The Government of Karnataka established Common Entrance Test Cell in the year 1994 for conducting of Entrance Test and determining the eligibility / merit, for admission of Karnataka candidates and the ward/s of Jammu & Kashmiri migrants to the First year or First semester of full time professional courses for Government share of seats in Medical, Dental, Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy, Engineering / Architecture courses, Farm science i.e, B.Sc. (Agriculture), B.Sc. (Sericulture), B.Sc (Horticulture), B.Sc(Forestry), B.Sc. Agri Bio Tech, BHSc.(Home Science), B.Tech (Agri.Engg), B.Tech (Food Technology), B.Tech (Dairy Tech), B.FSc (Fisheries), B.Tech (Food Science &Tech)., B.Sc. (Agri. Marketing & Co-Op), B-Pharma, Pharma-D courses.

Admission to Government seats shall be made in accordance with the Karnataka Selection of Candidates for Admission to Government Seats in Professional Educational Institutions Rules, 2006 (in short Rules) as amended from time to time

To expand the activities of the CET Cell, the Government by order No. ED. 212 TEC 2006 dated 20-12-2006 has converted the Common Entrance Test Cell into an autonomous body registered under Societies Registration Act 1960 called "Karnataka Examinations Authority" (KEA).