Karnataka PGCET Eligibility Criteria 2025: Requirements for General and Reserved Candidates; Domicile Candidate Criteria

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) defines the Karnataka PGCET eligibility criteria for all courses, including MBA, MCA, ME/MTech, and M.Arch. Aspirants must carefully understand the Karnataka PGCET Eligibility Criteria 2025, prescribed by KEA, which vary by program type—full-time or part-time—and also differ for general and reserved category candidates. Additionally, candidates seeking admission under the government quota must fulfill specific domicile requirements. Specific details are mentioned in the article below.

Candidates planning to get admission into a full-time MBA course based on Karnataka PGCET 2025 exam should meet the following eligibility conditions:

a) Qualifying Degree

• Candidates who have passed a bachelor’s degree course, irrespective of their stream, are eligible for the full-time MBA course.
• The qualifying degree course must have a minimum course duration of three years, or equivalent.
• The degree must be obtained from a recognized institute.

b) Score in Qualifying Exam

• General Candidates: Candidates who belong to general (unreserved) categories should obtain a minimum aggregate score of 50 per cent in all subjects taken together. The aggregate score must be calculated using the marks from all subjects, including language subjects from all three years of the degree course.
• Reserved Category Candidates: Candidates who belong to reserved categories, including SC, ST, and Category 1 of Karnataka candidates, are eligible for a score concession of five per cent. So, the minimum aggregate score required by candidates who belong to reserved category is 45 per cent in all subjects taken together.

Candidates planning to take admission in a part-time MBA course though Karnataka PGCET 2025 exam should meet the following eligibility conditions:

a) Qualifying Degree

• Candidates who have passed a bachelor’s degree course, irrespective of their stream, are eligible for the part-time MBA course.
• The qualifying degree course must have a minimum course duration of three years, or equivalent.
• The degree must be obtained from a recognized college or a university.

b) Score in Qualifying Exam

• General Candidates: Candidates who belong to general (unreserved) categories should obtain a minimum aggregate score of 50 per cent in all subjects taken together. The aggregate score should be calculated using the marks from all subjects, including language subjects from all three years of the degree course.
• Reserved Category Candidate: Candidates who belong to reserved categories, including SC, ST, and Category 1 of Karnataka candidates, are eligible for a score concession of five per cent. So the minimum aggregate score required by candidates who belong to reserved category is 45 per cent in all subjects taken together.

c) Work Experience

• Candidates must hold a post-qualification work experience of not less than three years as of July 31, 2025.
• The candidate filling the PGCET form must be working in an organization within a radial distance of 40 KM from the MBA college where the candidate wishes to apply.

Only candidates with a Karnataka domicile are eligible to apply for government quota seats, which will be filled based on the Karnataka PGCET 2025. Candidates' documents under various domicile categories will be checked by officials. 
To be classified as Karnataka PGCET domicile, candidate should meet the following requirements:

a) Candidates with Seven Academic Years in Karnataka
Candidates should have studied in Karnataka Government recognised institutes for seven academic years starting from 1st standard. In addition, such candidates must have appeared for the Class 11 or 12 exam in a government-recognized institute in Karnataka state. These seven years can be completed continually or broken. In case a candidate takes more than one year to pass an academic class, only one year will be considered while evaluating the eligibility for Government quota seats.

Documents to be produced for confirming domicile are:  

• SSLC / Class 10 mark sheet
• 2nd PUC / Class 12 mark sheet
• Qualifying exam mark sheet 
• Candidate’s study certificate
• Caste/ Caste Income Certificate issued by Tahsildar (if applying are reserved category)
• Candidates with Qualifying Degree from Karnataka

Here it should be noted that candidates who do not have seven years of education history in the state of Karnataka can also claim the reservation under the Government quota seats subject to some conditions. Such candidates must have passed the qualifying examination in Karnataka. Such candidates must also fulfil the below-mentioned conditions:

• The institute for bachelor’s degree course must be recognised by the state government
• Either of the parents must have completed seven years of their education from a government-recognised institute in Karnataka.
• Documents to be produced
• SSLC / Class 10 mark sheet
• 2nd PUC / Class 12 mark sheet
• Qualifying exam mark sheets
• Caste / Caste Income Certificate issued by Tahsildar (if claiming reservation)
• Certificate for the parent who had studied for a minimum period of seven years in Karnataka (issued by the head of the institutes)
• Candidate’s qualifying exam certificate (issued by the head of the educational institution)
• Candidates who are wards of Defence Sector Employees 

Candidates may also be eligible for government quota seats if their guardian served in the armed forces and identified Karnataka as their hometown when enlisting. In these situations, the "Deputy Director, Department of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement" should be contacted and asked to provide proof of residence.

In such a case, candidates should produce following documents:

• SSLC / Class 10 mark sheet
• 2nd PUC / Class 12 mark sheet
• Qualifying exam mark sheets
• Caste / Caste Income Certificate issued by Tahsildar (if claiming reservation)
• Parent’s home town declaration certificate (issued while joining service by the Director, Department of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement, Bangalore)

Candidates must verify the eligibility requirements specific to their category if they hope to be admitted under any of the following reservations: SC, ST, OBC, physically disabled, wards of ex-servicemen, and others.

In conclusion, Karnataka PGCET 2025 Eligibility Criteria, prescribed by KEA, varies by program type—full-time or part-time—and also differ for general and reserved category candidates. Above article provides complete details of PGCET eligibility criteria, and required documents for different types of candidates. Article also provides eligibility for PGCET for non-Karnataka students.