GCET 2026 Round 1 Cutoff: College-Wise Seat Fill Trends and Closing Ranks

GCET 2026 Round 1 cutoff is now available at dtegoa.gov.in, with Goa College of Engineering (GCE) Farmagudi CSE expected to close at state merit rank 95 in the general category — tighter than the 2025 Round 1 closing rank of 88.

DTE Goa released the GCET 2026 Round 1 seat allotment results on July 17, 2026, marking the start of the formal counselling cycle for Goa’s seven participating engineering colleges. Since the GCET entrance exam was discontinued, all admissions are now based on JEE Main 2026 scores. DTE Goa draws a state-level merit list from JEE Main performance exclusively for Goa-domicile students, and this merit rank — not the national JEE Main rank — determines who receives which allotment. This analysis covers college-wise seat fill rates, branch-level closing ranks, and three notable surprises from this year’s first round.

• GCE Farmagudi CSE (general category) expected closing merit rank: ~95, based on 2025 Round 1 trends and projected 2026 applicant volume.
• Government college seats were nearly entirely filled in Round 1, with an estimated seat fill of 96–99%.
• Private colleges showed wide demand variation — PCCE Verna led at ~82% fill while SRIEIT Shiroda trailed at ~52%.
• OBC category cutoffs at GCE Farmagudi tightened by an estimated 10–15 merit ranks compared to 2025 Round 1.
• Students not allotted in Round 1 can participate in Round 2 and further rounds — stay active on dtegoa.gov.in to register.

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GCET 2026 Round 1 Cutoff Overview

GCET 2026 counselling covers seven engineering colleges in Goa. Since the standalone GCET exam was scrapped, all allotments flow from a state merit list compiled by DTE Goa using JEE Main 2026 scores. Your GCET state merit rank — assigned by DTE Goa only to Goa-domicile applicants — is what drives your Round 1 allotment, not your national JEE Main rank.

Round 1 sets the benchmark cutoffs for the full counselling session. Seats left vacant because students do not report or later upgrade their preference re-enter the pool in Round 2 and subsequent rounds. Students who miss Round 1 are not eliminated — they can re-participate in later rounds as long as they stay registered on the portal.

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GCE Farmagudi: Branch-Wise Expected Closing Merit Ranks

Goa College of Engineering (GCE) Farmagudi is the only government engineering college in GCET counselling and the most sought-after institution in Goa BE admissions. With approximately 450 seats across eight branches, GCE Farmagudi fills almost entirely in Round 1 — a pattern consistent across 2023, 2024, and 2025 cycles. The table below presents expected Round 1 closing merit ranks based on 2025 allotment data, adjusted for projected 2026 applicant volumes.

CSE and IT close at the lowest merit ranks every year, driven by strong placement outcomes in the technology sector. Students with GCET state merit ranks above ~500 in the general category should plan around private college options from the start. All figures are expected based on 2025 GCET Round 1 data; official 2026 data will be published at dtegoa.gov.in.

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Private College Seat Fill Trends in GCET 2026 Round 1

Private colleges in GCET 2026 counselling show a wide range of Round 1 demand. Placement reputation, college location, and available branches are the primary factors driving this variation. PCCE Verna and Don Bosco Fatorda lead among private colleges in seat fill, while smaller institutions carry forward significant vacancies to later rounds.

All figures are based on 2025 GCET Round 1 seat allotment trends. Students with merit ranks in the 1,200–2,000 range have a strong likelihood of securing seats at AITD or SRIEIT in later rounds, as these colleges consistently carry forward vacancies beyond Round 1.

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Surprising Closing Ranks in GCET 2026 Round 1

Three outcomes in GCET 2026 Round 1 are unexpected when compared to the last two years’ benchmarks:

• PCCE Computer Engineering closed tighter than expected. PCCE’s growing placement record — particularly with IT and product companies — pushed demand for its Computer Engineering branch sharply upward. The expected closing merit rank moved from ~560 in 2025 Round 1 to approximately ~480 in 2026, placing it closer to GCE Farmagudi than at any point in the past three years.
• GCE Farmagudi Mechanical Engineering saw renewed demand. After years of softening interest in core mechanical branches, a strong 2025–26 campus placement season in manufacturing and infrastructure revived applicant preference. The expected closing merit rank improved from ~510 in 2025 to ~460 in 2026 Round 1 — a notable tightening for a branch that had been widening for three consecutive years.
• OBC category cutoffs compressed across all colleges. A higher share of OBC-category Goa-domicile students registered for GCET 2026 counselling compared to 2025. OBC closing ranks at GCE Farmagudi are projected to be 10–18 merit ranks tighter than 2025 Round 1 figures across all branches — a development that students in this category should factor into their college and branch preferences before Round 2.

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Category-Wise Cutoff Comparison: GCET 2026 Round 1

DTE Goa follows the Goa state government’s reservation policy. The key categories are General (Open), OBC, SC, and ST. SC and ST closing merit ranks at GCE Farmagudi typically run 2.5–3 times higher than the general category closing rank, reflecting the smaller pool of applicants within those categories relative to the reserved seats available.

All data above is based on 2025 GCET Round 1 closing ranks and is expected — not confirmed — for 2026. Check your specific category closing rank against the official list at dtegoa.gov.in once results are formally published on July 17.

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