Punjab CET · Cutoff
Punjab CET Cutoff 2026 — expected score & rank bands
What does your score in Punjab Engineering College Common Entrance Test (PCET) actually get you? These bands map a mock/exam percentage to the rank window and outcomes that score range has typically achieved.
AI-curated from historic cutoff patterns — indicative, not official. Always verify with the latest official notification.
Category-wise expected cutoff (indicative)
| Category | Expected Cutoff (indicative) |
|---|---|
| General | 78–88% (78–88 marks) |
| EWS | 72–82% (72–82 marks) |
| OBC | 68–78% (68–78 marks) |
| SC | 55–65% (55–65 marks) |
| ST | 50–60% (50–60 marks) |
| PwD | 45–55% (45–55 marks) |
- General-OBC gap typically runs 10–12 percentile points; SC/ST cutoffs sit 20–25 points below General, reflecting reservation norms for Punjab state engineering admissions.
- Cutoffs shift with paper difficulty (±5% swing year-to-year), seat matrix changes in popular branches (CS/IT push cutoffs upward), and candidate pool strength.
- Top 300 ranks (95%+) secure CSE/IT at premier colleges; 78–88% range captures competitive branches (ECE/Mechanical) at good government institutions across categories.
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State toppers — PEC assured
95–100%rank ~1–400
- Punjab Engineering College (PEC) Chandigarh — Computer Science Engineering (rank under 500, typically under 300 for top percentiles)
- PEC Chandigarh — Electronics & Communication, branch of choice
- Thapar Institute — CSE with full/substantial merit scholarship
- Consideration for top NITs through JEE Main if qualified
- Top government college with full choice of branch and campus
PEC top branches range
90–95%rank ~400–1,200
- Punjab Engineering College (PEC) Chandigarh — Computer Science (rank ~800-1200 General category)
- PEC Chandigarh — Electronics & Communication Engineering (rank ~600-1000)
- PEC Chandigarh — Electrical Engineering (rank ~1000-1200)
- Thapar University — CSE with merit scholarship
- Guaranteed seat in top branch at any Punjab government engineering college
Top tier — PEC contenders
82–90%rank ~1,200–3,000
- Punjab Engineering College (PEC) Chandigarh — Mechanical, Civil, Electrical (rank ~2000-3000 General)
- PEC Chandigarh — Production Engineering, Aerospace
- Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology — Computer Science, ECE (with scholarship potential)
- SLIET Longowal — Computer Science, Electronics (deemed university status)
- Top government colleges — first preference branches guaranteed
Tier 2-3 government colleges
55–70%rank ~8,000–15,000
- Government colleges outside Chandigarh — Civil, Mechanical, Electrical branches
- BBK DAV College for Women Amritsar — Computer Science, IT
- Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College Ludhiana — branches like Production, Civil
- Punjab Technical University affiliated colleges — government quota seats
- Tier 2 private colleges with scholarships — top branches
Private college range
40–55%rank ~15,000–25,000
- Private engineering colleges in Punjab — branches like Civil, Mechanical
- Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC) Landran — Computer Science, IT (fees ~₹80k-1L per year)
- CT Group of Institutions — various branches
- Colleges in Mohali, Jalandhar belt — later choice filling rounds
- Lower preference government college branches in final rounds
Below cut-off range
0–40%
- Unlikely to secure admission in government colleges
- May explore private engineering colleges with management quota
- Consider re-attempting with focused preparation
- Explore diploma-to-degree lateral entry options
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