A cross sectional study was conducted with 300 students preparing for various competitive examinations to get an understanding on interplay ofdepression, anxiety, stress (DAS) and emotional intelligence(EI), in Dharwad and Vijayapur cities of Karnataka during 2023-2024. Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) developed by Lovibond and Lovibond (1995), Socio Economic Status scale by Aggarwal et al. (2005) and Emotional Intelligence scale by Daniel Goleman(1995)were used to collect data. Results revealed thatmajority of aspirants were in the age of 21–25 years with bachelor degree coming fromrural areas and belonged toagriculture/small business families with upper-middle socioeconomic status. Majority ofaspirants were in normal levels of depression (63.00 %) anxiety (57.00 %) and stress (67.00 %). Followed by moderate levels of depression (23.66 %) anxiety (19.66 %) stress (17.66 %) severe levels of depression and anxiety(2.00-5.00 %). No gender differences in depression and stress was noticed but anxiety significantly associated with genderand anxiety and stress with education level. Mean scores of the groups did not differ with stream of education, locality, parent’s education. Aspirants whose fathers engaged in service had relatively high stress, aspirants from nuclear families scored high on depression and anxiety, but not on stress. Aspirants were strong in EI domain of self awareness (80.00 %), followedby attention needs to be paid (18.66 %), very few (1.33 %)in need to give priority for strengthening. Similar trend was observed for other domains-motivation, empathy, relationship management. Personal, parental and familial factors did not influence the emotional intelligence.DAS had weak correlation with emotional intelligence except education with stress. A negative relationship between DAS and EI indicated higher the EI, lower the levels of depression. EI was significant predictor of depression, education and emotional intelligence were important predictor of anxiety and stress.