Andhra Pradesh Engineering Common Entrance Test : Exam Date, Registration, Eligibility, Syllabus, Results

The JNTU Anantapur conducts the AP-ECET Exam on behalf of APSCHE. It is primarily for diploma holders and BSc graduates seeking lateral entry into B.E./B.Tech. and B. Pharmacy courses. The entrance exam for the academic year 2026-27 is scheduled to take place on 23 April 2026. The registration process for the AP-ECET 2026 Exam began on 4 February 2026. Candidates had a chance to fill out and submit their application form on the official website before 12 March 2026. However, if candidates missed the first deadline, they can still fill out the application form by paying the late fee. The late fee for the online application of the AP-ECET Exam ranges between INR 1,000 and INR 10,000 based on the date you are applying on. 

In addition, candidates must be Indian citizens, belong to Andhra Pradesh, have a Diploma in Engineering/Technology/Pharmacy, or have a B.Sc. degree with Mathematics and meet the local/non-local status requirements to be eligible for the AP-ECET Exam. The exam will be a 3-hour, computer-based test with 200 multiple-choice questions. It covers subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and a specific engineering paper based on the student's chosen branch. According to the marking scheme followed for the AP-ECET Exam, the candidates will be given one mark for each correct answer and no negative marking for unattempted or wrong questions. 

Important Dates for AP-ECET UG Exam 2026

AP-ECET 2026 Exam Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria for writing the AP-CET Exam:

The following is the eligibility criterion that candidates must meet to be eligible for the AP-ECET Exam 2026:

• The candidate must be an Indian citizen.

• He/She must fulfill the local/non-local status requirements as per the Andhra Pradesh Educational Institutions. 

• The candidate should have a Diploma in Engineering and Technology/ Pharmacy from an AICTE-approved Institution recognized by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Alternatively, they must have cleared the 3-year B.Sc. Degree examination with Mathematics as one of the subjects under group combination from a state-recognized University.

• The candidates must have completed a Diploma in Engineering and Technology/ Pharmacy/ B.Sc. Degree with a minimum of 45% marks (40% for BC/SC/ST candidates) for admission to the concerned courses.

Eligibility Criteria for Admission into B.E./B.Tech./Pharm.:

• The candidate must have qualified for the AP-ECET Exam 2026.

• The candidate must meet the eligibility criteria of the admission process.

• The process of filling up the lateral entry seats is based on the APECET 2026 ranks. B.Sc. (with Mathematics as one of the optional subjects) stream candidates will be given admission only after the utilization of all the eligible diploma holders.

The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) released the AP ECET 2026 application form on 4 Feb 2026 and the last date to apply without a late fee was 12 March 2026. The application filing process is completely online, therefore, aspirants can visit the official website. If candidates have missed filling out the online application form, they can still apply on the official website by paying a late fee.  

The AP ECET 2026 exam application fee is INR 600 for the Open Category (OC), INR 550 for the Backward Class (BC) and INR 500 for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The conducting authority also provides a correction facility for candidates to edit or modify details of their submitted application form. The correction window for the AP-ECET Exam 2026 was open on 29 March 2026, so that candidates can access it through the official website. 

Additionally, the candidates can send written requests for corrections to helpdeskapecet@apsche.org with valid scanned documents. While sending the request for corrections, the candidates must clearly state the Payment ID, Qualifying Exam HT. 

AP-ECET Application Fee 2026

The application process for the APECET Exam 2026 is entirely online. Candidates can pay the fee using a credit card, a debit card, or net banking. Below is the fee structure for different category candidates applying for the APECET Exam 2026:

The APECEET 2026 exam pattern consists of 200 objective-type questions to be completed in a 3-hour duration. The subjects included in the AP-ECET exam are Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and a branch-specific Engineering paper. 

The following are some more details related to the AP-ECET Exam Pattern 2026:

AP-ECET Marking Scheme 2026

In the APECET 2026 exam, candidates will receive a +1 mark for every correct response and there is no negative marking for incorrect answers. The exam will be conducted based on the official AP ECET syllabus, which is available on the official website. 

Here are a few more details about the APECET Marking Scheme:

• Total Marks: 200

• Negative Marking: No, 0 marks for each incorrect answer

• Marking Scheme: +1 for a correct answer, 0 for an incorrect answer, 0 marks for unattempted questions.

The AP ECET (Engineering) exam in 2026 will have a paper divided into four sections: Mathematics (50 questions), Physics (25 questions), Chemistry (25 questions) and a branch-specific Engineering paper (100 questions), with all questions being multiple-choice and in English. The engineering paper will vary based on the branch the student is applying for. It may include Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics & Communication, Computer Science, etc. 

The following is a detailed breakdown of the AP-ECET Exam pattern for various streams:

Engineering Stream

Pharmach Stream

B.Sc (with Math as one of the optional subjects) Stream

The AP ECET 2026 admit card (hall ticket) will be released on 9 April 2026. Candidates can download it from the official website, cets.apsche.ap.gov.in/ECET, by logging in with their registration number, qualifying exam hall ticket number and date of birth. Also, the candidate must print and keep the admit card for later use. Candidates need to carry the admit card and a valid ID proof (Aadhaar Card/Voter ID/PAN Card/Passport/School ID) to the exam center. 

AP-ECET 2026 Exam Results

The AP ECET 2026 exam results, including the rank card, will be released online at cets.apsche.ap.gov.in/ECET and candidates can access them by logging in with their credentials. The exam is scheduled to be held on 23 April 2026. In case two or more candidates get the same marks, the conducting authority will apply the tie-breaking rules to declare the results. While the official date for the APECET Exam result will be available on 7 May 2026 on the official website. The AP ECET result will include a candidate's name, roll number, obtained marks, rank, percentile score and qualifying status, which will determine eligibility for the AP ECET counselling. 

AP-ECET 2026 Cutoff

Candidates must score at least 25% of the aggregate marks (50 out of 200) in the four subjects (three for B.Sc. Mathematics) to be considered qualified and eligible for the counseling process. However, there are no minimum qualifying marks for SC/ST candidates for ranking purposes.  Also, there are multiple factors that are considered and affect the AP-ECET cutoff, such as the number of seats available, the number of candidates, the difficulty level of the exam and last year’s cutoff. Once the results are declared online, the qualified candidates will go for the counselling process, which is expected to commence in June 2026 (Tentative).

AP-ECET 2026 Exam Preparation Tips & Books 

The following are some effective tips to help candidates prepare for the AP-ECET Exam 2026 and ensure high efficiency:

• Understand the AP ECET syllabus and the exam pattern, including the marking scheme and chapter-wise weightage. The syllabus covers all the topics that will be covered in the exam, while the exam pattern provides insights into the chapter division and marking scheme. 

• Create a timetable that allocates time for each subject based on its difficulty level and importance. Don’t just paste it but learn to follow as well.

• Make short notes for easy revision, highlighting important concepts and formulas. 

• Regularly attempt mock tests to get familiar with the exam pattern and manage time effectively. 

• Analyze previous year's question papers to understand the question types and difficulty level. 

• Prioritize your physical and mental health by getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity. 

• Stay focused and manage stress effectively to perform your best during the exam. 

• Regularly review your notes and revise important topics to reinforce your understanding. 

• Focus on areas where you need improvement and practice those topics more thoroughly. 

• Refer to the recommended books for the AP ECET exam preparation, including books for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and the specific engineering paper.

Book Recommendations for APECET Exam 2026