Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka UGET • Conducted by Consortium of Medical, Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka
Understanding How Category, Branch, and Round Number Drive Cutoff Variation
In the context of COMEDK UGET counselling, "cutoff" refers to the opening and closing rank for a specific college-branch-category combination in a given counselling round — not a single fixed number. The opening rank is the best (lowest) rank at which a seat was allotted in that combination, and the closing rank is the last (highest) rank that still secured a seat before the combination filled up.
• College reputation and location: colleges in central Bengaluru (RVCE, BMSCE, MSRIT) have far tighter cutoffs than colleges in smaller towns.
• Branch popularity: Computer Science, AI/ML, and Information Technology close at much lower (better) ranks than Civil or Mechanical at the same college.
• Category reservation: General category cutoffs are the tightest; SC/ST/OBC/EWS categories have separate, usually higher (relaxed), cutoff ranks per the applicable reservation percentage.
• Counselling round number: Round 1 cutoffs are always tighter than Round 3 or mop-up round cutoffs, as seats vacated by candidates who moved elsewhere become available in later rounds.
| College | Approx. CSE Closing Rank (Recent Years, General Category) |
|---|---|
| RV College of Engineering (RVCE) | Roughly 300 – 700 (tightens further in early rounds) |
| MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology (MSRIT) | Roughly 900 – 2,100 |
| BMS College of Engineering (BMSCE) | Roughly 2,300 – 5,300 |
| Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering | Roughly 3,600 – 7,800 |
| Bangalore Institute of Technology (BIT) | Roughly 5,900 – 16,400 |
These figures are illustrative, based on observed trends from recent counselling cycles, and will shift year to year depending on total candidates, seat matrix changes, and overall paper difficulty. Always refer to the official COMEDK counselling portal for the exact, current-year cutoff data.
Within the same college, the gap between the most and least competitive branch can be enormous — for instance, a college where CSE closes at rank 2,000 might see its Mechanical or Civil Engineering branch remain open well past rank 50,000 or higher in later rounds. This means students focused on a specific branch (like CSE or ECE) need a considerably better rank than students open to any engineering branch at the same college.
Because COMEDK reserves seats for SC, ST, OBC (Category-1/2A/2B/3A/3B as per Karnataka's framework), and EWS candidates per applicable state reservation norms, the closing ranks for these categories are typically several multiples higher (i.e., more relaxed) than the General category closing rank for the same college-branch combination. Candidates should always check the category-specific cutoff list rather than assuming the General category number applies to them.
Some COMEDK member colleges also maintain separate seat pools or horizontal reservations for women candidates, physically disabled (PwD) candidates, and defense/ex-servicemen wards, each carrying its own opening and closing rank within the same college-branch combination. Candidates eligible under any of these special categories should check the category-specific cutoff list carefully, since it can sometimes offer a meaningfully better admission chance than competing purely under the General merit list.
The most reliable way to track cutoff trends is to refer to COMEDK's own published round-wise allotment data once the current year's counselling is underway, rather than relying purely on aggregator websites summarizing "previous year cutoffs," which can occasionally contain transcription errors or outdated figures. Cross-checking a claimed cutoff figure against the official COMEDK counselling portal before making a final decision is always the safer approach.
If a college increases its sanctioned intake for a popular branch like CSE in a given year — for instance, by adding a new AI/ML-focused section — the effective closing rank for that branch can relax noticeably compared to the previous year, purely because more seats are now available for the same demand level. Conversely, if a college reduces its intake or stops offering a specific branch, the cutoff for remaining similar branches may tighten. This is one more reason why cutoff figures should always be treated as a trend indicator rather than a fixed target.
Opening rank is the best (numerically lowest) rank at which a seat was allotted for a specific college-branch-category combination in a round; closing rank is the last (highest) rank that still got a seat in that combination.
Generally yes — as candidates who receive better offers elsewhere vacate seats, closing ranks for most college-branch combinations tend to relax (increase) in later rounds compared to Round 1.
In almost all colleges, CSE, AI/ML, and IT branches have the tightest (lowest) cutoffs due to high demand, while core branches like Civil and Mechanical typically have much more relaxed cutoffs.
Yes, many colleges maintain horizontal reservation categories such as women candidates or PwD candidates with their own opening and closing ranks within each college-branch combination.
Revise chapter-wise mathematical formulas before launching your test: