Karnataka DCET previous year question papers (Diploma CET) are here as PDFs from 2017 to 2022: 44 branch-wise KEA booklets from 2017 to 2020 with official keys for 2017, 2018 and 2020, and a compiled 2022 paper, KEA’s answer keys for 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025 (no question paper for those years yet), plus KEA’s provisional and revised 2026 answer keys. DCET is now one 100-question General Paper for every diploma branch, with Engineering Mathematics, Statistics and Analytics, IT Skills, Electrical and Electronics, and Project Management Skills. The older branch booklets help most with the mathematics part.
Karnataka DCET Previous Year Question Papers
Pick a year, then open the booklet for your diploma branch; the KEA answer key is listed after the papers of that year.
2 answer keys only
Karnataka DCET Question Papers by Year
| Year | Papers | Answer key | Pattern that year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karnataka DCET 2026 | 2 answer keys only | Yes | 100 Q · 100 marks · 3 h | View papers |
| Karnataka DCET 2025 | 2 answer keys only | Yes | View papers | |
| Karnataka DCET 2024 | Answer key only | Yes | View papers | |
| Karnataka DCET 2023 | 2 answer keys only | Yes | View papers | |
| Karnataka DCET 2022 | 1 paper | Not available | View papers | |
| Karnataka DCET 2021 | Answer key only | Yes | View papers | |
| Karnataka DCET 2020 | 10 papers | Yes | 180 Q · 180 marks · 180 min | View papers |
| Karnataka DCET 2019 | 11 papers | Not available | 180 marks · 10 am–1 pm | View papers |
| Karnataka DCET 2018 | 11 papers | Yes | 180 marks · 180 min | View papers |
| Karnataka DCET 2017 | 12 papers | Yes | 180 marks · 180 min | View papers |
Karnataka DCET Paper at a Glance
| Questions | 100 multiple-choice questions in one General Paper for all engineering diploma branches |
|---|---|
| Marks and time | 100 marks, 3 hours (2:00 pm to 5:00 pm in 2026) |
| Marking | 1 mark per correct answer, no negative marking; a question with more than one answer shaded gets 0 |
| Sections | Engineering Mathematics, Statistics and Analytics, IT Skills, Fundamentals of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Project Management Skills (20 marks each) |
| Mode | Offline, pen and paper, OMR sheet |
| Papers on this page | 44 branch papers (2017–2020), a compiled 2022 paper, and KEA keys for 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026 |
| Next exam | Karnataka DCET 2027: May 2027 (expected). Application: March 2027 (expected) |
How the Karnataka DCET Paper Changed (2017–2026)
- 2017 to 2020: one booklet per diploma branch with 180 questions for 180 marks. In the 2020 Computer Science booklet, Part A Applied Science had 40 questions, Part B Engineering Mathematics 40 and Part C the branch subject 100.
- 2022: the paper on this page was compiled from students’ recall and has 100 questions in Mathematics and Applied Science only.
- 2026: one General Paper of 100 questions for all branches, held on 23 May 2026 in four versions (A1, B1, C1 and D1).
- Using older papers: the Part B mathematics questions of 2017 to 2020 still match the Engineering Mathematics section. The Part C branch questions are no longer in the paper.
What a Karnataka DCET Paper Looks Like
The 2026 page has only KEA’s answer keys, so the newest full booklet here is the 2020 Computer Science and Information Science paper, version A1. Its cover shows 180 marks, a 200-minute slot and 180 minutes for answering, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, with 180 questions of four options each. The answers below come from KEA’s 2020 key dated 4 December 2020.
| Part | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: Applied Science | 1–40 (40) | 40 |
| Part B: Engineering Mathematics | 41–80 (40) | 40 |
| Part C: Computer Science | 81–180 (100) | 100 |
One question from Part A, one from Part B and two from Part C:
Q1. Two forces 3N and 5N are acting at a point making an angle of 60°. The magnitude of the resultant is
- 15 N
- 2 N
- 7 N
- 8 N
Answer: (3) 7 N
Karnataka DCET 2020 Computer Science (A1), Q5 · KEA answer key
Q2. The values of x & y from the simultaneous equations 3x + 4y = 7 and 7x − y = 6 are.
- x = 1, y = 1
- x = −1, y = −1
- x = 1, y = −1
- x = −1, y = 1
Answer: (1) x = 1, y = 1
Karnataka DCET 2020 Computer Science (A1), Q42 · KEA answer key
Q3. Octal number 567 in decimal form is
- 375
- 2900
- 101110111
- 456
Answer: (1) 375
Karnataka DCET 2020 Computer Science (A1), Q81 · KEA answer key
Q4. Universal gates are
- NAND and NOT
- NAND and NOR
- NAND and AND
- NAND and OR
Answer: (2) NAND and NOR
Karnataka DCET 2020 Computer Science (A1), Q82 · KEA answer key
In KEA’s 2020 key, the Civil and Computer Science papers have the same answers for questions 1–80, so Parts A and B were common to the branches and only Part C changed. One booklet per year is enough for Applied Science and mathematics practice.
How to Use Karnataka DCET Previous Year Papers?
- Use the full 3 hours wisely. 100 questions in 3 hours gives you 108 seconds each. Keep the last 10 minutes to check your OMR sheet, because a question with two bubbles shaded scores 0.
- Answer all 100 questions. DCET has no negative marking, so an educated guess can only add marks.
- Pick the right parts of old papers. From the 2017 to 2020 booklets, solve Part B (questions 41–80) as Engineering Mathematics practice and check it with KEA’s key. Skip Part C unless you want branch revision.
- Remember your diploma marks count too. Your DCET rank uses DCET marks and your final-year diploma marks in equal proportion, so keep up with your 5th and 6th semester exams while you practise.
- Plan for May 2027. The form is expected from March to April 2027 and the exam in May, so you have about six months to cover all five sections.