From 16 to 65: Older aspirants to compete with teens in Telangana EAPCET 2026

TG EAPCET 2026 has attracted applicants across age groups, including a 65-year-old candidate. With no upper age limit, older aspirants are seeking engineering and pharmacy admissions, primarily to gain qualifications required for licences and regulatory compliance

Hyderabad: Individuals in their 50s and 60s are set to compete with teenagers for admissions to engineering and pharmacy programmes in the State.

The ongoing registration for the Telangana Engineering, Agriculture and Pharmacy Common Entrance Test (TG EAPCET) 2026 scheduled from May 4 saw applications from quinquagenarians and even a sexagenarian.

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A 65-year-old has registered for the A&P entrance test, the oldest applicant for EAPCET so far. Others in the same stream include candidates aged 59 and 51.

As for engineering stream, individuals born in the 1960s and 1980s have registered for the entrance examination, with the oldest applicant aged 59. Two individuals aged 45 and 40 have also registered for the engineering entrance test.

These applicants, whose credentials have not been disclosed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) – Hyderabad, are seeking higher qualifications, particularly in pharmacy, to secure licences and meet regulatory standards. “A special focus will be laid on these individuals in the examination centres,” a senior JNTU-Hyderabad official told ‘Telangana Today’.

There is no upper age limit to appear for these entrance examinations, enabling candidates from any age group to take the test. To be eligible for engineering and pharmacy courses, candidates should have completed 16 years of age, as of December 31 of the year of admission.

In addition, engineering aspirants should have studied and cleared subjects including mathematics, physics and chemistry at Intermediate level. In case of agriculture and pharmacy stream, candidates should have pursued botany, zoology, physics and chemistry subjects.

Additionally, there is no limit on the number of attempts a candidate can take. Last year, candidates aged 58 and 56 applied for A&P and engineering entrance tests respectively.

The TG EAPCET 2026 is scheduled from May 4 to 11, with A&P stream test on May 4 and 5 and engineering entrance test from May 9 to 11.

“After completion of the examination duration, marks secured by candidates will be displayed immediately on their respective computer screens as per preliminary key. However, TG EAPCET-2026 ranks will be allotted purely based on performance (normalised marks according to final key),” said Dr K Vijaya Kumar Reddy, Convener, TG EAPCET and Rector, JNTU-Hyderabad.

Applications galore

Engineering
-Total: 2,10,308
-Boys: 1,19,880
-Girls: 90,428

Agriculture and pharmacy
-Total: 90,569
-Girls: 69,086
-Boys: 21,483
*Both streams: 317
* Last date to apply online with a late fee of Rs 5,000: April 24
* Deadline to register with a late fee of Rs 10,000: May 2
* Hall tickets download for A&P and Engineering streams: April 23 and 27 respectively