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Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) 2026, conducted by Anna University on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu, is the state-level entrance exam for admission to MBA, MCA, ME/MTech/MArch/MPlan programs in university departments, constituent colleges, government, government-aided, and self-financing institutions across Tamil Nadu. Over 200 colleges participate, offering thousands of seats in management, computer applications, and engineering postgraduate courses. The exam evaluates quantitative ability, logical reasoning, language skills, and domain knowledge depending on the course. Qualifying candidates join centralized counselling conducted by Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) for MBA/MCA and TANCA for engineering programs, with seat allotment based on merit, choices, and reservation.
Table of Contents
TANCET 2026 Important Dates
Anna University is expected to release the TANCET 2026 notification in January 2026. Candidates should check tancet.annauniv.edu regularly for updates. Based on previous years' patterns, tentative dates are:
- Notification Release: Third week of January 2026
- Application Start: Late January 2026
- Last Date for Application: February 2026
- Admit Card Release: Early March 2026
- Exam Date (MBA/MCA): Third/Fourth week of March 2026
- Exam Date (ME/MTech/MArch/MPlan - CEETA PG): March 2026
- Answer Key Release: April 2026
- Result Declaration: April 2026
- Counselling Registration (MBA/MCA): June-July 2026
- TANCA Counselling (Engineering PG): July-August 2026
Exact schedule will be confirmed on the official website tancet.annauniv.edu.
TANCET 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must fulfill these requirements:
- Bachelor's degree of minimum 3 years duration with at least 50% marks (45% for reserved categories of Tamil Nadu).
- For MBA/MCA: Any recognized bachelor's degree.
- For ME/MTech/MArch/MPlan: Relevant engineering/architecture degree or equivalent as per AICTE norms.
- Final year students eligible provisionally.
- GATE qualified candidates exempt from CEETA PG for MTech but must apply through TANCA counselling.
- Tamil Nadu natives preferred for certain quotas; others eligible for open seats.
Detailed eligibility in the information brochure on the official site.
TANCET 2026 Application Form and Fees
Application is online at tancet.annauniv.edu. Steps include:
- Registration with email/mobile.
- Filling details and uploading documents.
- Payment of fee online.
Expected Fee:
- General: Rs. 1000
- SC/SCA/ST (Tamil Nadu): Rs. 500
- Additional courses: Extra fee
Includes counselling charges in some cases.
TANCET 2026 Exam Pattern
TANCET is offline pen-paper based.
| Course | Duration | Questions | Marks | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBA | 2 hours | 100 MCQs | 100 | +1 correct, -1/3 wrong |
| MCA | 2 hours | 100 MCQs | 100 | +1 correct, -1/3 wrong |
| ME/MTech/MArch/MPlan (CEETA PG) | 2 hours | 115 MCQs | 100 | +1 correct, -1/3 wrong (Part I/II), no negative Part III |
MBA sections: Business Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative, Data Sufficiency, English.
TANCET 2026 Syllabus
Syllabus varies by course.
- MBA: Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability, Reading Comprehension, Data Sufficiency, Business Situations.
- MCA: Quantitative, Analytical Reasoning, Logical Reasoning, Computer Awareness.
- ME/MTech: Engineering Mathematics, Basic Engineering & Sciences, Branch-specific topics.
Official syllabus PDFs released on tancet.annauniv.edu.
TANCET 2026 Preparation Tips
Refer to standard books for quantitative (RS Aggarwal), reasoning, and verbal (Wren & Martin). Practice previous papers to understand patterns. Focus on speed due to negative marking—attempt accurately. For MBA, emphasize data interpretation and business cases; for MCA, computer basics; for engineering, core subjects. Take mocks for time management. Analyze errors to improve weak areas.
TANCET 2026 Admit Card and Exam Centres
Admit card downloadable from portal. Carry with ID. Centres in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, and other districts.
TANCET 2026 Result and Rank List
Results as marks and normalized scores. Separate rank lists for MBA/MCA and engineering. Merit based on scores; ties resolved by age or other criteria.
TANCET Previous Year Cutoff Trends
Cutoffs vary by course, college, category, and difficulty. Top colleges like Anna University CEG, PSG Tech require high scores. Recent trends show competitive marks for general category.
Reviewing previous cutoffs helps gauge required performance. Scores are normalized out of 100. Reserved categories have lower thresholds. Government colleges more competitive.
Approximate normalized score trends for top colleges (General Category):
| Course/College | 2023 Approx | 2024 Approx | 2025 Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBA - Anna University/University of Madras | 60-70 | 58-65 | 60-70 |
| MBA - PSG College of Technology | 55-65 | 60-65 | 60+ |
| MCA - Anna University | 65-75 | Similar | 65-75 |
| MTech CSE - CEG Anna University | 55-65 | High 50s | 55-65 |
| MTech Civil - PSG Tech | 50-60 | Similar | 50-60 |
Check official counselling PDFs for exact round-wise data.
TANCET Previous Year Question Papers
Previous papers essential for pattern familiarity. Anna University releases official papers and keys post-exam on tancet.annauniv.edu. Download 2024, 2023, and earlier papers from official site or reliable sources like collegedunia.com. Practice to identify recurring topics.
TANCET 2026 Counselling and Seat Allotment
MBA/MCA counselling by DTE online with registration, choice filling, allotment rounds. TANCA for engineering PG. Pay initial deposit, verify documents. Multiple rounds including supplementary. Total seats: Thousands in MBA/MCA, over 10,000 in engineering PG. 2025 trends: High demand for Anna University, PSG; seats filled quickly in top branches.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Yes, for most government and aided seats; some private colleges may have management quota.
- Yes, but limited to open/management seats; state quota requires nativity.
- Yes, 1/3 mark deducted for wrong answers in most sections.
- Anna University CEG/MIT, PSG Tech, GCT Coimbatore, University of Madras, Thiagarajar School of Management.
- Thousands in MBA/MCA; over 10,000 in PG engineering across participating colleges.
- Yes, GATE qualified prioritized in TANCA counselling.
- RS Aggarwal Quantitative, Arun Sharma for Data Interpretation, Norman Lewis Vocabulary.
- Offline pen-paper based.
- Yes, provisionally; must complete degree before admission.
- No limit; can appear yearly.
- 60+ normalized marks for general category.
- Usually June-July for MBA/MCA after results.
