KEAM 2026: Round 3 Counselling Expected August, Cutoff, Syllabus and Seat Allotment

KEAM 2026 (Kerala Engineering Agricultural Medical Entrance Examination) is a state-level entrance exam conducted by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala, for admission to BTech, BPharm, BArch, MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, and other courses at 159+ colleges in the state. More than 1,48,146 candidates registered for KEAM 2026, of which 96,747 appeared for the computer-based exam held from April 17 to 22, 2026. The rank list was released on June 27, 2026, and counselling is in progress — Round 2 is complete as of July 24, 2026, with Round 3 expected in August 2026.

• Round 3 Counselling: Expected in August 2026. KEAM 2026 Round 2 final allotment was published on July 20, 2026, with fee payment deadline on July 24. Candidates who were not allotted a preferred seat can participate in Round 3 once CEE Kerala publishes the schedule on cee.kerala.gov.in.
• Mop-up Round: A mop-up round is expected in September 2026 for seats remaining vacant after Rounds 1, 2, and 3. It covers remaining seats from the 52,058 total KEAM 2026 seats across government, government-aided, and private colleges.
• Medical & Medical Allied Fresh Applications: CEE Kerala is currently accepting fresh applications for MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, and other allied health courses. Eligible candidates should apply at cee.kerala.gov.in before the notified deadline closes.
• Round 2 College Reporting: Candidates allotted a seat in Round 2 who paid fees by July 24, 2026 must report to their allotted college with original documents as per the reporting schedule. Not reporting within the schedule leads to automatic seat cancellation.

What is KEAM 2026?

KEAM stands for Kerala Engineering Agricultural Medical Entrance Examination. CEE Kerala — the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations — conducts this exam every year to select students for undergraduate engineering, pharmacy, architecture, and health science courses in Kerala. It is one of the most competitive state-level entrance exams in South India.

More than 1,48,146 candidates registered for KEAM 2026. Of these, 96,747 appeared for the exam. The engineering rank list has 67,505 candidates, and around 26,941 students are eligible for B.Pharmacy admission. The exam covers admission to 52,058 seats spread across 159+ colleges including government, government-aided, and private self-financing institutions.

KEAM 2026 was held in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode from April 17 to 22, 2026. The exam covers Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics for engineering aspirants, while B.Pharmacy aspirants need only Physics and Chemistry. Class 12 board marks contribute equally to the final KEAM normalized score, making board performance just as important as the entrance exam itself.

Source: Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala

KEAM 2026 Important Dates

The table below lists all key KEAM 2026 events. Upcoming events appear first in chronological order, followed by events that have already passed. You should check cee.kerala.gov.in regularly for Round 3 and mop-up round schedule updates since CEE Kerala has not yet announced exact dates for these stages.

Round 3 and mop-up round dates are expected based on previous year patterns. CEE Kerala will announce the exact schedule at cee.kerala.gov.in. Check the official website regularly for updates.

KEAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria

You must meet the KEAM 2026 eligibility criteria to get admitted through counselling. CEE Kerala checks all eligibility conditions during document verification at the time of college reporting. If any condition is not met, your admission can be cancelled even after seat allotment.

Academic Qualification for Engineering (BTech)

You must have passed 10+2 or equivalent from a recognized board with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. You need a minimum of 45% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics combined for General category candidates. SC and ST candidates need a minimum of 40%.

If you did not study Chemistry, Computer Science marks are used instead. If neither Chemistry nor Computer Science was studied, Biotechnology marks apply. If none of those subjects were studied, Biology marks are taken as the substitute.

Academic Qualification for B.Pharmacy

You need 10+2 with Physics and Chemistry as compulsory subjects, along with either Mathematics or Biology as an optional subject. The minimum percentage requirement is 45% in the qualifying subjects for General category and 40% for SC/ST candidates.

Academic Qualification for Architecture (BArch)

You must have Mathematics in your 10+2 exam and qualify in NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture) or JEE Paper 2. A minimum of 50% in your qualifying examination is required for BArch admission.

Academic Qualification for Medical Courses (MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS)

Medical course admissions require NEET qualification in addition to the 10+2 academic requirement with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. KEAM alone does not qualify you for MBBS or BDS admission in Kerala.

Age Criteria

You must be at least 17 years old at the time of admission. There is no upper age limit for KEAM 2026.

Nationality and Domicile

Indian nationals can apply for KEAM 2026. Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) can also apply but are not eligible for reservation benefits. Kerala domicile candidates get priority in government and government-aided college merit seats. Non-Keralite candidates can compete for NRI quota or management quota seats in private colleges.

KEAM 2026 Application Process

The KEAM 2026 application window is now closed. Registration was open from January 5 to February 6, 2026, on cee.kerala.gov.in. Candidates who missed the registration window cannot appear for KEAM 2026. For KEAM 2027, you should watch for notifications from CEE Kerala starting around December 2026 or January 2027.

Steps to Apply for KEAM (For Future Reference)

• Visit the official website at cee.kerala.gov.in and find the KEAM registration link
• Create a new account with your email ID and mobile number
• Fill in your personal details, academic details, and contact information carefully
• Upload your photograph and signature as per the specifications mentioned in the notification
• Choose up to three exam centre preferences
• Pay the application fee online or through an e-challan at any Head Post Office in Kerala
• Submit the form and download the confirmation page for your records

KEAM 2026 Application Fee

The KEAM 2026 application fee is non-refundable once paid. Payment can be made by debit card, credit card, net banking, or through an e-challan at any Head Post Office in Kerala.

Documents Required for the KEAM Application

• Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets
• Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC — if applicable)
• Passport-size photograph (as per specifications)
• Scanned signature (as per specifications)
• Nativity or domicile certificate (for Kerala domicile candidates)

KEAM 2026 Syllabus

The KEAM 2026 syllabus is based on the Class 11 and Class 12 curriculum as per NCERT and the Kerala State Board. The syllabus is the same for both the engineering and pharmacy streams, except that Mathematics is required only for engineering. If your NCERT preparation is thorough, you cover most of the KEAM syllabus automatically.

Physics Syllabus (Class 11 and 12)

• Class 11: Units and Measurements, Motion in a Straight Line, Motion in a Plane, Laws of Motion, Work Energy and Power, System of Particles and Rotational Motion, Gravitation, Mechanical Properties of Solids and Fluids, Thermal Properties of Matter, Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, Oscillations, Waves
• Class 12: Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Moving Charges and Magnetism, Magnetism and Matter, Electromagnetic Induction, Alternating Current, Electromagnetic Waves, Ray Optics and Optical Instruments, Wave Optics, Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter, Atoms, Nuclei, Semiconductor Electronics and Communication Systems

Chemistry Syllabus (Class 11 and 12)

• Class 11: Basic Concepts of Chemistry, Atomic Structure, Classification of Elements, Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure, States of Matter, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, Redox Reactions, Hydrogen, s-Block Elements, p-Block Elements (Groups 13 and 14), Organic Chemistry Basics, Hydrocarbons, Environmental Chemistry
• Class 12: Solutions, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Surface Chemistry, General Principles of Isolation of Elements, p-Block Elements (Groups 15–18), d-Block and f-Block Elements, Coordination Compounds, Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Alcohols Phenols and Ethers, Aldehydes Ketones and Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Biomolecules, Polymers, Chemistry in Everyday Life

Mathematics Syllabus (Class 11 and 12, Engineering Only)

• Class 11: Sets, Relations and Functions, Trigonometric Functions, Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations, Linear Inequalities, Permutations and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, Sequences and Series, Straight Lines, Conic Sections, Introduction to 3D Geometry, Limits and Derivatives, Mathematical Reasoning, Statistics, Probability
• Class 12: Relations and Functions, Inverse Trigonometric Functions, Matrices, Determinants, Continuity and Differentiability, Applications of Derivatives, Integrals, Applications of Integrals, Differential Equations, Vectors, 3-Dimensional Geometry, Linear Programming, Probability

KEAM questions are closely aligned with NCERT textbooks. Candidates who have covered Class 11 and 12 NCERT thoroughly will find that most KEAM 2026 questions are directly based on those chapters. Kerala State Board textbooks are also aligned with the same curriculum.

KEAM 2026 Admit Card

The KEAM 2026 admit card was released by CEE Kerala on cee.kerala.gov.in before the exam. The exam was held from April 17 to 22, 2026. All candidates who registered successfully downloaded their admit card using their application number and password from the candidate login portal.

Details on the KEAM 2026 Admit Card

• Candidate’s name, photograph, and signature
• Application number and roll number
• Exam centre name, address, and centre code
• Scheduled exam date and slot reporting time
• Important instructions for exam day conduct

Documents Required at the Exam Centre

• Printed copy of the KEAM 2026 admit card
• A valid photo ID — Aadhaar card, passport, voter ID, or school/college ID

Since the KEAM 2026 exam is now over, the admit card is no longer needed for this cycle. For KEAM 2027 aspirants, the admit card is typically released 7–10 days before the exam date. You will need to download it from cee.kerala.gov.in by logging in with your registration credentials.

KEAM 2026 Answer Key

CEE Kerala released the provisional KEAM 2026 answer key after the exam was held in April 2026. Candidates had a limited window to raise objections against answers they believed were incorrect. After reviewing all objections, CEE released the final KEAM 2026 answer key on May 5, 2026. This final key was used to calculate normalized scores declared on May 12, 2026.

How to Download the KEAM 2026 Answer Key

• Visit cee.kerala.gov.in
• Look for the KEAM 2026 answer key link on the homepage or the notifications section
• Select the subject — Mathematics, Physics, or Chemistry
• Download the PDF and compare your marked answers with the key

How the Answer Key is Used

KEAM uses a marking scheme of +4 per correct answer and -1 per wrong answer. CEE applies this scheme to the final answer key to calculate your raw score. This raw score is then combined with your Class 12 board marks through a normalization formula to produce your final KEAM 2026 score and rank. The objection window for KEAM 2026 is now closed.

KEAM 2026 Seat Allotment

KEAM 2026 seat allotment covers a total of 52,058 seats across 159+ colleges in Kerala. These include BTech, BPharm, BArch, MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, and allied health and agriculture course seats. Seats are categorized into government, government-aided, and private self-financing colleges. CEE Kerala manages the entire allotment process centrally through the Single Window System.

Seat Distribution by College Type

• Government Engineering Colleges: The most competitive seats with the lowest tuition fees. Admission is purely merit-based through the KEAM rank. There is no management quota in these colleges.
• Government-Aided Colleges: Government-regulated tuition fees, slightly lower competition than government colleges but still highly sought-after.
• Private Self-Financing Colleges: Higher tuition fees, broader seat availability. Management quota (15%) and NRI quota (5%) seats are available in addition to merit seats.

Reservation in KEAM 2026

Documents Required at the Time of College Reporting

• KEAM 2026 rank card and allotment letter from cee.kerala.gov.in
• Class 10 and Class 12 original mark sheets
• Class 12 passing or qualifying certificate
• Nativity or domicile certificate (for Kerala domicile candidates)
• Category certificate — SC/ST/OBC/OEC (if applicable, from the competent authority)
• Income certificate (for fee concession, if applicable)
• Passport-size photographs (at least 6 copies)
• Aadhaar card and another valid photo ID for verification

Top Colleges Accepting KEAM 2026

KEAM 2026 gives you access to 159+ colleges in Kerala across engineering, pharmacy, architecture, and health sciences. Government engineering colleges are the most competitive and have the lowest fees. Private colleges offer more seats but at higher tuition fees. Below are the top colleges accepting KEAM 2026 scores.

Top Government Engineering Colleges Accepting KEAM 2026

Other Top Engineering Colleges Accepting KEAM 2026

• CUSAT (Cochin University of Science and Technology), Kochi: One of Kerala’s top technical universities with strong research and placement history across engineering branches
• TKM College of Engineering, Kollam: Highly rated for CSE and ECE, with a consistent placement record in IT companies
• Model Engineering College, Ernakulam: Known for Electronics and Communication Engineering; strong KEAM rank cutoff for popular branches
• GEC Barton Hill, Thiruvananthapuram: Popular government-aided college for Computer Science with competitive closing ranks
• Saintgits College of Engineering, Kottayam: Among the top private engineering colleges in Kerala by placement track record
• SCMS School of Engineering and Technology, Ernakulam: Strong industry connections in the Kochi IT corridor

Top Pharmacy Colleges Accepting KEAM 2026

• Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham: NIRF-ranked among the best pharmacy schools in India; accepts KEAM rank for BPharm admission
• Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Pharmacy, Kasaragod: Government pharmacy college with highly competitive admission through KEAM
• Al Shifa College of Pharmacy, Malappuram: One of the prominent private pharmacy colleges in the Malabar region of Kerala
• KMCT College of Pharmaceutical Sciences: Established private pharmacy institution with a good placement record
• JDT Islam College of Pharmacy, Kozhikode: Well-known pharmacy college in north Kerala with strong faculty

Agricultural, Veterinary, and Fisheries Colleges

• Kerala Agricultural University (KAU), Thrissur: Offers BSc Agriculture, BSc Horticulture, BSc Forestry, and other agriculture-allied courses; admissions partly through KEAM rank
• Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU): BVSc and AH courses for students interested in veterinary sciences
• Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS): BFSc and related fisheries and marine science courses

KEAM 2026 Preparation Tips

If you are planning to appear for KEAM 2027, the strategies used by KEAM 2026 toppers are a good guide. Students from Brilliant Pala swept all of the top 22 ranks in 2026 engineering, which shows that consistent and structured preparation with the right resources makes a decisive difference in this exam.

Subject-Wise Study Strategy

• Mathematics (300 marks, 75 questions — highest priority): Focus on Calculus (both differential and integral), Algebra (Matrices, Sequences, Binomial Theorem), Coordinate Geometry, and Trigonometry. Aim to solve at least 20–30 Mathematics questions every day from the start of your preparation. Since the tie-breaking rule uses Mathematics marks, a stronger Math score can directly improve your rank even when total scores are equal.
• Physics (180 marks, 45 questions): Cover Electrostatics, Optics, Modern Physics, and Mechanics in depth. KEAM Physics questions often test conceptual understanding, not just formula application. Practice numericals for speed and accuracy.
• Chemistry (120 marks, 30 questions): Organic Chemistry reactions, IUPAC naming, and Physical Chemistry calculations are frequently tested. For Inorganic Chemistry, focus on s-Block and p-Block element properties. Chemistry is a high-scoring section if you practice it consistently.

Study Plan and Timeline for KEAM 2027 Aspirants

• Class 11 (June–February): Complete Class 11 chapters at school pace. Do not skip topics — KEAM includes Class 11 syllabus heavily, especially in Physics and Mathematics.
• Class 12 (June–December): Complete Class 12 chapters and start connecting Class 11 concepts through integrated topic-wise tests.
• January–March (KEAM prep peak): Solve 3–4 full-length KEAM mock tests per week in CBT mode. Use the last 4 weeks to target weak topics and revisit common mistake areas.

General Tips

• Use NCERT books as your primary study material — KEAM is closely aligned with NCERT Class 11 and 12
• Solve at least 5–7 previous year KEAM papers — the question style and difficulty level remains consistent year after year
• Do not ignore your Class 12 board marks — they contribute 50% to your final KEAM normalized score. A student with 95%+ board marks has a major advantage even with the same entrance exam score
• Practice CBT mode on a computer or tablet since the exam is entirely computer-based; familiarity with the interface saves time during the actual exam
• Apply negative marking discipline — each wrong answer costs 1 mark. Avoid guessing on questions you are not at least 70% confident about
• Try to attempt 110–130 questions confidently rather than rushing through all 150 with uncertain answers