Most private varsities in Karnataka to switch to JEE ranks for 2025-26 admissions

Bengaluru: Several private universities that offer technical courses (B.Tech/Engineering) have decided use JEE scores for admissions, instead of conducting their own entrance tests from the 2025-26 academic year.

A few universities may choose KCET or COMEDK scores for admissions.

This is sure to come as a relief for students who end up writing more than 10 entrance tests every year.

Karnataka has 27 private universities and most of them offer technical or engineering education.

Considering requests from stakeholders, the Karnataka State Private Universities Association (KPUA), at its recent meeting, discussed this and most of them favoured JEE.

"At least 19 of our member institutions offering technical courses have agreed to consider the rank list from the national-level entrance examination," KUPA president Jawahar D said.

Jawahar, who is also Pro Chancellor of PES University, said that even his institution will not conduct the PESAT. "We've decided to go for JEE. There won't be PESAT from the next academic year.  We will soon release a public notice on this for the benefit of students and parents who are looking for admissions at our university," he explained.

A few other top universities who have decided to consider JEE ranks for admissions include RV University, CMR University and Dayanand Sagar University. Others such as Chanakya University have also agreed in principle, but are yet to make an official announcement.

However, some private universities located outside Bengaluru have decided to go with COMEDK or with the KCET.

On July 23, the Higher Education department, in a communication to all private universities, had asked them to submit details of entrance exams. "The government requested us to have our own common entrance test. Instead, our members decided to go with an entrance exam that is already established at the national level," a private university representative said.

Authorities specified that seat-sharing would continue -- private universities give 40% of their seats in technical courses to the government, which are filled up through the KCET for subsidised fees.