Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi
Mangaluru/Udupi, Apr 23: The Common Entrance Test (CET) 2026 conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) for admission to engineering and other professional courses began on April 23 and will continue on April 24. A total of 30,235 students are appearing for the examination across Dakshina Kannada (DK) and Udupi districts.
In Dakshina Kannada district, 21,489 students are set to take the exam across 40 centres, while in Udupi district, 8,746 students will appear at 23 centres. In Dakshina Kannada, the centres are distributed as follows: Mangaluru – 25, Moodbidri – 6, Beltangady – 5, and Puttur – 4. No centres have been allotted in Puttur and Bantwal. In Udupi district, centres are located in Udupi (11), Karkala (5), and Kundapur (7).
CET examinations in Udupi district are being conducted on April 23 and 24 across 23 centres in Udupi, Kundapur, and Karkala taluks, with 8,746 students appearing.
To prevent malpractice, strict surveillance measures have been implemented similar to recruitment examinations. All centres are under CCTV monitoring with webcasting facilities to ensure real-time supervision. Student verification is being carried out using QR codes on hall tickets, along with face recognition systems.
KEA has instructed candidates to reach examination centres at least two hours in advance, as entry will be allowed only after thorough checking by police and home guards. Candidate identity will be verified through facial recognition and QR code systems.
A strict dress code has been prescribed for both male and female candidates, which must be followed without exception. Candidates are required to wear half-sleeve clothing, preferably without collars. Male candidates must wear simple trousers with minimal or no pockets. Kurta-pyjama and jeans are not allowed. Footwear such as shoes is prohibited. Electronic items including mobile phones, pen drives, earphones, and microphones are strictly banned. KEA officials have advised students to carefully review the dress code guidelines on the official website before appearing for the exam.
These measures have been introduced to prevent impersonation, ensuring that no candidate writes the exam on behalf of another. The same identity verification process will also be followed during seat allotment and admission to colleges.
“All necessary preparations for CET have already been completed. To avoid confusion regarding the dress code as seen last year, nodal officers have been appointed and trained this time. Students can write the examination without any issues,” said H Prasanna, executive director, KEA.