Checked 25 September 2026. Pattern from the APPGECET-2026 booklet and the headers of all 13 published 2026 master question papers; 2025 was identical. Pass rates are press-reported — no official press note was found.
AP PGECET is the Andhra Pradesh State entrance for M.Tech, M.Pharm and Pharm.D (Post Baccalaureate). In 2025 and 2026 it was conducted by Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, on behalf of APSCHE — not by Sri Venkateswara University, as some pages still say. Its pattern is simple and has not changed across the two years: one paper, 120 questions, two hours, no negative marking. This guide sets out the pattern as printed in the master question papers, the 13 papers and who may write each, and the qualifying rules.
Where other pages get this wrong
AP PGECET 2025 and 2026 were conducted by Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, for APSCHE.
Commonly published instead: "AP PGECET is conducted by Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati" and "reserved candidates need 40% in the degree".
The 2026 home page reads "Conducted by Andhra University, Visakhapatnam on behalf of APSCHE", with the AU Vice-Chancellor as chairman and Prof. P. Mallikarjuna Rao of AU as convener; the same convener ran 2025. The booklet sets the degree minimum at 50%, or 45% for reserved categories.
APPGECET-2026 booklet; master question papers (2026).
The pattern
| Item | What the documents say |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer-based test at the allotted centre |
| Questions and marks | 120 multiple-choice questions, 120 marks, in one section, all to be attempted |
| Duration | 120 minutes — printed in every 2026 master question paper ("Duration : 120"); the booklet itself states no duration |
| Marking | +1 for a correct answer, 0 for a wrong one; "There is no negative marking for the wrong answers" |
| Language | "Question paper will be in English language only" |
| Qualifying mark | 25%, i.e. 30 of 120, for a rank; no minimum for SC/ST (a rank earned on the relaxation is cancelled if the caste claim fails) |
| More than one paper | Allowed, chosen in the same application; paper changes are not entertained later |
| Mock tests | One per paper, linked from the home page |
| Answer key | Master question papers with preliminary keys published; objections at ₹300 a question, refunded only if valid |
APPGECET-2026 Instruction Booklet V2 and the 13 master question papers (2026). The 2025 booklet and papers show the same pattern.
With no negative marking, every question should be answered: a blind guess costs nothing and is worth something on average. And with 120 questions in 120 minutes, the paper averages one minute a question — there is no per-question timer, but speed matters as much as depth.
The 13 papers and when they were held in 2026
| Date (2026) | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 28 April | Geo-Engineering & Geo-Informatics (GG); Pharmacy (PY) | Computer Science & Information Technology (CS) |
| 29 April | Civil (CE); Electronics & Communication (EC); Biotechnology (BT) | Mechanical (ME); Electrical (EE); Food Technology (FT) |
| 30 April | Instrumentation (EI); Metallurgy (MT); Chemical (CH) | Nano Technology (NT) |
APPGECET-2026 examination schedule. The 2026 documents give shift numbers, not clock times; in 2025 the sessions were 9–11 a.m. and 2–4 p.m.
There is no Aerospace, Bio-Medical or Mining paper, whatever some lists say. Because papers in the same shift clash, a candidate writing two papers must pick two in different shifts — for example CS (28 April, shift 2) with EC (29 April, shift 1).
Who may write which paper
Which AP PGECET papers can you write?
Selected rows of the qualifying-degree table in the APPGECET-2026 booklet, which calls the table tentative; M.Sc. and AMIE rows are in the booklet. Paper codes: BT Biotechnology, CH Chemical, CE Civil, CS Computer Science & IT, EE Electrical, EC Electronics & Communication, EI Instrumentation, FT Food Technology, GG Geo-Engineering & Geo-Informatics, ME Mechanical, MT Metallurgy, NT Nano Technology, PY Pharmacy.
Three papers — CS, NT and GG — are open to almost every engineering degree in the booklet's table, and B.Pharm graduates may write PY, BT or NT. Admission, though, requires qualifying in the paper relevant to the course you want, and the booklet calls its degree table "tentative", telling candidates to check the final criteria on the portal.
Eligibility
| Condition | Rule |
|---|---|
| Nationality and State | Indian national who "should belong to the State of Andhra Pradesh" and satisfies the local/non-local rules for 2026-27 |
| Degree | A relevant bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an AICTE/UGC-approved institution recognised by AP |
| Minimum marks | 50% in the qualifying degree; 45% for reserved categories |
| Final-year students | May write, if they pass all subjects "on or before the date of counseling for admission" |
| Age | No age limit stated in the booklet (fee reimbursement has its own age limit) |
APPGECET-2026 booklet, eligibility section. The "minimum age of 21" on some pages is not in the booklet.
Test centres and other rules
The 2026 exam was held at 17 centres, all in Andhra Pradesh: Anantapur, Bhimavaram, Guntur, Narsaraopeta, Kadapa, Kakinada, Kurnool, Nellore, Gudur, Tirupati, Chittoor, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Rajahmundry, Ongole and Srikakulam. The 2025 list had 18, including Hyderabad; lists that still show Hyderabad for 2026 are out of date. The booklet adds that online answer-script images are kept for six months after the results and then disposed of, and it says nothing about revaluation or recounting.
| Rule | What the booklet says |
|---|---|
| Changing your paper after applying | Not entertained; choose all papers in the one application |
| Correcting your application | Category 1 (paper or branch, name, father's name, date of birth, signature, photograph, qualifying hall-ticket number, community) only on an e-mailed request with documents; Category 2 (qualifying exam, year, medium, place of study, mother's name, Aadhaar, local-area and minority status, income, study details, SSC hall ticket, gender) by the candidate on 3 April 2026 only |
| SC/ST relaxation | No qualifying minimum, but a rank earned on the relaxation is cancelled if the caste claim is found invalid |
| Selection | "On the basis of rank obtained at the Common Entrance Test and other conditions laid down"; the tie-break rule is not published |
APPGECET-2026 booklet V2 and corrections procedure.
How many qualified
| Year | Applied | Appeared | Qualified | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12,012 | 9,990 | 9,320 | 93.29% |
| 2025 | 14,231 (registered) | not reported | 11,244 | 93.55% as reported (of those who appeared; 79% of registered) |
Press-reported (Deccan Chronicle for 2026, Careers360 for 2025); we found no official results press note. 2026 split: 5,526 women and 4,464 men appeared; 5,176 and 4,144 qualified.
Reported figures; no paper-wise statistics were published.
With 93% qualifying and 15,888 seats in the 2026 matrix, qualifying is not the hurdle; rank is, because seats in the colleges most candidates want are few and GATE/GPAT holders are placed first. No official closing ranks have been published for any year — any "expected closing rank" you see online is a guess.
Where GATE and GPAT fit
AP PGECET is not the only way into these seats. GATE-qualified candidates (and GPAT-qualified for pharmacy) "in the relevant branch" are given first preference in seat filling, ranked on their GATE or GPAT scores, and the seats they leave go to PGECET rankers. A candidate who has both a GATE score and a PGECET rank should register under the GATE route, because that route is filled first — and, according to the 2026 admissions public notice, GATE candidates on RGS or SFS seats may also get the AICTE scholarship, which PGECET rankers do not. The flip side, in the same notice: GATE candidates cannot claim State fee reimbursement. Which GATE score years are accepted is not stated in the 2026 documents.
Practise it, don't just read it
One minute a question, no penalty for a guess: timed topic quizzes train exactly the speed AP PGECET rewards.
The ProSyllabus AP PGECET library has topic quizzes for Engineering Mathematics, Computer Science, Electronics & Communication, Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering — the first one is free.
What is the AP PGECET exam pattern?
A 120-minute computer-based test of 120 multiple-choice questions, one mark each, in English, per paper.
Is there negative marking in AP PGECET?
No. The booklet says there is no negative marking, and every master question paper shows 0 marks for a wrong answer.
What are the qualifying marks for AP PGECET?
30 out of 120 (25%); there is no minimum for SC/ST candidates.
Who conducts AP PGECET?
Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, on behalf of APSCHE, in 2025 and 2026.
How many papers are there in AP PGECET?
Thirteen: BT, CH, CE, CS, EE, EC, FT, GG, EI, ME, MT, NT and PY.
Can I write more than one AP PGECET paper?
Yes, if you choose them in the same application and they are in different shifts.
What is the minimum percentage for AP PGECET?
50% in the qualifying degree, 45% for reserved categories.
Is there an age limit for AP PGECET?
The booklet states none.
How many candidates qualified in AP PGECET 2026?
Press reports give 9,320 of 9,990 who appeared (93.29%); no official figures were published.
Can final-year students write AP PGECET?
Yes, if they pass all subjects before the counselling for admission.
Is the AP PGECET paper in Telugu?
No, English only.
Do GATE candidates need to write AP PGECET?
No. GATE/GPAT-qualified candidates register for the same counselling with their GATE or GPAT score and are allotted first.
Is there an AP PGECET centre in Hyderabad?
Not in 2026: all 17 centres were in Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad was a centre in 2025.
Can I change my AP PGECET paper after applying?
No. The booklet says paper-change requests are not entertained.
Sources
- official — APPGECET-2026 Instruction Booklet V2
- official — APPGECET-2026 home page (conducted by Andhra University for APSCHE)
- official — APPGECET-2026 About Us (chairman and convener)
- official — APPGECET-2026 master question papers with preliminary keys
- official — APPGECET-2026 day-wise examination schedule
- official — APPGECET-2026 corrections procedure
- official — CAP — AP PGECET institute profiles (public seat and fee data, read 25 Sep 2026)
- official — PGECET-2026 Admissions — Public Notice (fee types, AICTE scholarship, reimbursement)
- official — PGECET & GATE/GPAT-2026 Admissions — Detailed Notification (Revised, 11.09.2026)
- official — APPGECET-2025 Instruction Booklet V1
- official — APPGECET-2025 examination schedule
- reported — Deccan Chronicle — 93.2% qualify for AP PGECET 2026 (reported)
- reported — Careers360 — AP PGECET 2025 result, 93.55% qualify (reported)
- reported — Careers360 — AP PGECET exam page (reported; see corrections)
- reported — Collegedunia — AP PGECET (reported; see corrections)
- reported — Shiksha — AP PGECET (reported; see corrections)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
