Who does what
- The Department of School Education (Pre-University) 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, runs the 1st PUC year and enters your child for the board exam.
Every recognised PU college has a college code, listed 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. Toppers' marks, such as 594/600, are out of that total.
Subjects with practicals, such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Science, are marked 70 for theory and 30 for the practical. Other subjects, Maths included, are 80 for theory and 20 for internal assessment. The department's scheme of evaluation has the detail for each subject.
Pass marks
From the 2026 exams, a student needs 30% in each subject and 33% overall, which is 198 of 600. Until 2025 the rule was 35% in each subject. KSEAB confirms the rule in its circular each year.
Repeat exams
After the main exam, KSEAB holds Exam 2 (and Exam 3 in years the board holds it). A student who misses or fails a subject, or wants to improve a mark, can sit it again. In 2026 Exam 2 began on 25 April. 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. NEET asks for a minimum aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, and NITs and IIITs ask for 75% in Class 12 (or a place in the top 20 percentile of the board), so the board result still matters. 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 so does the style of the question papers. Ask admissions how the first months help new joiners from other boards.
Five things to ask at admission
- 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 October and November 2026. Rules and dates change, so read the current notice before you plan.