Who does what
- The Department of Pre-University Education (DPUE) is the state department for PU colleges. It lists the colleges, the courses and the combinations they may teach.
- KSEAB conducts the 2nd PUC exam, evaluates the papers and publishes the results. In 2026 the 2nd PUC exam ran from 28 February to 17 March, and results came out on 9 April.
- The college teaches the syllabus, sets the 1st PUC exams and enters your child for the board exam.
Check that a college is recognised by the department before you pay a fee. Ask the college for its recognition details in writing, and check them on the department's site.
Two years, six subjects, 600 marks
A student takes two languages and four subjects from the combination. Each is marked out of 100, so the 2nd PUC total is 600. Marks in the posters of toppers, such as 594/600, are out of that total.
In subjects with practicals, part of the 100 comes from the practical exam. In other subjects, internal assessment takes a part. The department publishes the exact split for each subject in its scheme of evaluation, so check it for your child's combination and do not rely on a college's summary.
Pass marks
The traditional rule is 35% in each subject. The Economic Times reported a state draft that would lower the aggregate pass mark to 33%, with a 30% minimum in each subject. We cannot confirm which rule applies to your child's batch, so check the department's current circular before you rely on either number.
Repeat exams
Karnataka now holds more than one sitting of the 2nd PUC exam in a year. In 2026 Exam 1 results came out on 9 April and Exam 2 results on 21 May, with a third exam after that. A student who misses a subject, or wants to improve a mark, can use the later sittings. The dates are on the KSEAB site each year.
Why the board marks matter twice
For Karnataka engineering seats, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) gives equal weight to the 2nd PUC marks in Physics, Chemistry and Maths and to the KCET score. A weak board result lowers the KCET rank even after a strong entrance exam.
NEET and JEE Main do not use the 2nd PUC marks to rank. Both have a minimum-marks rule for eligibility, so the board result still needs to clear it. Details are in the NTA bulletins.
If your child is from CBSE or ICSE
Students who passed Class 10 from CBSE or ICSE join 1st PUC in Karnataka. They sit the same state exam as everyone in 2nd PUC. The college can tell you which Class 10 documents it needs. Ask early, because some originals take weeks to arrive.
The syllabus differs from CBSE in places, and the style of the question papers differs too. A good college covers the gap in the first months, so ask how it helps new joiners from other boards.
Five things to ask any PU college
- Is the college recognised by the department, and what is its college code?
- Which combinations does it teach this year, and in which languages?
- How are sections formed, and how many students are in each?
- What do the 1st PUC exams count for, and what is the attendance rule?
- What is the fee for the whole two years, and what does it cover?
Sources
Official pages, checked 20 October 2026. Rules and dates change, so read the current notice before you plan.