DECE-LE 2026 Online Form Started: Apply for Bihar Diploma Lateral Entry (Second Year) Admission at bceceboard.bihar.gov.in – Notification PDF, Eligibility, Last Date 23 April 2026
The Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB), Patna has officially released the online application form for the Diploma Entrance Competitive Examination – Lateral Entry (DECE[LE]-2026) under Advertisement Numbers BCECEB(DECE[LE])-2026/01 and /02, both dated 18 March 2026. This prestigious examination serves as the gateway for eligible candidates seeking direct admission to the second year (lateral entry) of various Diploma Engineering and Technology programmes in government and private polytechnics across Bihar for the academic session 2026–27.
Online registration commenced on 20 March 2026, and the last date to submit the DECE LE online form is 23 April 2026, with fee payment accepted up to 24 April 2026 (11:59 PM). An application editing window is available from 25–26 April 2026. Admit cards will be released on 15 May 2026, and the DECE LE exam is proposed for 24 May 2026 in offline (OMR-based) mode. Candidates who have passed 12th (10+2) with Science or completed a 10th + 2-year ITI course are eligible to apply. Eligible students are strongly urged to complete their Bihar DECE LE online form 2026 well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical difficulties.
1 Important Dates – DECE[LE]-2026 Schedule
Keep these critical dates handy. Missing any deadline could disqualify your application.
| # | Event / Activity | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notification Release (Advt. 01 & 02) | 18 March 2026 | ✅ Released |
| 2 | Online Registration Start Date | 20 March 2026 | ✅ Active |
| 3 | Last Date for Online Registration | 23 April 2026 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| 4 | Last Date for Application Fee Payment | 24 April 2026 (11:59 PM) | ⏳ Upcoming |
| 5 | Application Form Editing Window | 25 April 2026 – 26 April 2026 | ⏳ Upcoming |
| 6 | Admit Card Download | 15 May 2026 onwards | ⏳ Upcoming |
| 7 | Proposed DECE LE Exam Date | 24 May 2026 | 📌 Proposed |
| 8 | Result Declaration | Tentatively June 2026 | 🔜 Awaited |
| 9 | Counselling / Seat Allotment | To be notified separately | 🔜 TBA |
2 Eligibility Criteria – DECE LE 2026
Before filling the BCECEB DECE[LE] 2026 registration form, candidates must verify they meet the following eligibility criteria as specified in the official notification:
Academic Qualification
- 10+2 (Intermediate / 12th) with Science stream — subjects must include Physics, Mathematics, and at least one of the following: Chemistry, Computer Science, Electronics, Information Technology, Biology, Informatics Practices, Biotechnology, Technical Vocational Subject, Agriculture, Engineering Graphics, Business Studies, or Entrepreneurship (as per the annexure in the official DECE LE notification PDF).
- 10th Pass + 2-Year ITI Course in an appropriate/relevant trade (as specified by BCECEB). This pathway is specifically designed to bring ITI-qualified candidates into mainstream diploma engineering.
- Candidates must have passed from a recognised Board/University as per BCECEB norms.
- Minimum marks: As per the affiliating board/university norms. Reserved category candidates (SC/ST/OBC/PwD) are entitled to applicable relaxations as per Bihar Government rules.
Age Limit
- No specific upper age limit has been prescribed for DECE LE 2026. However, candidates are advised to verify the latest update from the official BCECEB website or the prospectus.
Bridge Course Requirement
- Candidates admitted through the ITI pathway may be required to complete a bridge course in relevant subjects (such as Mathematics and Science) as determined by the affiliating polytechnic or SBTE Bihar.
- Candidates from non-standard educational backgrounds should carefully read the annexure in the notification PDF.
3 Application Fee – DECE[LE]-2026
The DECE LE 2026 application fee must be paid online within the specified deadline. The approximate fee structure is as follows (candidates should confirm exact amounts from the official notification):
- Payment Modes: Online payment via Net Banking, Debit Card, Credit Card, or UPI (as permitted on the BCECEB portal).
- Fee once paid is non-refundable under any circumstances.
- The fee payment deadline is 24 April 2026 at 11:59 PM — submitting the form without fee payment renders the application invalid.
- Always download and save your fee payment receipt/confirmation for future reference.
4 How to Fill the DECE-LE Online Form 2026 – Step-by-Step Guide
Follow this detailed step-by-step process to successfully complete your DECE LE lateral entry application 2026:
- Visit the Official Website: Open your browser and go to bceceboard.bihar.gov.in. Ensure you are on the official BCECEB website to avoid phishing sites.
- Click the DECE LE 2026 Link: On the homepage, locate and click the link titled "Online Portal of DECE (LE) 2026" or the relevant notification/registration link displayed in the notice board or current examination section.
- New Registration (Step-One): Click on "New Registration". Fill in your basic details — full name (as on 10th certificate), father's name, date of birth, email ID, and mobile number. Verify your mobile/email via OTP. Note down your Registration Number and Password carefully.
- Login to Your Account: Use the credentials generated during registration to log in to the BCECEB DECE LE 2026 applicant portal.
- Fill Personal Information: Enter your personal details — gender, nationality, religion, domicile, category (General/OBC/SC/ST/EBC/PwD), and sub-category if applicable.
- Fill Contact & Address Details: Enter your permanent and correspondence address, district, pin code, and contact numbers accurately.
- Fill Educational Information: Enter your qualifying examination details — board name, roll number, year of passing, marks obtained, subjects studied. For ITI candidates, enter trade name and institute details.
- Upload Photo & Signature: Upload your recent passport-size photograph (white background, JPG format, 10–50 KB) and scanned signature (JPG, 5–20 KB) as per the BCECEB specifications. Ensure images meet the size and format requirements strictly.
- Preview & Verify: Carefully preview the entire application form. Check all details thoroughly — errors at this stage can be corrected before final submission. Use the editing window (25–26 April 2026) for any corrections post-submission.
- Final Submit: After verifying all details, click "Final Submit". Note that after final submission, limited editing is available only during the designated window.
- Pay Application Fee: Proceed to the fee payment section. Choose your preferred online payment mode (Net Banking / Debit Card / Credit Card / UPI) and complete the transaction. A successful payment will generate a receipt.
- Download Confirmation Page & Fee Receipt: After successful payment, download and print both the application confirmation page and the fee payment receipt. Keep these documents safely for future reference during admit card download, counselling, and admission.
5 Exam Pattern & Syllabus – DECE LE 2026
The DECE LE 2026 examination will be conducted in offline (OMR/pen-paper) mode. Here is an overview of the exam pattern:
Subjects & Syllabus Overview
- Physics & Chemistry — Topics covered at the 10+2 level relevant to engineering streams.
- Mathematics — Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Coordinate Geometry, and related topics.
- Engineering Aptitude / Technical subjects — Based on diploma-level concepts (for ITI candidates, relevant trade-based questions may be included as per syllabus).
- Detailed subject-wise syllabus, marking scheme, and paper pattern are available in the official DECE LE 2026 Prospectus PDF downloadable from bceceboard.bihar.gov.in.
- Candidates are strongly advised to refer to DECE LE previous year papers for practice and pattern understanding.
6 Courses & Participating Polytechnics – Bihar Diploma Lateral Entry 2026
Through DECE LE 2026, selected candidates will be granted direct second-year admission to the following Diploma Engineering branches in government and private polytechnics affiliated under SBTE Bihar:
The list of participating polytechnic institutions (government and private), branch-wise seat availability, and reservation details are published in the DECE LE 2026 prospectus. Candidates are advised to download and review the prospectus before applying.
7 Important Links – DECE[LE]-2026 Official Resources
| Official BCECEB Website | Visit Site |
| DECE[LE]-2026 Notification PDF (Advt. No. 01 – 18.03.2026) | Download PDF |
| DECE[LE]-2026 Notification PDF (Advt. No. 02 – 18.03.2026) | Download PDF |
| DECE LE 2026 Prospectus (Official) | Download Prospectus |
| Apply Online – DECE LE 2026 (Direct Registration Link) | Apply Now → |
| DECE LE Admit Card 2026 (Available from 15 May 2026) | Download Admit Card |
| DECE LE Previous Year Papers & Syllabus | View Syllabus |
8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – DECE LE 2026
Apply for Bihar Diploma Lateral Entry Before It's Too Late!
DECE-LE 2026 is your direct pathway to second-year Diploma Engineering in Bihar's top polytechnics. The registration window closes on 23 April 2026 — don't miss this opportunity. Download the prospectus, verify your eligibility, prepare your documents, and submit your application today at the official BCECEB portal.
Apply Now at bceceboard.bihar.gov.in →