Written by L K Monu Borkala, Founder & Chief Strategist
Kodagu is Karnataka's smallest district by population, yet it ranked 3rd of 32 districts in the 2026 II PUC exam at 92.34%, behind only Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. Its 65 PU colleges sit across three education circles: Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet. This guide compares them by taluk, fees, and what a district this small can actually offer after PU.
How Many PU Colleges Does Kodagu Have?
The Department of Pre-University Education's Madikeri office runs three circles across Kodagu, and between them they cover 65 pre-university colleges. Somwarpet circle carries the most, not Madikeri town. That surprises parents who assume the district headquarters holds the biggest cluster; it doesn't.
| PU Circle | Total Colleges | Government | Aided | Unaided (Private) | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madikeri | 15 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| Somwarpet | 30 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 2 |
| Virajpet | 20 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 1 |
| Kodagu total | 65 | 14 | 13 | 34 | 4 |
Source: Department of Pre-University Education, Kodagu (DDPU office, Madikeri), 2026.
Somwarpet alone holds nearly half of Kodagu's 65 PU colleges, most of them unaided.
Twice as many colleges sit in Somwarpet circle as in Madikeri, and 16 of those 30 are unaided private colleges, scattered through a taluk that is mostly coffee estate rather than town. Virajpet circle runs a similar pattern at a smaller scale. Choosing a PU college here is less about picking the "best" name and more about matching a family's home taluk to what that circle actually has. Kodagu's hill terrain and monsoon rainfall make a daily 40-km commute a very different proposition than it would be on the plains. Compare that to PU colleges in neighbouring Hassan, where the district town holds a much larger share of total capacity.
Best PU Colleges in Madikeri
Madikeri circle has only 15 colleges, but it holds the district's oldest institutions and its one government degree college with a PU wing. Six of the fifteen are unaided, and enrolment at the older names fills early.
1. Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College (FMKMC), Madikeri
The government first grade college at Bhagavathi Nagar runs Science and Commerce PU sections alongside its degree programmes. Being a government institution, it charges the Karnataka state fee norm, and its size makes it the default choice for Madikeri town families who want a government seat without traveling to a rural circle college.
2. St Joseph's Pre-University College, Madikeri
Founded in 1909, this is the oldest PU institution operating in Kodagu today. It runs Arts (HESP), Commerce (BASC, EBAC, HEBA) and Science (PCMB, PCMC). It is also one of the few colleges in the district that names NEET, JEE and CET coaching as part of its own prospectus, rather than leaving competitive-exam preparation to an outside tutorial entirely.
3. St Michael's PU College and St Joseph Girls PU College, Madikeri
Both run from Madikeri town under aided or unaided management, and both draw heavily on the Christian missionary-school tradition that shaped early education in Kodagu. St Joseph Girls PU College is one of the few single-gender PU options inside the district; families who want that structure otherwise have to look toward Mysuru.
4. Made Maheshwara PU College and Raffles International PU College
Made Maheshwara sits on the Madikeri–Mangalore road at Katakeri. Raffles International runs from Kottamudi on Murnad Road. Both are newer entrants competing for the same Madikeri-town intake that the older mission colleges have held for decades.
5. Murnad PU College
Located on the Madikeri–Bhagamandala road, Murnad PU College is one of the oldest colleges serving the rural belt outside Madikeri town itself. It is the practical option for families in the Bhagamandala and Napoklu direction who do not want their children boarding in town.
Six named Madikeri colleges and what each one publicly offers.
PU Colleges in Virajpet, Somwarpet and Kushalnagar
Outside Madikeri, Kodagu's PU capacity splits between Virajpet's coffee and cardamom belt and Somwarpet's larger, more scattered circle, which also administers the Kushalnagar area.
| College | Location | Circle | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government PU College, Virajpet | Virajpet town | Virajpet | Government |
| Kaveri PU College, Virajpet | Virajpet town | Virajpet | Unaided |
| St Joseph PU College, Somwarpet | Somwarpet town | Somwarpet | Aided |
| MGM PU & Degree College, Kushalnagar | Kushalnagar | Somwarpet | Unaided |
| Anugraha PU College, Kushalnagar | Kushalnagar | Somwarpet | Unaided |
| Fathima Convent PU College, Kushalnagar | Kushalnagar | Somwarpet | Aided |
| Mookambica PU College, Gummankolli | Gummankolli (Kushalnagar area) | Somwarpet | Unaided |
Kushalnagar deserves its own line here, even though the education department still administers it under Somwarpet circle rather than as a separate PU jurisdiction. The town has grown fast on the back of the Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement and Coorg's tourism traffic. Four named colleges (MGM, Anugraha, Fathima Convent and Mookambica) now serve it directly, saving Kushalnagar families the drive into either Madikeri or Somwarpet town.
Virajpet, by contrast, still runs on two well-known names: the government college in town and Kaveri PU College beside it. For science students west of Virajpet toward Gonikoppal and Ammathi, the nearest large coaching centres sit in Madikeri or across the district line in Mangalore's science-focused PU colleges. That is why some Virajpet families choose to board their children out of the district entirely for the last two years before NEET or JEE.
What Kodagu's 92.34% II PUC Result Means for PU Choice
A district this small posting the third-best result in the state is not a fluke that repeats itself in prose. It changes how a family should actually pick a college here, and three specific numbers explain why.
1. Kodagu outperforms every district around it except two
Of Karnataka's 32 districts, only Udupi (96.39%) and Dakshina Kannada (96.35%) beat Kodagu's 92.34% in the 2026 II PUC exam, per KSEAB district data. The state average was 86.48%. Neighbouring Mysuru and Hassan both finished well below Kodagu. A Kodagu student is not switching to a "stronger" district by leaving for Mysuru; the data says otherwise.
2. Kodagu's small population concentrates a small student cohort into few, closely watched colleges
The 2011 Census put Kodagu's population at 554,519, the lowest of any district in Karnataka. Fewer students spread across 65 colleges means individual colleges, especially the older Madikeri names, can track batches closely in a way that is harder to replicate in a district ten times the size.
3. A strong district result does not guarantee a strong college inside it
District-level pass percentage is not college-level pass percentage. None of Kodagu's PU colleges publish their own batch-wise results publicly, so the 92.34% figure describes the district's government exam board data, not any individual college's own record. Ask a college directly for its most recent batch's pass rate and NEET or KCET qualifiers before assuming the district number applies to it.
Kodagu's 92.34% sits behind only two coastal districts, well ahead of Mysuru and Hassan.
PU College Fees in Kodagu: Government vs Private
Government and aided colleges across all three circles charge Karnataka's state-norm fee. Unaided colleges set their own, and publication is inconsistent, much as it is in most smaller Karnataka districts.
| College Type | Approx. Annual Fee (2026-27) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Government (FMKMC, Govt PU Virajpet, etc.) | ₹1,500 – ₹3,000 | Karnataka state norm; same across circles |
| Aided colleges (St Joseph Somwarpet, Fathima Convent) | ₹4,000 – ₹8,000 | Grant-in-aid keeps costs close to government levels |
| Established unaided colleges (St Joseph's Madikeri) | ₹15,000 – ₹35,000 | Varies by stream; Science PCMB typically costs more than Arts |
| Newer private colleges (Kushalnagar cluster) | ₹20,000 – ₹45,000 | Fees not uniformly published; confirm directly before admission |
Treat every private-college figure in that table as a starting point, not a quote. Kodagu's colleges rarely publish a fee card on their own websites, the same pattern seen in most single-district PU markets outside Bengaluru and Mangalore. Get the fee structure in writing before document verification. That advice applies just as much across PU college fees in Bangalore or any other Karnataka district where private colleges set their own rates.
After PU: KIMS Medical College and GEC Kushalnagar Engineering
Most small Karnataka districts send their science students elsewhere for professional degrees. Kodagu is unusual. It has both a government medical college and a government engineering college inside its own borders.
Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Madikeri opened in 2016 with 150 MBBS seats, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Eighty-five percent of its seats fall under the state quota and fifteen percent under the All India Quota, and it also runs a 50-seat BSc Nursing programme (details on the college's official government page). Explore MBBS admission in Karnataka for how NEET rank converts into a KIMS seat through KEA counselling.
Government Engineering College, Kushalnagar, founded in 2007 under Visvesvaraya Technological University, runs four branches: Computer Science, Mechanical, Civil, and Electronics & Communication, at roughly 60 seats each, for about 240 undergraduate seats total.
Neither seat is allotted by local reservation. Both go through NEET or KCET rank via KEA counselling, open to any eligible Karnataka candidate. A strong PU result from any Kodagu college feeds a real shot at these seats, but proximity alone does not secure one. Review KCET engineering college options by rank before assuming a local seat is guaranteed.
Town or Estate? Choosing Between Madikeri and Rural Colleges
Kodagu's geography makes the day-versus-hostel decision sharper than it is on the plains. Estate roads flood in the June-to-September monsoon, and a commute that takes twenty minutes in December can take over an hour after heavy rain.
Families in Somwarpet circle's rural pockets, where sixteen of thirty colleges are unaided and spread across estate country, weigh three things before choosing a college: distance from the nearest all-weather road, whether the college itself offers hostel accommodation or only lists nearby paying-guest options, and how far the family is willing to have a teenager travel daily during peak monsoon months. None of Kodagu's smaller private colleges publish hostel details online with the consistency that Bangalore's hostel-equipped PU colleges do, so a phone call or a site visit still does the real work here. The general trade-offs are the same ones covered in day college versus hostel PU college, just sharpened by Kodagu's terrain.
Admission steps and timeline
Karnataka's PU admission cycle runs the same way in Kodagu as elsewhere in the state: SSLC result, PU college applications through May and June, document verification, and fee payment before the academic year opens in June. Students choosing between PCMB and PCMC for a NEET or JEE track should decide that stream question first, a choice covered in PCMB vs PCMC after 10th, before shortlisting colleges, since not every Kodagu college runs both combinations. The full state-wide process is detailed in Karnataka's PU admission process guide, and eligible families should check the Karnataka scholarships guide or apply directly through the SSP scholarship portal before the admission window closes. For admission assistance across any stream, see CollegesInfo's admissions help desk.
For families still deciding on a stream after Class 10, the broader after-10th course guide and NEET preparation guide for Karnataka are worth reading before locking in a Kodagu college, since the coaching route a student picks matters as much as the college itself. Students weighing Kodagu against other small districts can also compare PU colleges in Koppal or PU colleges in Bidar, both of which sit far lower on the 2026 result table than Kodagu does. For the full statewide picture, see the complete guide to PU colleges in Karnataka.
Frequently Asked Questions About PU Colleges in Kodagu
How many PU colleges are there in Kodagu district?
Sixty-five, according to the Department of Pre-University Education's Madikeri office: 15 in Madikeri circle, 30 in Somwarpet circle and 20 in Virajpet circle. Fourteen are government colleges, thirteen are aided, and thirty-four run as unaided private institutions.
Which is the oldest PU college in Kodagu?
St Joseph's Pre-University College in Madikeri, founded in 1909, is the oldest PU institution still operating in the district. Murnad PU College, on the Madikeri–Bhagamandala road, is among the oldest serving the rural belt outside Madikeri town.
How did Kodagu perform in the 2026 II PUC exam?
Kodagu recorded a 92.34% pass rate, ranking 3rd among Karnataka's 32 districts, behind only Udupi (96.39%) and Dakshina Kannada (96.35%). The state average was 86.48%.
Is there a medical college in Kodagu district?
Yes. Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Madikeri opened in 2016 with 150 MBBS seats, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, plus a 50-seat BSc Nursing programme. Seats are allotted through NEET rank via KEA counselling, not by district of residence.
Is there an engineering college in Kodagu district?
Yes. Government Engineering College, Kushalnagar has run since 2007 under Visvesvaraya Technological University, offering Computer Science, Mechanical, Civil and Electronics & Communication branches across roughly 240 undergraduate seats, allotted through KCET rank.
What do PU colleges in Kodagu cost per year?
Government and aided colleges charge Karnataka's state-norm fee of roughly ₹1,500 to ₹8,000 a year. Established unaided colleges such as St Joseph's Madikeri range from ₹15,000 to ₹35,000 depending on stream, while newer private colleges in the Kushalnagar cluster can run ₹20,000 to ₹45,000. These figures are inconsistently published, so confirm directly before admission.
Should a Kodagu student move to Mysuru or Mangalore for PU?
Not on results alone. Kodagu's own 92.34% pass rate already outperforms Mysuru and Hassan district-wide. The decision is more often about coaching depth for NEET or JEE and hostel access than about the quality of the PU exam result itself.
About the Author
OneCity Technologies Pvt. Ltd began in 2006 publishing an annual print education directory for Karnataka students and parents. As demand grew, OneCity launched an education portal in 2019 to bring that same directory information online, and in 2025 relaunched as CollegesInfo.org — a comprehensive Karnataka college directory covering 1,500+ institutions across engineering, medical, management, arts, commerce, and more. Founder L K Monu Borkala brings 20+ years of business experience and 19 years of work across various education-sector services. CollegesInfo.org's content is built from publicly available KEA, NMC, AICTE, and university data, cross-checked against official sources wherever possible. CollegesInfo.org's admission assistance service helps students secure admission to colleges they are eligible for under that college's actual published criteria. We help you get the best admission to your preferred colleges without hassle.
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