Checked 29 September 2026. Our counts from the 2026 general merit lists and Selection List I PDFs on uok.edu.in (text layer; no names kept). First-list levels only — later lists, counselling and spot rounds went lower.
The University of Kashmir does not publish cut-offs, but it does publish every step in between: a general merit list for each programme, with each candidate's category and points, and selection lists showing who was picked in each category. We read the 2026 lists and reduced them to numbers — how many candidates, the highest and median points, and the lowest points selected in each category in Selection List I. No names were kept.
Where other pages get this wrong
On the general-course lists, KUET ranks on the entrance score; graduation marks only break ties. (MBA, M.Tech, M.Pharm and M.Sc. Biotechnology go first to CMAT, GATE, GPAT or GAT-B scores, a programme with no more applicants than seats can be filled on qualifying-exam merit, and the final spot round of 28 September 2026 filled leftover seats on qualifying-exam marks or KUET/JEE score.)
Commonly published instead: "KUET score and graduation marks are combined to prepare the final merit list."
The Admission Policy: "The selection of a candidate shall be based on his/her performance in the Entrance Test". In the 7,703 merit-list rows we parsed, "Total Points" equals "Entrance Points" everywhere except Social Work and Mass Communication (Paper I + Paper II) and M.P.Ed. Qualifying marks are used only as the first tie-breaker on those lists. The exception is the last round: Selection Notification No. 22 (28 Sep 2026, updated 29 Sep) selected spot-round candidates "on the basis of marks obtained in qualifying examination/score obtained in the KUET/JEE-2026 and Physical Counselling", and in the updated notification 26 of the 45 candidates listed (selected and waiting list) show no entrance points at all — only a UG percentage (our count).
Our counts from the 2026 merit lists and Selection List I.
Selection List I, 2026: lowest points selected
| Programme (Main Campus) | OM | RBA | ST-1 | ST-2 | OBC | OSJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Year English | 32.25 | 20 | 19.25 | 18 | 20.5 | 25.75 |
| 2-Year Economics | 37.5 | 33.5 | 11.75 | 8.5 | 26.75 | 31.75 |
| 2-Year M.Com | 19 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 7.25 | 13 | 6.5 |
| 2-Year History | 31.5 | 21.75 | 9.75 | 25 | 15.25 | 45.5 |
| 2-Year Botany | 43 | 38 | 29.5 | 25.25 | 40.25 | 33.25 |
| 2-Year Zoology | 40.25 | 37.5 | 27.75 | 26.25 | 29.75 | 41.25 |
| 2-Year Political Science | 20 | 18.25 | 11.5 | 12.25 | 12.75 | 24 |
| 2-Year Psychology | 51.25 | 45.5 | 26.25 | — | 21 | 60 |
| 2-Year Chemistry | 25.5 | 21.5 | 10.75 | 12 | 20.5 | 10.75 |
| 2-Year Education | 44.5 | 32.5 | 23.25 | 20 | 13.25 | 42.5 |
| LL.B. | 30.75 | 26 | 20.25 | 18.5 | 16 | 46.75 |
| LL.M. | 40 | 33.75 | 21.25 | 32.25 | 36.5 | 38.25 |
| MCA | 28 | 16.25 | 13.75 | 1.5 | 14 | 18.75 |
Our reading of Selection List I (13-08-2026), 2-year lists, points out of 60. OSJ seats are supernumerary and usually a single seat, so an OSJ figure is one candidate's score.
Our reading of Selection List I, 2026.
How big and how bunched were the lists?
| Merit list (2-year) | Candidates | Highest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoology | 735 | 49 | 20 |
| LL.B. | 539 | 46.75 | 15 |
| Political Science | 451 | 40.5 | 11.75 |
| Botany | 387 | 54 | 22.5 |
| Economics | 272 | 52.5 | 23 |
| Psychology | 262 | 60 | 36 |
| English | 209 | 47.5 | 19.69 |
| Education | 185 | 57.75 | 34.25 |
| Chemistry | 175 | 41 | 13.5 |
| History | 152 | 52.25 | 25.19 |
| M.Com | 99 | 52.5 | 16.5 |
Our counts from the 2026 general merit lists (candidates with a positive score and eligibility, not applicants). Where a list has an even number of candidates the median is the mean of the middle two, rounded to 2 decimals.
The medians are strikingly low — 20 out of 60 in Zoology, under 12 in Political Science — which is what a quarter-mark penalty on a 60-question paper does. The practical meaning: a score in the mid-30s out of 60 puts you in the top part of most lists, and even the Open Merit closing in popular subjects sits around 30–45. Compare 919 Zoology examinees with 735 in the merit list: the difference is candidates without a positive score or eligibility.
The 1-year Masters lists
| Merit list (1-year, /80) | Candidates | Highest | Median | OM closing, List I |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoology | 205 | 61.5 | 25.75 | 49 |
| Botany | 106 | 59 | 30.38 | 54.75 |
| Psychology | 74 | 77.5 | 50.12 | 74.25 |
| English | 61 | 50.5 | 25.25 | 38.5 |
| Economics | 59 | 53.25 | 24.75 | 36.5 |
| History | 40 | 62.5 | 30 | 40.5 |
Our counts from the 2026 1-year merit lists and Selection List I (points out of 80).
The 1-year lists are small — a few dozen candidates for 9 to 13 Main-Campus seats — but in some subjects they closed high: 1-year Psychology's Open Merit closing of 74.25 out of 80 was the highest of any list we read. With so few seats, one or two strong candidates move the closing point a long way, so 2027 applicants should not treat a single year's figure as a target.
2025 against 2026
| Programme (2-year) | 2025 median | 2026 median |
|---|---|---|
| Zoology | 22.25 | 20 |
| Political Science | 15.25 | 11.75 |
| Economics | 17 | 23 |
| English | 19.13 | 19.69 |
| History | 16.75 | 25.19 |
| Psychology | 20 | 36 |
| Chemistry | 7.25 | 13.5 |
Our counts from the 2025 and 2026 general merit lists (points out of 60). 2025 had one 60-question paper per subject; in 2026 some 2-year scores are pro-rated from the 80-question paper.
Medians moved in both directions, and by a lot in Psychology and History — a sign that the papers differ from year to year more than any cut-off habit can capture. The steadier guide is position: in most subjects, a score in the mid-30s out of 60 has been comfortably in the top quarter of the list in both years.
Place your points
How would your points have fared in 2026?
Pick a programme and your category and enter your points. The check compares them with the lowest points selected in Selection List I (Main Campus, 13 August 2026). Later lists, counselling and spot rounds went lower.
Our reading of the 2026 general merit lists and Selection List I PDFs (category-wise lowest points selected; no names kept). Points are out of 60 for 2-year lists and 80 for 1-year lists. OSJ seats are supernumerary, usually one per programme, so an OSJ closing point is one candidate’s score.
| Selection List I (2026) | OM | RBA | ST-1 | ST-2 | OBC | OSJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Year English (/80) | 38.5 | 37 | — | — | 17.75 | — |
| 1-Year Economics (/80) | 36.5 | 22.5 | — | 17.25 | 30.5 | 23 |
| 1-Year History (/80) | 40.5 | 23.5 | — | — | 40 | 36 |
| 1-Year Botany (/80) | 54.75 | 44.75 | 18.75 | 22.75 | 36.75 | 35.25 |
| LL.M. (/60) — 176 in merit list, 34 selected | 40 | 33.75 | 21.25 | 32.25 | 36.5 | 38.25 |
| MCA, Main Campus (/60) — 242 in merit list, 50 selected | 28 | 16.25 | 13.75 | 1.5 | 14 | 18.75 |
Our reading of the programme-wise Selection List I PDFs (EntDownloads 4269–4356 on the selection-lists page, 13-08-2026): lowest points selected in each category. "—" means no one was selected in that category in List I. The 2-year rows used by the checker above are in the category table earlier in this guide.
How the rounds work
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| General merit list | Roll-order list per programme with category, qualifying % and points; one day for complaints |
| Selection List I | Main Campus, by merit and campus preference; formalities within the notified days (14–20 Aug in 2026) |
| Self-finance and NRI | Separate applications and lists; self-finance seats normally only for those who sat the KUET in that subject — where applicants are few, qualifying-exam merit can be used |
| Selection List II and offsite lists | Further main-campus selections and the South, North and college lists (offsite lists scheduled for 21 Aug; List II listed on the admission page on 24 Aug in 2026) |
| Online counselling | For candidates below the last selected score, with published eligible thresholds (1–2 Sep 2026) |
| Physical counselling and spot admission | Stray vacancies; final spot counselling 28 Sep 2026. Selection Notification No. 22 (28 Sep, updated 29 Sep) selected on qualifying-exam marks or KUET/JEE-2026 score — candidates without a KUET score could get a seat here. Fee and forms 29–30 Sep up to 4 pm; anyone who had not completed formalities by 30 Sep 2026 forfeited the seat; a waiting list could report 3–4 pm for any vacancy |
Admission Policy 2026; Selection Notification No. 1; online counselling notice; spot-admission notice; Selection Notification No. 22 of 2026 and its update of 29 September.
Two rules decide whether a later list helps you. The Admission Policy says a selected candidate who does not complete formalities "shall forfeit right to admission in subsequent lists till candidates are available". And the university's update of 23 August 2026 said that any candidate failing to take part in the 1–2 September online counselling "shall not be considered for subsequent lists, even if having higher merit than those candidates who participate". The counselling notice printed eligible thresholds, such as Open Merit "35.00 & above" in Economics, "41.75 & above" in Botany and "18.00 & above" in Political Science.
Practise it, don't just read it
In 2-year Zoology, 735 candidates had a median of 20 out of 60 and List I closed at 40.25 for Open Merit — roughly the score of a candidate who gets two-thirds right and leaves the rest blank. Aim quiz practice at that: accuracy on what you attempt, not the number attempted.
The ProSyllabus KUET library has topic quizzes for English, Commerce, Economics, History and Botany — the first one is free.
What is the KUET cut-off?
The university publishes no cut-off. In Selection List I 2026 the Open Merit closing points were, for example, 40.25 in Zoology, 37.5 in Economics and 32.25 in English, out of 60; later lists went lower.
Is KUET merit based on graduation marks too?
Not for the general-course lists: merit is on the entrance score and qualifying marks only break ties. Programmes admitted through CMAT, GATE, GPAT or GAT-B, and programmes with no more applicants than seats, work differently. So did the final spot round: Selection Notification No. 22 of 28 September 2026 filled the last seats on qualifying-exam marks or KUET/JEE score, with fees due by 4 pm on 30 September.
Can I get University of Kashmir PG admission without a KUET score?
In 2026, only at the margins: where a programme had no more applicants than seats, on self-finance seats with few applicants, and in the final spot round (Selection Notification No. 22, 28 September), which selected on qualifying-exam marks or KUET/JEE score. The main lists rank on the entrance score.
What was the Zoology KUET closing score in 2026?
40.25 out of 60 for Open Merit in Selection List I; RBA 37.5, ST-1 27.75, ST-2 26.25, OBC 29.75.
How many candidates were in the KUET 2026 Zoology merit list?
735 in the 2-year list and 205 in the 1-year list.
What is a good KUET score?
No official benchmark; in 2026 medians were around 11–36 out of 60 depending on the subject, so a score in the mid-30s was in the top part of most lists.
What happens if I miss KUET online counselling?
The update of 23 August 2026 said such candidates would not be considered for subsequent lists, even with higher merit.
What is the tie-break in KUET?
For PG admission: higher aggregate in the qualifying exam, then aggregate in the subject over all years of the degree, then Hr. Sec. Part-II (10+2) merit, then the older candidate.
Are KUET closing points the same every year?
No. Papers and applicants change; compare 2025 and 2026 medians, which moved by up to 16 points in some subjects.
Does KUET publish a cut-off?
No. It publishes merit lists and selection lists; the closing points in this guide are our reading of Selection List I.
How many KUET candidates were selected in List I for 2-year English?
50 at the Main Campus, 35 of them from the Open Merit section, in 2026.
What was the highest KUET closing score in 2026?
Among the lists we read, 1-year Psychology's Open Merit closing of 74.25 out of 80 in Selection List I.
Did KUET scores go up in 2026?
In some subjects (History, Psychology, Economics, Chemistry) medians rose; in Zoology and Political Science they fell.
Where are KUET merit and selection lists published?
On uok.edu.in, on the merit-list and selection-list pages under Admission.
Are reserved candidates moved to Open Merit?
Yes, those who score into Open Merit are shifted there first — except EWS, differently-abled, OSJ and NRI/foreign candidates, whose seats are supernumerary.
Does anyone get selected with a negative KUET score?
No. Only a positive score is considered, and no 2026 list we read contained a zero or negative score.
Sources
- official — University of Kashmir — merit lists
- official — University of Kashmir — selection lists
- official — Selection Notification No. 1 of 2026 (13-08-2026)
- official — Selection List I 2026 — 2-Year Zoology (EntDownloads 4271)
- official — Selection List I 2026 — 2-Year English (EntDownloads 4318)
- official — Selection List I 2026 — 1-Year Psychology (EntDownloads 4285)
- official — Admission update 13-08-2026 (self-finance, NRI, offsite campuses)
- official — University of Kashmir — Admission page (notifications and links)
- official — Online counselling notice, 1-year and 2-year Masters, LL.B. (1-9-2026)
- official — KUET-2026 update (23.08.2026) — late qualifying marks; online counselling rule
- official — Vacant-seat online applications (11-09-2026)
- official — Final spot admission through physical counselling (25-9-2026)
- official — Selection Notification No. 22 of 2026 — final spot-round selections (28-09-2026)
- official — Updated Selection Notification No. 22 of 2026, incl. 5-year integrated programmes (29-09-2026)
- official — University of Kashmir — Admission Policy, Session-2026
- official — KUET-2026 revised date sheet, PG (27-07-2026)
- official — KUET-2026 Final Centre Notice No. 1 (examinees per programme)
- reported — Collegedunia — University of Kashmir admission (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.
