KEA Connect app for mentoring students for CET counseling

This KEA initiative is expected to benefit rural students. | Photo credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J.

Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has developed a new mobile application called ‘KEA Connect’ to provide proper guidance to students regarding Common Entrance Test (CET-2026) and prevent the use of paid online mentors.

Steps have been taken to appoint students who have participated in CET counseling in the last two years and secured seats and also faculty members from engineering colleges as mentors. Each mentor can guide two students.

Students can log into the KEA Connect app, select their preferred mentors and get guidance at every stage of CET counseling till admission.

About 3.18 lakh students from across the state wrote CET 2026 this year and the results will be declared in a few days. Meanwhile, KEA has started preparations for CET counseling and allotment of seats for various professional courses including engineering. KEA has also flagged private individuals and YouTubers for luring students online by claiming to provide accurate CET guidance, including help with entry options and allotment of seats in preferred colleges.

How it works

“To date, more than 5,000 students and faculty have signed up as mentors. Students seeking guidance can log into the app, select their preferred course – engineering, medical or other – and will be matched with five mentors. Full information about each mentor, including course and college details if they are students, and institution and subject details if they are faculty, will be made available by the HEA executive, allowing users to select the most appropriate HEA mentor.

No cross mentoring

KEA has taken steps to assign only mentors for female students and male mentors for students. “Once selected, mentors and students can connect through the app and access CET counseling information through chat, with calls only allowed when needed,” said Mr. Prasanna.

Mentors Statement

KEA obtained a statement from the mentors that they would not charge any fees or promote any college. Any changes to the counseling schedule, policies, or rules will be communicated to mentors through in-app notifications and videos for dissemination to students.

Option to switch

Students can also switch mentors if they don’t get the right answer. “If the mentors are not responding properly, students should leave them immediately and submit a new application. The student will then be given five new mentor options. The mentor can guide up to two students and will help them until the counseling process is complete,” he said.

This initiative will benefit rural students, Mr. Prasanna added.

Published – 19 May 2026 19:22 IST