AP EAPCET 2026
AP EAPCET 2026 (formerly known as AP EAMCET) is the state-level common entrance examination conducted by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK) on behalf of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) for admission to first-year professional undergraduate courses in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
This entrance test serves as the single gateway for the following major streams:
- Engineering (B.Tech / B.E.) – all branches
- Agriculture – B.Sc. (Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry, Fisheries, Sericulture, Community Science)
- Pharmacy – B.Pharmacy, Pharm.D
- Veterinary – BVSc & AH (limited seats)
- Food Technology, Dairy Technology, Agricultural Engineering and related allied programs
AP EAPCET 2026 is one of the largest single-state entrance exams in India, with 2.5–3.5 lakh candidates expected to appear (based on 2024–2025 trends of ~3.2 lakh registrations).
1. Current Status (as of March 2026)
- Official Notification → Not yet released (as of late February / early March 2026)
- Most expected release date → Last week of February 2026 to mid-March 2026 (2025 notification was released on 28 February 2025; 2024 on 26 February 2024 → pattern strongly suggests late February – early March 2026)
- Exam window → Most probable → Second half of May 2026 (usually 10–14 days, multiple shifts)
- Engineering stream (EAPCET-E): Likely May 12–19, 2026
- Agriculture & Pharmacy stream (EAPCET-AM): Likely May 21–24, 2026
- Result declaration → First or second week of June 2026
- Counselling start → Mid-June to July 2026
No official dates are confirmed yet — everything above is based on the consistent 5-year pattern (notification in late Feb/early March, exam in May, result in early June, counselling in June–July).
The official notification (when released) will be published as a PDF on the dedicated portal: www.cets.apsche.ap.gov.in (This subdomain is activated every year specifically for EAPCET)
2. Why AP EAPCET 2026 is Extremely Important
- Single exam → single admission window for ~1.5–1.8 lakh engineering + ~15,000–20,000 agriculture/pharmacy seats in Andhra Pradesh.
- No separate state counselling for most seats — centralized through APSCHE after EAPCET rank.
- Very high competition — top ranks (<1,000–5,000) required for premium colleges like:
- JNTU Kakinada / Anantapur / Vizianagaram
- Andhra University College of Engineering (AUCE), Visakhapatnam
- Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering, Tirupati
- Gayatri Vidya Parishad (GVP), Visakhapatnam
- Vignan’s, VR Siddhartha, VRSEC, Prasad V. Potluri, Sree Vidyanikethan, etc.
- Fee structure — Government quota seats: ₹10,000–35,000/year; private colleges: ₹40,000–1.50 Lakhs/year (convener quota) vs. management quota ₹1.5–3.5 Lakhs/year.
3. Expected Official Timeline – AP EAPCET 2026
| Event | Expected / Most Likely Period (2026) |
|---|---|
| Official Notification & Information Brochure | Late February – mid-March 2026 |
| Online Application (without late fee) | March 2026 – mid-April 2026 |
| Application with late fee (₹500–1,000 extra) | Mid-April to late April 2026 |
| Application Correction Window | Late April 2026 (5–7 days) |
| Hall Ticket / Admit Card Download | First week of May 2026 |
| AP EAPCET 2026 Exam Dates | May 12–19 (Engineering) + May 21–24 (Agri/Pharmacy) (most likely) |
| Provisional Answer Key Release | 5–8 days after last exam date |
| Objection Window on Provisional Key | 3–5 days |
| Final Answer Key Release | Mid-to-late May 2026 |
| Result & Rank Card Download | Last week of May or first week of June 2026 |
| Counselling Registration (Phase 1) | Second week of June 2026 |
| Web Options Entry & Seat Allotment Round 1 | Mid-June 2026 |
| Round 2–3 + Final Phase + Spot Admissions | June–August 2026 |
| Classes Commencement (most colleges) | August 2026 |
4. Official Websites – Where Everything Will Happen
Only authentic sources (do not trust any other domain):
- Main Exam & Application Portal www.cets.apsche.ap.gov.in (This subdomain is created fresh every year — will be activated with notification)
- APSCHE Main Site www.apsche.ap.gov.in → CETs → EAPCET link
- JNTUK (Organizing University) www.jntuk.edu.in → Admissions → EAPCET
Never register or pay through:
- YouTube links
- Telegram channels
- Random “direct apply” websites
- Coaching centre portals
All genuine registration, hall ticket, key, result, and counselling happen only through cets.apsche.ap.gov.in/EAPCET/
5. Eligibility Criteria (Expected – Likely Unchanged)
For B.Tech / B.E. (Engineering Stream)
- Passed / appearing in 10+2 with Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry / Biology / Biotechnology / Technical Vocational subject
- Minimum aggregate marks in PCM group:
- General: 45%
- BC / SC / ST: 40%
- No minimum age limit; upper age limit removed since 2020
For B.Sc. Agriculture / Horticulture / Forestry / Fisheries / Sericulture / Community Science
- Passed 10+2 with Biology / Agriculture subjects
- Minimum 50% (45% for reserved categories)
For B.Pharmacy / Pharm.D
- Passed 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics / Biology
- Minimum 45% (40% for reserved categories)
Domicile — Andhra Pradesh state candidates get priority; non-local seats limited.
6. Exam Pattern – AP EAPCET 2026 (Expected Unchanged)
Engineering Stream (EAPCET-E)
- Total Questions: 160 MCQs
- Total Marks: 160
- Duration: 3 hours
- Sections:
- Mathematics – 80 questions (80 marks)
- Physics – 40 questions (40 marks)
- Chemistry – 40 questions (40 marks)
- No negative marking
Agriculture & Pharmacy Stream (EAPCET-AM)
- Total Questions: 160 MCQs
- Total Marks: 160
- Duration: 3 hours
- Sections:
- Biology – 80 questions (80 marks)
- Physics – 40 questions (40 marks)
- Chemistry – 40 questions (40 marks)
- No negative marking
Medium — English & Telugu (bilingual question paper)
Syllabus — Based on Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Education Class 11 & 12 syllabus (very similar to TS EAMCET but state-specific weightage).
7. Application Fee (Expected)
- General / BC: ₹900–1,000 (one stream), ₹1,800 (both streams)
- SC / ST: ₹500–600 (one stream), ₹1,000 (both)
- Late fee: ₹500–1,000 extra (depending on how late)
8. Selection & Counselling Process
- Rank is based on normalized EAPCET marks (no weightage to 12th marks in ranking since 2022)
- Counselling authority: APSCHE through tgeapcet.nic.in (separate portal)
- Counselling rounds — 3–4 main rounds + final phase + spot admissions
- Reservation — Follows Andhra Pradesh state norms (SC 15%, ST 6%, BC-A/B/C/D/E ~29%, EWS 10%, women quota, etc.)
9. Top Colleges Accepting AP EAPCET 2026 Rank
Government / University Colleges (low fees, high cut-off)
- JNTU Kakinada
- JNTU Anantapur
- JNTU Vizianagaram
- Andhra University College of Engineering (AUCE), Visakhapatnam
- Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering, Tirupati
- University College of Engineering, Kakinada / Anantapur
Top Private Colleges (high cut-off, good placements)
- Gayatri Vidya Parishad College of Engineering (GVP), Visakhapatnam
- Vignan’s Institute of Information Technology, Visakhapatnam
- VR Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada
- Prasad V. Potluri Siddhartha Institute of Technology, Vijayawada
- Sree Vidyanikethan Engineering College, Tirupati
- Velagapudi Ramakrishna Siddhartha Engineering College (VRSEC), Vijayawada
AP EAPCET is the common entrance exam for admission into undergraduate professional courses like B.Tech (all branches), B.Tech (Agri. Engg.), B.Tech (Bio-Tech), B.Tech (Food Sc. & Tech.), B.Sc. (Hons) Ag, B.Sc. (Hons) Hort, B.V.Sc. & A.H, B.F.Sc., B.Pharmacy, and Pharm-D offered by universities and private affiliated colleges in Andhra Pradesh.
The official notification for AP EAPCET 2026 is expected to be released in the first or second week of March 2026.
The exam is typically conducted in the second or third week of May 2026. The detailed schedule with date-wise slots will be provided in the notification.
The application process is entirely online. Candidates must visit cets.apsche.ap.gov.in, fill the registration form, upload documents, and pay the examination fee before the deadline.
