The Consortium of Medical, Engineering, and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK) has announced that the Undergraduate Entrance Test (UGET) 2025 will be held on May 10, a Saturday, instead of its usual schedule on the second Sunday of May.

The Uni-GAUGE Engineering entrance exam, which allows admission to 55 top universities across India, will also be conducted on May 10. Authorities have said that both the examinations, on online mode will be conducted as a combined single test to reduce the burden on students.

The change has been made due to non-availability of sufficient computer terminals, Dr S Kumar, executive secretary, COMEDK, said.

The registrations for the examination is set to begin from Monday, February 3, and the candidates are expected to submit their applications by March 15.

Officials anticipate a surge in applications this year, with over 20,000 additional candidates expected compared to last year’s 1.16 lakh applicants. In 2024, around 92 per cent of registered students appeared for the test, with Karnataka students recording a 93 per cent attendance rate.

“Post-Covid, the number of applicants for COMEDK and Uni-GAUGE exams is steadily returning to pre-pandemic levels. This year, we anticipate an additional 20,000 applications, necessitating the shift to a Saturday exam to ensure the availability of exam centres,” said Kumar.

The examination will be conducted in over 200 towns across India, with 26 cities and towns in Karnataka hosting test centers. Outside Karnataka, the highest number of applicants come from Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Himachal Pradesh. In states with over 3,000 applicants, we have ensured the availability of at least four to five exam centres.

Previously, COMEDK conducted its counselling process ahead of the Karnataka CET (KCET) due to overlapping All-India and State Medical Counseling schedules. This year, officials are making efforts to hold counseling schedules in sync with CET. “If the timelines are aligned, it would benefit students and improve seat allocation efficiency. COMEDK is working towards streamlining the process in coordination with CET authorities,” said Kumar.

Recognising the rising demand for specialised fields such as Machine Learning, AI, Robotics, IoT, and Prototype Design, COMEDK has also established 10 Innovation Centres across Karnataka over the past two years. These centres provide students — irrespective of their college affiliation — access to high-quality training. There are four centres based in Bengaluru and one each in Mysuru, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Tumakuru, and Hubballi

These centres offer four-month courses at a nominal fee of Rs1,500 per course, making high-quality training accessible. For comparison, similar programmes in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra charge between Rs1.2 lakh and Rs1.5 lakh for just six weeks.c