In short: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana run separate engineering entrance exams with the same shape: 160 questions, 3 hours, 1 mark each and no negative marking, with Mathematics worth 80 marks. The big difference is the rank. AP combined 75% entrance marks with 25% Class 12 marks in 2026, while Telangana's 2026 ranks were based solely on normalised entrance marks, per the exam body. Neither state has released a 2027 notification as of October 28, 2026. Dates below are expected, not official.
Last updated: October 28, 2026. I will update the dates when APSCHE and TGCHE publish the 2027 notifications.
Names First: EAMCET, EAPCET, TS and TG
Students search under several names, and they mean the same exams.
| Search term | What it is |
|---|---|
| AP EAMCET, AP EAPCET | Andhra Pradesh's exam. APSCHE renamed EAMCET to EAPCET in 2021, per SciAstra |
| TS EAMCET, TG EAPCET | Telangana's exam. PW Live says the current portal uses TGEAPCET |
Both cover engineering, agriculture and pharmacy. This guide covers the engineering paper (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry).
AP vs Telangana at a Glance
| Parameter | AP EAPCET | TG EAPCET (TS EAMCET) |
|---|---|---|
| Conducted by | JNTU Kakinada for APSCHE | JNTU Hyderabad for TGCHE |
| Mode | Online, computer-based | Online, computer-based |
| Questions | 160 | 160 |
| Engineering split | Maths 80, Physics 40, Chemistry 40 | Maths 80, Physics 40, Chemistry 40 |
| Duration | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Marking | +1 correct, no negative marking | +1 correct, no negative marking |
| Medium | English and Telugu, or English and Urdu | English, Telugu and Urdu |
| 2026 rank basis | 75% EAPCET normalised marks and 25% Class 12 marks | Normalised entrance marks only |
| Qualifying marks | 25% of the maximum marks, none for SC and ST | 25% (40 of 160) for General and OBC, none for SC and ST |
| 2027 notification | Expected first week of February 2027 | Expected February 2027 |
| 2027 exam | Expected second or third week of May 2027 | Expected May 2027 |
Sources: Indian Express Education (AP) and Indian Express Education (TS) for the pattern. SciAstra for AP's expected dates and eligibility. PW Live for Telangana's expected dates and naming. NDTV on AP and NDTV on Telangana for the 2026 rank rules.
Where sources disagree
| Topic | Disagreement | What I used |
|---|---|---|
| Telangana Inter weightage | Propelld has two pages. One says the 25% Inter weightage was removed in 2024. Another says ranks are 75% EAPCET plus 25% Intermediate. NDTV, citing the exam body, says the 2026 ranks are solely on normalised marks | NDTV, because it quotes the conducting body for 2026. Check the 2027 brochure |
| AP exam months | SciAstra says May 2027 for AP. Indian Express gives April for agriculture and pharmacy and May for engineering in Telangana | Treat both as expected May for engineering |
| Telangana engineering exam in 2026 | NDTV says May 9 to 11 | Used as reported |
What the 2026 Data Shows
Telangana: normalised marks to rank, 2026
NDTV published the previous year's normalised marks and rank ranges when the result came out. Marks are out of 160.
| Normalised marks | Engineering rank |
|---|---|
| 80 and above | Below 2,613 |
| 75 and above | 2,614 to 3,995 |
| 70 and above | 3,996 to 6,104 |
| 65 and above | 6,105 to 9,226 |
| 60 and above | 9,227 to 14,418 |
| 55 and above | 14,419 to 24,028 |
| 50 and above | 24,029 to 44,121 |
| 45 and above | 44,122 to 82,343 |
| 40 and above | 82,344 to 1,35,462 |
NDTV frames this as an estimator based on last year's ranking, so the 2026 cycle's own ranges can differ. Note how steep the early part is: moving from 70 to 80 marks cuts your rank from about 6,000 to under 2,600.
Telangana's top scorer in 2026 was M. Rushi with 156.6 marks, per Times of India and Mint (which report slightly different decimals). The result was declared on May 17, 2026.
Both states normalise across sessions
The exam runs in several sessions with different papers. NDTV quotes the Telangana notification saying normalisation adjusts for difficulty differences, and expects the changes to be very marginal. AP also uses normalised marks, per NDTV. You cannot choose an easier session, so do not spend energy on it.
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AP Rank: 75:25, Illustrated
AP's 2026 rule gave 75% to normalised EAPCET marks and 25% to Class 12 marks. The next table is my arithmetic. It assumes the entrance score out of 160 is converted to 100 and the Class 12 figure is a percentage. APSCHE's real method for Class 12 marks may differ.
| EAPCET (out of 160) | Class 12 percentage | Combined (out of 100) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 95 | 70.62 |
| 100 | 80 | 66.88 |
| 90 | 98 | 66.69 |
| 110 | 70 | 69.06 |
| 80 | 90 | 60.00 |
What this shows, under my assumption:
- One entrance mark is worth about 0.47 points, while one percentage point of Class 12 is worth 0.25. Ten extra entrance marks gain about 4.7 points, and ten extra Class 12 percentage points gain 2.5.
- A candidate with 110 entrance marks and 70% in Class 12 (69.06) beats one with 90 entrance marks and 98% in Class 12 (66.69). Entrance marks matter more.
- Yet a weak Class 12 score still costs you. AP candidates need both.
MSN, quoted in search summaries, notes that AP waits for Class 12 results before final ranks because they carry 25% weightage. SciAstra adds that candidates awaiting results can apply, but their rank is valid only if they pass.
Eligibility
| Item | AP (per SciAstra) | Telangana (per PW Live) |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying exam | Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for engineering | Intermediate with the prescribed subjects |
| Minimum marks | 45% for General and OBC, 40% for reserved categories | Not stated in the page I read |
| Age | Not stated in the page I read | 16 years by December 31, 2026 for engineering and pharmacy, per the latest eligibility information, to be confirmed for 2027 |
| Local status | Local and non-local rules per the Government of AP orders for 2026-27 | An 85% local reservation framework is mentioned. Confirm in the brochure |
Do not rely on this table alone. Both notifications will set the final rules.
Syllabus
Both exams follow the Intermediate syllabus of their state. SciAstra lists AP engineering units: Algebra, Trigonometry, Vector Algebra, Measures of Dispersion and Probability, Coordinate Geometry and Calculus for Mathematics. The full AP and Telangana syllabi come with the 2027 notifications, expected around February 2027.
Because the engineering paper gives Mathematics half of the marks, the first move is clear: Mathematics decides your rank.
| Subject | Share of marks | Study share (suggestion) |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 50% (80 of 160) | About 45% |
| Physics | 25% (40) | About 28% |
| Chemistry | 25% (40) | About 27% |
You have 1.125 minutes per question across 160 questions in 180 minutes. Mathematics questions often take longer, so in practice you bank time on Physics and Chemistry.
Plan: Inter and EAPCET Together
I could not read the 2027 Intermediate exam dates for either state, so the plan runs on phases.
| Phase | Focus | Daily routine (suggestion) |
|---|---|---|
| Now to Inter exams | Inter first. In AP, Class 12 marks are 25% of the rank | Chapter study with 30 EAPCET-style MCQs on the same chapter |
| Inter exams to EAPCET | Mathematics-heavy sprint | Two full mocks a week, plus 50 Mathematics MCQs a day |
| Last two weeks | Revision and exam strategy | One mock every other day, formula sheet, error notebook |
Practice rules for a 160-question paper with no negative marking:
- Leave nothing blank. A guess costs nothing.
- Take Physics and Chemistry first when you start a mock, then Mathematics, and see which order works for you.
- Keep an error notebook that tags each mistake as concept, calculation or reading.
Our AP Inter and EAPCET plan and the Telangana Inter preparation guide cover the board side. For chapter-wise marks inside Inter, see the AP Inter Physics weightage and Telangana Inter Maths weightage.
If You Are Also Writing JEE Main
JEE Main and EAPCET overlap heavily, but Mathematics carries a bigger share in EAPCET and there is no negative marking. See our JEE Main preparation guide and how to balance JEE with boards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are EAMCET and EAPCET the same exam?
Yes. APSCHE renamed AP EAMCET as AP EAPCET in 2021, and Telangana's exam also appears as TS EAMCET or TG EAPCET. They are still two separate exams, run by different states.
Is there negative marking?
No, in both states, per Indian Express and PW Live. Each correct answer earns 1 mark and wrong or blank answers earn 0. Confirm in the 2027 brochure, but plan to attempt every question.
Do Inter marks count in the rank?
In AP, yes. The 2026 notification gave 25% to Class 12 marks and 75% to normalised EAPCET marks. In Telangana, NDTV reports that the 2026 ranks came solely from normalised entrance marks. Another site gives conflicting information on Telangana, so check the 2027 brochure.
What are the exam pattern and marks?
Both engineering papers have 160 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours: Mathematics 80, Physics 40 and Chemistry 40. Each question is 1 mark, so the total is 160.
When is the 2027 exam?
Not announced. SciAstra expects AP's notification in the first week of February 2027 and the exam in the second or third week of May. PW Live expects Telangana's form around February and the exam around May. Wait for the official notifications.
Which rank do I need for a top college in Telangana?
I did not find college-wise closing ranks in a source I could open. NDTV's estimator shows that 80 marks or more gave a rank below 2,613 last year. Check the TGCHE closing-rank lists for the colleges you want.
Related Guides
- AP Board EAPCET Preparation With Inter Together 2027
- Telangana Board TS Inter Class 12 Preparation 2027
- AP Inter 1st Year Physics Chapter-Wise Weightage 2027
- Telangana Inter 2nd Year Maths Chapter-Wise Weightage 2027
- JEE and Board Exams Together: Class 12 PCM Plan 2027
- JEE Main 2027 Preparation: Complete Guide
Sources
- Indian Express Education: AP EAMCET exam pattern 2027
- Indian Express Education: TS EAMCET exam pattern 2027
- SciAstra: AP EAPCET 2027
- PW Live: TG EAPCET 2027
- NDTV: AP EAPCET 2026 result and ranking basis
- NDTV: Telangana EAPCET 2026 result, normalised marks vs rank
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