Karnataka Polytechnic Admission 2027 is not an entrance exam. The Department of Technical Education (DTE), Karnataka admits SSLC (Class 10) pass students to first-semester diploma courses at government and aided polytechnics on SSLC merit, through a merit list and seat allotment. The 2027-28 application is expected in April to May 2027.
Karnataka Polytechnic Admission 2027
This page explains how DTE Karnataka first-year diploma admission works for 2027-28: dates, who can apply, how to apply, the merit list, seat allotment, 2026 cut offs, reservation and fees.
| Full name | Karnataka Diploma (Polytechnic) First Semester Admission 2027-28 |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | Department of Technical Education (DTE), Karnataka |
| Exam level | State (Karnataka); no entrance exam |
| Courses / Purpose | First-semester engineering and non-engineering diplomas at government and aided polytechnics |
| Selection | Merit in SSLC (Class 10) marks, with reservation as per roster |
| Application | Expected April to May 2027; paper form submitted at a government polytechnic |
| Application fee | Rs 200; Rs 100 for SC, ST and Category-1 (2026-27, paid at admission) |
| Eligibility | SSLC or equivalent pass with at least 35% aggregate; 5 years of study in Karnataka |
| Merit list | Expected May 2027 |
| Official website | dtetech.karnataka.gov.in |
Is there an entrance exam for Karnataka polytechnic admission 2027?
No. DTE Karnataka holds no test for first-semester diploma admission. It ranks applicants on their SSLC (Class 10) marks and fills seats by merit, your course choices and the reservation roster. There is no admit card, answer key or exam result.
Seats are filled in two ways:
- Online merit-based allotment: listed courses at government and aided polytechnics, plus seats that private polytechnics surrender to the government. You submit one application with a priority sheet, and DTE allots seats centrally.
- Institute-level (offline) admission: other listed courses, where each polytechnic’s principal admits applicants by merit and roster in phases.
Already hold a diploma and want to join B.E. in the second year? That lateral entry route is a separate test by KEA, explained on the Karnataka DCET page.
Karnataka Polytechnic Admission 2027 Important Dates
DTE has not announced the 2027-28 schedule, so the 2027 dates below are expected months. In 2026, applications ran from 21 April to 16 May 2026 and seats were allotted on 22 May 2026.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online application | April 2027 Expected |
| Merit list | May 2027 Expected |
| Counselling | May 2027 Expected |
| Seat allotment and admission | May 2027 Expected |
How to Apply for Karnataka Polytechnic Admission 2027
You apply on a paper form, not online. DTE publishes the application form, priority sheet and information brochure on its admission page; you fill them in English with a ball-point pen and hand them in at a polytechnic.
Apply Online for Karnataka Polytechnic 2027
Applications for Karnataka Polytechnic 2027 are expected in April 2027.
- Download the application form, option entry (priority) worksheet and e-information brochure from the DTE admission page.
- Fill the form: SATS number, Aadhaar number, personal details, category and income, special category claims, and SSLC register number with total, Maths and Science marks.
- List your choices of polytechnic and course in order of preference on the priority sheet, using the institute codes in the brochure.
- Attach copies of your SSLC marks card and the certificates you claim, and sign the declaration with your parent.
- Hand in the form at any nearby government polytechnic (or an aided polytechnic in the online list) and take the acknowledgement. For institute-level courses, apply to that polytechnic’s principal.
- Watch for the merit list and allotment on the DTE website; DTE also sends merit list information by SMS to your mobile number.
| Category | Application fee (2026-27) |
|---|---|
| General, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B | Rs 200 |
| SC, ST, Category-1 | Rs 100 |
The brochure lists this fee among the charges paid by candidates who take a seat, so you pay it at admission along with the course fee.
Who can apply for Karnataka diploma admission 2027?
You can apply if you have passed Karnataka SSLC or an equivalent exam with at least 35% aggregate marks. The same 35% rule applies to engineering and non-engineering diplomas.
- You must be an Indian citizen.
- You must have studied at least 5 years in Karnataka between Class 1 and the qualifying exam. Children of some central government, defence and other transferable employees are exempt under the brochure’s clauses A to G.
- The admission is for Karnataka candidates only.
- CBSE, ICSE and other-state SSLC candidates pay Rs 1,000 for an eligibility certificate from the Board of Technical Examinations after a seat is allotted.
- ITI, JTS and JOC students can claim seats in their own quotas in related courses, as the brochure explains.
How is the Karnataka polytechnic merit list prepared?
DTE ranks applicants by the percentage of marks they scored in SSLC. The merit list shows each candidate’s merit number, category, Kalyana-Karnataka (371J) claim, total marks, percentage, and Maths and Science marks.
DTE first puts out a provisional merit list. If your details are wrong, you file an objection at a nearby government polytechnic within the given day; the final merit list follows the same evening. The 2026-27 final merit list ranked 13,701 candidates, with the last one at 35.2%.
How does Karnataka polytechnic seat allotment work?
DTE allots online merit-based seats in one go, from your merit number, the order of choices on your priority sheet, your category and the seats available. The allotment is non-interactive: DTE uses only the choices on the priority sheet you submitted, so fill it carefully.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Allotment list | DTE publishes the polytechnic and course allotted to each candidate |
| Admission | You report to the allotted polytechnic with original documents and pay the fee within the given dates |
| Vacant seats | Principals fill seats left after allotment offline, by merit and roster |
| Institute-level courses | Each principal runs up to four offline counselling phases from the college merit list |
The 2026-27 allotment list, dated 23 May 2026, placed 10,124 candidates in 43 government and aided polytechnics.
What is the expected Karnataka polytechnic 2027 cut off?
The 2026 closing ranks are the best guide for 2027. The table shows the last general merit (GM) rank allotted in the online round at popular polytechnics, with that candidate’s SSLC percentage (2026, DTE allotment list read with the final merit list).
| Polytechnic | Course | GM closing merit rank 2026 | SSLC % at closing rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| S J Government Polytechnic, Bengaluru | Computer Science | 600 | 88.80% |
| S J Government Polytechnic, Bengaluru | Electronics and Communication | 629 | 88.64% |
| S J Government Polytechnic, Bengaluru | Electrical and Electronics | 1,316 | 85.12% |
| S J Government Polytechnic, Bengaluru | Mechanical | 2,550 | 80.80% |
| S J Government Polytechnic, Bengaluru | Civil | 4,673 | 74.67% |
| Government CPC Polytechnic, Mysuru | Computer Science | 579 | 88.96% |
| Government CPC Polytechnic, Mysuru | AI and Machine Learning | 1,669 | 83.84% |
| K H K Institute of Engineering, Dharwad (aided) | Computer Science | 568 | 88.96% |
| Government Polytechnic, Tumakuru | Computer Science | 831 | 87.52% |
| Government Polytechnic, Belagavi | Electronics and Communication | 885 | 87.20% |
| D R R Government Polytechnic, Davanagere | Computer Science | 954 | 86.88% |
| Smt L V Government Polytechnic, Hassan | Computer Science | 998 | 86.72% |
| Government Polytechnic, Hubballi | Computer Science | 1,151 | 85.92% |
Reserved categories, women, rural, Kannada-medium and Kalyana-Karnataka seats close at different ranks, and seats filled later in offline rounds are not in this table.
How are seats reserved in Karnataka polytechnics?
Seats follow the state reservation roster for SC, ST, Category-1, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, plus these special reservations from the 2026-27 brochure:
- Women: 30% of seats in every course at co-education government and aided polytechnics.
- Rural candidates: 25% of seats, for those who studied Class 1 to 10 in rural areas.
- Kannada medium: 5% of seats, for those who studied Class 1 to 10 in Kannada medium.
- Persons with disability (40% or more): 5% of seats.
- Kalyana-Karnataka (Article 371J): 70% of seats in institutes in that region and 8% in other institutes, for local candidates.
- Tuition Fee Waiver: 5% extra (supernumerary) seats, filled on merit for families with income up to Rs 8 lakh, in income bands from the lowest up.
- Special categories: political sufferers, defence and ex-defence, sports, NCC, scouts and guides, Horanadu and Gadinadu Kannadigas, ITI, JTS, JOC and Anglo-Indian candidates.
What fees do you pay at a Karnataka polytechnic?
Government order ED 49 DTE 2026 (30 April 2026) kept the 2025-26 fees unchanged for 2026-27. You pay the fee at the allotted polytechnic when you take admission.
| Polytechnic | Tuition fee | Development fee | Other fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government | Rs 3,250 | Rs 500 | Rs 830 | Rs 4,580 |
| Aided | Rs 6,200 | Rs 500 | Rs 830 | Rs 7,530 |
| Private | Rs 13,300 | Rs 500 | Rs 830 | Rs 14,630 |
Some students pay less at government and aided polytechnics:
| Category | Family income | Government | Aided |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC and ST | Up to Rs 2.5 lakh | Rs 430 | Rs 430 |
| SC and ST | Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh | Rs 800 | Rs 800 |
| Category-1 | Up to Rs 2.5 lakh | Rs 960 | Rs 3,910 |
| 2A, 3A, 3B | Up to Rs 1 lakh | Rs 960 | Rs 3,910 |
| SNQ (fee waiver) seats | Rs 1 lakh to Rs 8 lakh | Rs 1,330 | Rs 1,330 |
Women admitted to the Government Women’s Polytechnics at Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Hubballi do not pay tuition fees.
Which diploma courses can you join through Karnataka polytechnic admission?
DTE admits students to engineering diplomas such as Computer Science, Electronics and Communication, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical, Civil, Automobile and Chemical Engineering, and to three non-engineering diplomas.
- Courses new in 2026-27 include Artificial Intelligence, AI and Machine Learning, Cyber Physical Systems and Security, Cloud Computing, Electrical Engineering and Electric Vehicle Technology, Automation and Robotics, and Film Technology, Animation and Visual Effects.
- Non-engineering: Commercial Practice (English and Kannada), Library Science and Information Management, and Apparel Design and Fabrication Technology.
- New government polytechnics opened in 2026-27 at Bengaluru South, Yelahanka, Hoskote, Madhugiri, Ramdurg, Aland, Ron and Sondur.
What documents do you need for Karnataka polytechnic admission 2027?
The 2026-27 brochure asks applicants to attach copies of these documents, and to bring the originals at admission:
- SSLC marks card, or a Statement of Marks attested by the head teacher, or an attested printout of the online marks card.
- Transfer certificate or no-objection certificate.
- Caste and income certificate, or the acknowledgement of your application for it at the Nadakacheri.
- Kannada medium and rural study certificates, if claimed.
- Special category certificate in the brochure’s format, if claimed.
- Hyderabad-Karnataka (371J) eligibility certificate, or its application acknowledgement, if claimed.
Karnataka Polytechnic Admission Official Notices and Links
These are DTE’s latest official documents for first-year diploma admission. The 2027-28 brochure and form will be added when DTE releases them.
- PDFDiploma Admission 2026-27 information brochure (latest, Kannada)Official site · dtetech.karnataka.gov.inOpen
- PDFApplication form and option entry worksheet 2026-27 (latest)Official site · dtetech.karnataka.gov.inOpen
- PDFDiploma allotment list 2026-27 (23 May 2026)Official site · dtetech.karnataka.gov.inOpen
- LINKDTE Karnataka first-year diploma admission pageOfficial site · dtetech.karnataka.gov.inOpen