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Many students in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh hear about POLYCET only in the last months of Class 10. It is the entrance test for diploma courses in engineering and other technical fields at polytechnics. This post sets out what each state's official documents say, works through how the Telangana score is calculated, and suggests a study plan. Treat it as a starting point: rules change each year, so check the current notification before you apply.
What is TS POLYCET, now TG POLYCET?
Telangana's test is run by the State Board of Technical Education and Training (SBTET) in Hyderabad. Its official site now calls it TG POLYCET. The POLYCET-2026 instruction booklet says the rank is used for admission to diploma programmes in government, aided and private polytechnics, and also to diploma courses run by the state's agricultural, horticultural and veterinary universities. It lists engineering diplomas such as civil and mechanical as three-year courses, with B.Tech. among the "possible areas of continuing education".
The 2026 brief notification set registration from 2 February 2026 and the exam on 13 May 2026, with results due about 12 days later. Dates for later years will differ.
Who can take the Telangana test?
According to the booklet, you must be an Indian national who meets Telangana's local or non-local rules. You need to have passed Class 10 (SSC) or an equivalent such as CBSE, ICSE or NIOS with mathematics as a subject and at least 35% marks. Students from boards other than the Telangana SSC must have passed every subject, including mathematics, physics and chemistry, with at least 35% in each. Students who are taking Class 10 board exams in March or April of the test year may also appear. There is no age limit for the test itself.
What does the Telangana paper look like?
The 2026 booklet describes one paper of 2 hours 30 minutes, set on the Telangana Class 10 syllabus:
Mathematics: 60 questions, 60 marks
Physics: 30 questions, 30 marks
Chemistry: 30 questions, 30 marks
Biology: 30 questions, 30 marks
Every question has four options and one correct answer, marked on an OMR sheet. The booklet states there is no negative marking. Biology is needed only if you want the agriculture, horticulture or veterinary diplomas.
Worked example: how the two Telangana ranks are calculated
The booklet describes two ranks. The MPC rank, for polytechnic courses, uses maths, physics and chemistry out of 120. The MBiPC rank, for the agriculture-linked diplomas, scales maths down to 30 and adds biology, again out of 120. The qualifying mark is 30% of 120, which is 36.
Take a sample student (made-up numbers) with maths 44 out of 60, physics 18, chemistry 15 and biology 21.
MPC score: 44 + 18 + 15 = 77 out of 120. This is above 36, so the student qualifies for a polytechnic rank.
MBiPC score: maths scaled to 44 × 30/60 = 22. Then 22 + 18 + 15 + 21 = 76 out of 120. This also qualifies.
Notice how much maths carries: half of the MPC total. A 10-mark gain in maths counts as much as a 10-mark gain in physics and chemistry together.
What about AP POLYCET?
Andhra Pradesh runs its own test through SBTET Andhra Pradesh. When we checked in October 2026, the official site, polycetap.nic.in, did not load for us, so the facts here come from archived copies and describe earlier years. The 2025 home page, as archived, described POLYCET-2025 as the entrance for diploma courses at polytechnics and private engineering colleges in the state, with the test on 30 April 2025. The POLYCET-2025 final answer key covers 120 questions per set. Do not rely on these for a new cycle: open the current AP notification for this year's eligibility, pattern and dates.
Is a diploma the right choice?
That depends on the student. A polytechnic diploma is a practical, job-linked route, while Class 11 and 12 keep more options open for degrees. Our guide on choosing a stream after Class 10 helps families weigh the options together.
A study plan for the last eight weeks
Weeks 1 to 3: Revise Class 10 maths chapter by chapter, since it carries the most marks. Do 20 timed questions per chapter.
Weeks 4 and 5: Physics and chemistry, focusing on numericals and definitions from your state textbook.
Week 6: Previous papers. Both state sites post old question papers; use only the official ones.
Weeks 7 and 8: Two full mock papers a week, timed, followed by an error review. With no negative marking, practise answering every question.
If a maths chapter keeps tripping you up, Fermi's AI tutor can work out what you already know and build a plan for the session, so each revision sitting starts from your actual gap.
This week, download your state's current POLYCET notification and mark the registration deadline on your calendar.
