incl. KAU, KVASU, KUFOS) | KEAM engineering CBT + Class 12 marks |
| B.Pharm | Kerala Pharmacy Entrance Examination |
| B.Arch | NATA 2025 or 2026 + qualifying-exam marks |
| MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BSMS, BUMS | NEET-UG 2026 (Kerala State Rank List) |
| Agriculture, forestry, veterinary, fisheries and allied | NEET-UG 2026 |
KEAM 2026 dates [1]
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application | 5 – 31 Jan 2026 (5 pm) |
| Other certificates | Till 7 Feb 2026 |
| Engineering / Pharmacy CBT (2 – 5 pm) | 17 – 23 Apr 2026 |
| Buffer days | 13, 16, 24, 25 Apr 2026 |
Candidates who sat the engineering exam had to submit their final-year Maths, Physics and Chemistry marks online by 7 June 2026; those who do not submit marks are left out of the engineering rank list. [3]
Keralite, NK-I or NK-II — and 45% in Class 12 for B.Tech
- Keralite: a candidate of Kerala origin, proved by an SSLC, passport or birth certificate showing birth in Kerala (the candidate's or a parent's), or a Village Officer / Tahsildar certificate. Only Keralites get communal, special or PwD reservation and fee concessions.
- Non-Keralite I: not of Kerala origin, but studied the qualifying course in Kerala as the child of a central government / defence employee posted in Kerala or a Kerala Government employee of two years; or lived in Kerala 5 of 12 study years; or studied Class VIII–XII in Kerala. Eligible for State Merit seats only.
- Non-Keralite II: everyone else — engineering seats in private self-financing colleges, government cost-sharing colleges only after the second phase if no Keralite / NK-I is left, up to 10% management seats in private pharmacy colleges; not government medical, engineering, pharmacy or architecture seats. [1]
- Engineering: Class 12 with Physics and Mathematics compulsory and Chemistry (or Computer Science, then Biotechnology, then Biology) with at least 45% together; 40% for SC / ST / SEBC and PwD.
- B.Pharm: Class 12 with English, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics / Biology. MBBS / BDS: 50% in Physics, Chemistry and Biology (40% SC / ST / SEBC / PwD).
- Age: 17 completed by 31 December 2026; no upper limit for engineering, architecture, B.Pharm, BAMS, BSMS, BHMS and BUMS; MBBS / BDS follow NEET-UG. [1]
150 questions in 3 hours; +4 / −1; then a 50:50 index
Computer-based tests [2]
| Paper | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering — Mathematics 75, Physics 45, Chemistry 30 | 150 | 180 min |
| Pharmacy — Chemistry 45, Physics 30 | 75 | 90 min |
- Five options per question, one most appropriate. +4 for a correct answer, −1 for a wrong one, nothing for a blank. Answering no question at all disqualifies you.
- Scores from different sessions are normalised (percentile-interpolated average method) to a score out of 300. You need a normalised score of at least 10 to enter the engineering rank list; SC / ST candidates are exempt from this minimum.
- Engineering rank (G.O. of 26 December 2025): the normalised entrance score out of 300 plus the normalised final-year Class 12 marks in Maths : Physics : Chemistry in the ratio 5 : 3 : 2 (150 + 90 + 60 = 300) — an index out of 600. Board marks are normalised against the highest mark in that board for that subject and year.
- Ties are broken by entrance Maths, then entrance Physics, then Class 12 Maths and Physics, then the number of correct answers, then age (older first).
- B.Pharm is ranked on the pharmacy entrance score alone (out of 300). [2]
50% merit, 30% SEBC split nine ways, 10% SC / ST, 10% EWS
Mandatory reservation in government seats [2]
| Category | Seats |
|---|---|
| State Merit | 50% |
| EWS (general category) | 10% |
| SEBC — Ezhava 9, Muslim 8, Other Backward Hindu 3, Latin Catholic & Anglo-Indian 3, Dheevara 2, Viswakarma 2, Kusavan 1, Other Backward Christian 1, Kudumbi 1 | 30% |
| Scheduled Castes | 8% |
| Scheduled Tribes | 2% |
These shares apply to the government seats left after All India quota, Government of India nominees, special reservations, PwD, supernumerary seats and management quota. [2]
Village Officer and Tahsildar certificates
- SSLC (or equivalent) certificate, nativity proof and date-of-birth proof — uploaded with the application.
- SEBC / OEC: non-creamy-layer certificate for state education purposes from the Village Officer (Annexure XXVII).
- SC / ST: community certificate from the Tahsildar (Annexure XXIX); inter-caste marriage certificate where one parent is SC / ST.
- EWS: certificate from the Village Officer (Annexure XXVI a or b); income certificate (Annexure XXXI) for any income-based fee concession.
- PwD: UDID card or disability certificate; NRI quota: sponsor's passport / visa, relationship certificate and a notarised affidavit on ₹200 stamp paper. [1]
Application fee only here
The notification sets only the application fee (₹925 / ₹650, with SC and ST concessions); tuition fees depend on the college and are published with the allotment notices. [1]
Centralised allotment in phases
Rank lists are published by the CEE, and seats are allotted centrally in phases through option registration on the CEE website; only rank lists published by the CEE may be used for admission, and only Keralites are considered for communal and special reservation. [2]
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this page is taken from the official files below, read on 19 October 2026. Boards change rules, fees and dates every cycle — open the current notification before you apply.
- CEE Kerala — Notification, KEAM-2026, applications invited (5 Jan 2026) (opens in a new tab) courses and ranking routes, dates, nativity categories, academic eligibility, relaxations, age, CBT schedule, centres, fee, documents · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- CEE Kerala — KEAM 2026 Prospectus (opens in a new tab) papers, questions and time, marking, normalisation, minimum score, engineering rank formula, tie rules, mandatory reservation · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- CEE Kerala — Notification, online submission of marks data for engineering rank 2026 (opens in a new tab) Class 12 marks submission deadline (7 Jun 2026) · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
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