KCET eligibility clause codes decide who can claim a government seat through KEA. You must be an Indian citizen (or OCI/PIO under a1 or b1) and meet one clause: a to o, a1, b1 or y. The list below is from the UGCET 2026 Information Bulletin, the latest. The UGCET 2027 bulletin, expected in January 2027, may update it.
KCET 2027 Eligibility Clause Codes
What each KEA eligibility clause means, the documents it needs, which clauses get reservation and who takes the Kannada test.
What is a KCET eligibility clause?
An eligibility clause is the condition under which you claim a government seat in Karnataka’s professional colleges, as set by Rule 5(1) of the CET-2006 Admission Rules. You choose your clause in the KCET 2027 application form, and your original documents are checked against it before you can enter options.
If you meet none of the clauses, or cannot show the prescribed documents in original, you are not eligible for government quota seats. If a document for your clause is found false, the allotted seat is cancelled at any stage and all fees paid are forfeited.
What do KCET clauses a to o, a1, b1 and y mean?
KEA lists 15 main clauses (a to o), two OCI/PIO clauses (a1 and b1) and clause y for outside candidates in B.Sc. Nursing. There are no clauses from p to x, or z.
| Clause | Who it covers |
|---|---|
| a | Studied and passed in government or government-recognised institutions in Karnataka for at least 7 academic years between 1st standard and 2nd PUC/12th (counted as on 1 July of the exam year), and passed SSLC/10th or 2nd PUC/12th from Karnataka. A year repeated in the same class counts once. |
| a1 | OCI or PIO candidate who meets the clause a study rule. Treated as an Indian citizen for General category seats only, with no reservation. |
| b | Studied and passed 1st and 2nd PUC (or 11th and 12th) in Karnataka, and either parent studied in Karnataka for at least 7 years. |
| b1 | OCI or PIO candidate who meets the clause b rule. General category seats only, with no reservation. |
| c | Horanadu Kannadiga: the candidate and one parent have Kannada, Tulu, Kodava or Beary as mother tongue, a parent was once domiciled in Karnataka, and the candidate passed the qualifying exam outside Karnataka and lives outside the state as on 1 May of the exam year. Must pass KEA’s Kannada language test. |
| d | Gadinadu Kannadiga: mother tongue Kannada, Tulu, Kodava or Beary, and lived and studied for 7 years between 1st and 12th standard in the disputed Kannada-speaking taluks of South Sholapur, Akkalkot, Jath or Gadhinglaj (Maharashtra) or Kasargod, Hosadurga or Manjeshwar (Kerala). Must pass the Kannada language test. |
| e | Child of defence personnel who worked in Karnataka continuously for at least 1 year during the candidate’s two years of PUC or 11th and 12th. The candidate must have passed the qualifying exam from an institution in Karnataka. |
| f | Child of serving defence personnel who declared a place in Karnataka as hometown when joining service. Qualifying exam from anywhere in India. |
| g | Child of defence personnel who served in Karnataka for at least 1 year and is now posted to disturbed areas of Jammu and Kashmir or the North-East, with the family allowed to stay in Karnataka. Qualifying exam passed in Karnataka. |
| h | Child of an ex-serviceman who declared a place in Karnataka as hometown when joining defence service. Qualifying exam from anywhere in India. |
| i | Child of a transferable employee of the Union Government, or of a Union, Karnataka or joint sector undertaking, who worked in Karnataka for at least 1 year during the candidate’s PUC or 11th and 12th. Qualifying exam passed in Karnataka. |
| j | Child of a working or retired transferable employee of the Union Government, or of a Union, Karnataka or joint sector undertaking, who declared a Karnataka hometown on joining and studied in Karnataka for at least 7 years. Qualifying exam from anywhere in India. |
| k | Child of a Member of Parliament elected from Karnataka. Qualifying exam from anywhere in India. |
| l | Child of a serving or retired All India Service officer of the Karnataka cadre, or a Karnataka Government employee, who served outside Karnataka. The years the candidate studied outside the state during that posting count towards the 7 years of clause a. |
| m | Child of Jammu and Kashmir migrants, with a migrant identity card from a District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner. Eligible only for the seats the Government earmarks for them. |
| n | Studied 10 full academic years in Kannada medium from 1st to 10th standard outside Karnataka, and passed the qualifying exam from a government or recognised institution. No Kannada language test. |
| o | Child of a working or retired Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) employee who declared a Karnataka hometown when joining. Qualifying exam from anywhere in India. |
| y | Given automatically to candidates from outside Karnataka who register for B.Sc. Nursing. They can be allotted only B.Sc. Nursing seats, not other UGCET courses. |
What documents do you need for each KCET clause?
Every clause needs the SSLC/10th and 2nd PUC/12th marks cards. The extra documents for each clause are:
| Clause | Extra documents |
|---|---|
| a | Study certificate for 7 years in Karnataka from the head of the institution, countersigned by the BEO or DDPU. For rural quota: rural study certificate for 1st to 10th standard (General Merit candidates also need an NCLC). For Kannada medium quota: Kannada medium study certificate for 1st to 10th standard. Caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| a1 and b1 | The study certificates of clause a (for a1) or clause b (for b1), plus birth certificate and Aadhaar, copies of the passport and visa of the candidate and parent, OCI or PIO card, income tax documents, and a parent residence certificate from the embassy (or an affidavit on Rs 100 e-stamp paper). |
| b | Study certificate for 1st and 2nd PUC (or 11th and 12th) in Karnataka, and a study certificate showing a parent studied in Karnataka for at least 7 years; caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| c | Domicile certificate showing the candidate and a parent lived outside Karnataka as on 1 May; certificate from Karnataka revenue authorities of the parent’s earlier domicile in Karnataka; study certificate and transfer certificate showing mother tongue; 10th marks card or cumulative record of the candidate or a parent as mother tongue proof; sworn declaration of mother tongue. |
| d | Residence certificate from the Tahsildar of the disputed taluk; study certificate countersigned by the Taluk Education Officer; mother tongue proof and sworn declaration, as for clause c. |
| e | Study certificate for 2nd PUC or equivalent in Karnataka; parent’s employment certificate from the controlling office showing the period worked in Karnataka. |
| f | Parent’s hometown declaration made on joining service, issued by the integrated HQ of MoD (officers) or the Record Office (JCOs and other ranks); caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| g | Study certificate for 2nd PUC or equivalent in Karnataka; parent’s service certificate showing the service in Karnataka, the present posting (by name, not code number) and permission for the family to stay in Karnataka. |
| h | Parent’s hometown declaration from the district Joint or Deputy Director of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement, countersigned by the Director in Bengaluru; caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| i | Study certificate for 2nd PUC or equivalent in Karnataka; employer certificates showing the parent’s period of work in Karnataka, that the job is transferable across India, and that the parent works for the Union Government or an eligible undertaking. |
| j | Parent’s study certificate for 7 years in Karnataka; employer’s certificate of the parent’s hometown declaration and transferable job; caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| k | Certificate from the Parliament Secretariat that the parent is or was an MP elected from Karnataka; caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| l | Certificate from DPAR, Government of Karnataka (All India Service parent) or the head of department (State Government parent) showing the period of service outside Karnataka; caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| m | Original migrant identity card from the jurisdictional District Magistrate and Deputy Commissioner. |
| n | Domicile certificate showing the candidate and a parent lived outside Karnataka as on 1 May; Kannada medium study certificate for 1st to 10th standard, countersigned by the BEO. |
| o | Parent’s hometown declaration from the Record Office of the CAPF unit that keeps the service records; caste or caste-income certificate with RD number if claiming reservation. |
| y | Only the SSLC/10th and 2nd PUC/12th marks cards. |
Caste, caste-income, income, NCLC and Kalyana-Karnataka certificates must be in the candidate’s own name.
Which KCET clauses get caste reservation?
SC, ST, Category-1, 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B reservation applies only to candidates under clauses a, b, f, h, j, k, l and o. It does not apply to clauses c, d, e, g, i, m, n and y, and a1 and b1 candidates get General category seats only.
- Rural, Kannada medium and special category quotas such as NCC, sports and persons with disabilities are only for Karnataka candidates eligible for government seats.
- To claim Kalyana-Karnataka (Article 371(j)) reservation, get an eligibility certificate in Annexure-A from the Assistant Commissioner and enter its RD number in the form.
- Candidates whose family income is below Rs 8 lakh a year should get an income certificate from the Tahsildar and enter its RD number to claim fee exemption or SNQ seats.
Who has to take the KEA Kannada language test?
Candidates under clauses c and d must pass KEA’s Kannada language test, a 4th-standard-level paper of 50 marks with a pass mark of 12. Those who fail are not given a rank. In 2026 it was held on 22 April 2026, only at Bengaluru, Belagavi, Vijayapura and Mangaluru, so these candidates also had to take the CET at one of those centres.
Candidates who studied 10 full years in Kannada medium from 1st to 10th standard outside Karnataka, including all clause n candidates, do not need to take the test.
How did KEA verify eligibility clauses in 2026?
In 2026, KEA matched study details online through the SATS number. Clause a candidates whose 7 years of study were confirmed got a ‘Successfully Verified’ status and could print the form without visiting any office.
- Clause a candidates who claimed Kannada medium, rural, linguistic minority or religious minority reservation had documents checked at their own college or any government college between 20 January and 20 February 2026.
- Candidates under clauses b to o had their documents verified by KEA on dates it announced later.
- The 2027 process will be in the UGCET 2027 bulletin on the KEA website.
The full text of every clause, with certificate formats, is in the UGCET 2026 Information Bulletin (English).
Related KCET 2027 Pages
- KCET 2027 exam date, application and eligibility
- KCET 2027 syllabus
- KCET 2027 result and ranks
- KCET cut off ranks
- KCET previous year question papers
KCET 2027 Eligibility Clause Codes FAQs
Can I claim more than one KCET eligibility clause?
You must satisfy any one clause, and you enter one clause in the application. Choose the clause you can prove with original documents, since a wrong claim can cost you the government seat.
Can students from outside Karnataka get government seats through KCET?
Only if they fit a clause that links them or a parent to Karnataka, such as c, d, f, h, j, k, n or o. Outside candidates who register for B.Sc. Nursing get clause y and can be allotted only B.Sc. Nursing seats.
Does clause a need a study certificate if I studied in Karnataka?
Yes. The study certificate from the head of your institution, countersigned by the BEO or DDPU, is the main clause a document. In 2026 KEA also matched study details online through the SATS number.
Will the KCET clauses change for 2027?
The clauses come from Rule 5(1) of the CET-2006 Admission Rules, so they change only if the rules are amended. Check the UGCET 2027 bulletin when KEA releases it, expected in January 2027.