KEAM exam pattern, marking scheme and how to prepare
Kerala Engineering Architecture Medical entrance
KEAM engineering has 150 multiple-choice questions in 180 minutes: 75 in Mathematics, 45 in Physics and 30 in Chemistry, for 600 marks, with 4 marks for a correct answer and 1 deducted for a wrong one. The engineering rank gives equal weight to the entrance score and Class 12 board marks.
At a glance
- Conducted by
- Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala
- Mode
- Online, multiple-choice
- Questions
- 150: Maths 75, Physics 45, Chemistry 30
- Marking
- +4 correct, -1 wrong
- Total
- 600 marks (Maths 300, Physics 180, Chemistry 120)
- Duration
- 180 minutes
Section-wise pattern
| Section | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 75 | 300 |
| Physics | 45 | 180 |
| Chemistry | 30 | 120 |
The pharmacy paper is a separate, shorter paper of 300 marks. Confirm the paper structure for your year in the CEE prospectus.
How your engineering rank is decided
Published summaries say the engineering rank list gives equal weight to the standardised entrance score (out of 300) and your Class 12 board marks in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry (out of 300), with the board marks weighted in a 5:3:2 ratio across Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Maths therefore counts the most in both halves.
What the pattern means for you
- Maths is half the paper (300 of 600): speed and accuracy in calculation decide your rank.
- Wrong answers cost 1 mark against 4 for a correct one, so attempt a question when you are at least 50% sure.
- Board marks are half of your rank: do not neglect Class 12 theory while you practise entrance questions.
- Chemistry is only 30 questions, so a few careless slips matter more there.
Concepts to revise first
Each is a one-minute animated lesson, in English and Hindi, with the exam-style answer written out. They cover the Class 11 and 12 ideas this route tests; CogniGuru does not have KEAM-specific question banks.
Physics
- Projectile Motion — why 30° and 60° land at the same spot
- Work, Energy, Power — why pushing a wall does zero work
- Why is the work done by centripetal force zero? — Class 11
- Torque vs Force — why pulling at an angle feels weaker
- Moment of Inertia — why a ring is harder to spin than a disc
- Simple Harmonic Motion vs Periodic Motion — why 'it repeats' isn't the test
- Electric Field vs Electric Potential — the vector and the scalar
- Why can electric field lines never cross? — Class 12
Chemistry
- Mole vs Molar Mass vs Avogadro's Number — Class 9
- Orbit vs Orbital — Class 11
- How to find sp, sp² or sp³ hybridisation — Class 11
- Electronegativity vs Electron Affinity — Class 11
- Le Chatelier's Principle Explained — Class 11
- Galvanic vs Electrolytic Cell — Class 12
- Molarity vs Molality vs Normality — does heating a solution change its concentration?
- Periodic Trends — why potassium is BIGGER than sodium despite more protons
Mathematics
- Function vs Relation — Class 11
- One-one vs Onto Functions — Class 12
- Domain vs Range — why one value can quietly break a function
- Definite vs Indefinite Integral — Class 12
- Differentiation vs Integration — two questions about the same curve
- Dot Product vs Cross Product — Class 12
- What is conditional probability? P(A|B) explained — Class 12
- Permutations vs Combinations — the one question that decides which formula to use
Get my AI tutor for KEAM concepts
An AI tutor that explains any Class 11 or 12 doubt one minute at a time, in English or Hindi. Join the waitlist.
Common questions
- Is there negative marking in KEAM?
- Yes. For the 2026 cycle a correct answer gave 4 marks and a wrong answer cost 1 mark.
- How many marks is KEAM engineering out of?
- 600 marks: Mathematics 300, Physics 180 and Chemistry 120.
- Do Class 12 marks count in the KEAM engineering rank?
- Yes. According to published summaries, the rank gives equal weight to the standardised entrance score and the standardised Class 12 marks. Read the CEE prospectus for the exact method.
- Will CogniGuru give me KEAM mock papers?
- Not yet. CogniGuru explains the Class 11 and 12 concepts that KEAM tests, one minute at a time, with the exam-style answer written out. It does not have KEAM question banks or mock tests, so use the official previous papers for practice.
Check the official source
This describes the 2026 cycle as published. The brochure for your year decides everything, so confirm on the official site before you plan around any number. Official site: cee.kerala.gov.in.