The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) has announced the commencement of registration for the 2026 Business and Technical examinations, providing institutions and candidates with a clear roadmap for the upcoming assessment cycle.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, June 2, KNEC revealed that registration for the November 2026 examination series will officially open on July 6, 2026, and close on September 11, 2026.
The registration exercise will target institutional candidates undertaking Business single subjects as well as group subjects in various technical disciplines.
According to the council, the November 2026 examination series will comprise both practical and theory papers, with assessments scheduled to run from November 16 to December 4, 2026.
“Registration of candidates for the November 2026 Business and Technical examinations will commence on 6th July 2026,” KNEC stated in the notice.
The examinations body emphasized that all candidates must be registered through the online registration platform available on the official KNEC website. Institutions have been urged to ensure that candidate details are accurately captured within the stipulated timelines to avoid inconveniences during the examination process.
Beyond the November 2026 series, KNEC also released a comprehensive schedule outlining key registration and examination dates for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) assessments that will be administered throughout the 2026/2027 academic period.
For the March 2027 examination series, registration will be conducted between November 2, 2026, and January 8, 2027. The examinations themselves are scheduled to take place from March 15 to April 2, 2027.
Candidates and training institutions have been encouraged to complete the registration process early to allow adequate preparation for the assessments.
Similarly, registration for the July 2027 examination series will be open from March 1 to May 7, 2027. The examinations are expected to be administered between July 19 and August 6, 2027, giving institutions sufficient time to prepare candidates and complete all administrative requirements.
KNEC further outlined important deadlines relating to Course Work Assessment (CWA) and project submissions, which form a crucial component of candidate evaluation in several technical and vocational courses.
The council stated that the final date for submission of CWA and project marks for the November 2026 examination series will be October 23, 2026.
For candidates sitting the March 2027 examinations, institutions will be required to submit CWA and project marks by February 26, 2027. Meanwhile, submissions for the July 2027 examination series must be completed no later than June 25, 2027.
The council also announced dates for the collection of advance instructions for practical examinations, a critical process that allows institutions to prepare facilities, equipment, and materials required for practical assessments.
For the November 2026 series, advance instructions will be collected on October 12, 2026. Those sitting the March 2027 examinations will access the instructions on February 15, 2027, while institutions participating in the July 2027 series will collect them on June 14, 2027.
In addition, KNEC released timelines for hospitality practical paper planning sessions. The planning exercise for the November 2026 examinations will take place on November 11, 2026. For the March 2027 series, planning is scheduled for March 10, 2027, while the July 2027 series planning will be conducted on July 14, 2027.
To facilitate smooth examination administration, KNEC has also established milestone data-entry periods that institutions must observe. The council indicated that Milestone One, Two, and Three activities for the November 2026 series will be carried out between September and October 2026.
Similar data-entry activities for the March 2027 series will take place between January and February 2027, while those for the July 2027 series are scheduled between May and June 2027.
The examination council stressed the importance of adhering to all published timelines, warning institutions that there will be no provision for late registration.
KNEC noted that timely registration and submission of required documents are essential for effective planning, examination administration, and processing of candidate records.
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