IIT Bombay will release the UCEED eligibility criteria 2026 at its official website uceed.iitb.ac.in. The UCEED 2026 brochure is likely to be released by October 2025. Until then, you can check the eligibility based on the previous year's aspects. Candidates who have cleared the class 12^th in 2025 or will be appearing in 2026 will be eligible to apply for the UCEED entrance exam. The eligibility criteria also include the age of registration. To qualify for the UCEED exam, individuals belonging to the OPEN, EWS, or OBC-NCL categories should have a date of birth on or after October 1, 2001.

The UCEED eligibility 2026 guidelines outline the essential qualifications and criteria that candidates must fulfill to be considered for the entrance examination. Alongside the UCEED eligibility criteria, IIT Bombay is expected to release the admission criteria for the BDes program at other participating IITs. Before filling out the UCEED registration form, you should be aware of the UCEED eligibility criteria available on the website to avoid cancellation of candidature.

UCEED Eligibility Criteria 2026 Highlights

Here are the key highlights of the UCEED eligibility criteria 2026:

UCEED Eligibility Criteria 2026

Before you fill out the UCEED 2026 registration form, make sure you meet the exam's eligibility requirements. Check the key details to see if you qualify. Here's a quick summary of what you need to know

UCEED Age Limit 2026:

• Candidates falling under the OPEN, EWS, or OBC-NCL categories must have a birthdate of October 1, 2000 or later to satisfy the age requirement.
• To meet the age requirement, candidates from SC, ST, or PwD categories should have been born on or after October 1, 1995.
• Candidates belonging to SC, ST, or PwD categories are granted an age relaxation of up to five years.

Number of Attempts:

• You can take the UCEED exam only twice.
• Both attempts must be in back-to-back years (one after the other).
• Your UCEED score is valid for only one year. You can use it for admissions in that same academic year.
• Students who are presently enrolled in Class 12 are eligible to submit an application for the examination.

Qualifying Examination and UCEED Qualifying Marks

• Eligibility requires candidates to have passed Class 12 or an equivalent examination with all subjects cleared in 2024, or to be appearing for the first time in the same exam during 2026.
• Students from any stream (Science, Commerce, Arts & Humanities) can apply. All 3 campuses accepting UCEED scores allow students from any background.
• Foreign students, including those holding OCI/PIO cards, fall under the Open category. No special reservations or relaxations apply to them.

Institute-Specific UCEED Eligibility Criteria

• Science Stream: If any candidates from the scientific stream who have taken physics, chemistry, and Mathematics as subjects are eligible to apply to all five schools.
• Non-Science Stream: Candidates from other fields, arts, business, and science without mathematics, physics, or Chemistry may apply to IIT Bombay, Hyderabad, and IIT Delhi.
• IIT Guwahati, IIITDM: Take only science students.

UCEED Eligibility Criteria 2026: List of Qualifying Exams

Besides the basic requirements already mentioned, each participating institute has its own set of rules for eligibility.

For Indian Nationals

• The applicant should have successfully passed the 10+2 level examination conducted by a recognized Central or State educational board, or from an institution approved by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
• The National Defense Academy (JSW) Exam is a two-year final exam from the Joint Services Wing of the NDA.
• The National Institute of Open Schooling conducts the NIOS Senior Secondary Exam with at least 5 subjects.
• Candidates must have completed a two-year Intermediate or Pre-University program from a recognized Board or University, with approval from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
• The Higher Secondary Certificate in vocational studies.
• A three-year technical diploma awarded by an institution recognized by the AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education is considered valid for eligibility. (Note: Some institutes might not accept this-check their rules before applying).

For Foreign Nationals

• Any public school, board, or university exam from India or abroad that is considered equal to 10+2 by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
• The General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level qualification obtained from institutions in London, Cambridge, or Sri Lanka is accepted for eligibility.
• Candidates who have completed the Cambridge High School Certificate Examination or hold an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma are eligible.

 Two key considerations should be highlighted in this context:

• If you completed Class XII (or equivalent) outside India or from a Board not listed in the official guidelines
• Before submitting your application for UCEED, you should have successfully cleared at least one recognized public examination, such as a Board exam or Pre-University test.

UCEED Eligibility Criteria 2026: Seat Reservation

Refer to the table below for the UCEED seat reservation criteria 2026:

A 5% horizontal reservation is allocated for individuals with benchmark disabilities as defined by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Any seats left vacant in this category will be reassigned to the appropriate vertical category.

Read More:

• UCEED Syllabus 2026
• UCEED Exam Pattern 2026
• UCEED Registration 2026