Karnataka NEET UG Round 3 Counselling: Option Entry Opens Sept 25

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has opened the option entry window for NEET UG Round 3 counselling on September 25, 2026. This is the third and final counselling round for medical and dental seats in Karnataka. If you did not secure a seat in the first two rounds, were allotted but cancelled your seat, or wish to upgrade to a better college after joining, this round offers another opportunity. Candidates must submit a caution deposit and enter their seat preferences by September 29, 2026, at 11 AM to participate.

Who is eligible to apply in Round 3 counselling?

Not all NEET UG candidates can participate in Round 3. KEA has set clear eligibility rules to determine who can enter this final counselling phase. Understanding these rules is crucial before you attempt to register, as submitting options when ineligible will waste your caution deposit.

You are eligible if you were not allotted any medical or dental seat in Rounds 1 and 2, or if you cancelled an allotted seat by paying the required penalty. Additionally, if you have already reported to a medical or dental college after Round 1 or 2, you can participate in Round 3 specifically to upgrade to a better-ranked college or course—a recent High Court order permits this.

However, if you were allotted a seat in Rounds 1 or 2 but failed to submit any choice options at that time, you cannot apply in Round 3. Similarly, if you selected 'Choice-4' (the lowest preference option) in an earlier round, you are barred from Round 3. These restrictions exist to prevent candidates from gaming the system by skipping rounds and then re-entering.

• Eligible: Not allotted in Rounds 1 or 2
• Eligible: Cancelled seat after paying penalty
• Eligible: Already joined a college and seeking upgrade
• Not eligible: Allotted but did not exercise any choice in earlier rounds
• Not eligible: Selected Choice-4 in Rounds 1 or 2

Understanding caution deposit amounts and what they unlock

Before you can enter your seat preferences in Round 3, you must pay a caution deposit by September 28, 2026. This is a refundable amount held by KEA to ensure serious participation. The deposit amount varies depending on which type of seat you wish to apply for, and it determines which seat categories you are allowed to choose.

If you are interested in government medical seats (General category, abbreviated 'G'), you pay ₹1,00,000. This deposit allows you to enter options only for government medical 'G' seats, but you can also choose any type of dental seat (G, P, N, or Q categories). For private medical seats (Professional category, 'P'), the deposit is ₹12,00,000, which permits you to enter both government and private medical 'P' seats, as well as private university medical options. If you want access to all medical seat types including NRI and quota seats ('N' and 'Q'), you must pay ₹25,00,000.

For dental seats alone, the deposit is ₹1,00,000, and this unlocks all types of dental seat options. Important: if you have already reported to a college after an earlier round, you do not need to pay the caution deposit again. Also, any fees you paid for other courses or rounds will not count as a caution deposit for Round 3—you must pay separately. If you are allotted a seat in Round 3, the caution deposit will be adjusted against your admission fee.

• Medical 'G' seats: ₹1,00,000 → access to government medical 'G' + all dental seats
• Medical 'P' seats: ₹12,00,000 → access to government and private medical 'P' + private university options
• Medical 'N'/'Q' seats: ₹25,00,000 → access to all medical seat types
• Dental seats: ₹1,00,000 → access to all dental seat types
• Already joined a college: No caution deposit required
• Deposit is refundable if adjusted against admission fee; forfeited if you do not join or cancel after allotment

How to enter your seat choices: timeline and process

The option entry window opens at 11 AM on September 25, 2026, and closes at 11 AM on September 29, 2026. You have a four-day window to log in to the official KEA portal (cetonline.karnataka.gov.in), submit your caution deposit, and enter your seat preferences in order of priority. Do not delay—technical issues or last-minute confusion can cost you this opportunity.

When you enter your options, you must list them in strict order of preference. Importantly, the options you entered in Rounds 1 or 2 will not carry forward; you must enter fresh options for Round 3. This is your chance to revise your choices based on which seats became vacant after Round 2 and which colleges you now prefer. KEA will consider all vacant seats, including those that were cancelled or newly added, for allotment in Round 3.

Even if a seat does not currently appear in the seat matrix (the list of available seats), you should still enter it as an option if you are interested. Seats may become available during the allotment process due to last-minute cancellations or adjustments, and if you have already listed that seat as a choice, you could be allotted it. Allotment will be strictly on merit—your NEET rank and the order of your preferences will determine which seat you receive.

• Option entry window: September 25, 2026 (11 AM) to September 29, 2026 (11 AM)
• Submit caution deposit by September 28, 2026
• Enter options in strict order of preference (new options, not carried from earlier rounds)
• List seats even if not currently shown in seat matrix—they may become available
• Allotment is on merit based on NEET rank and preference order
• Do not delay; submit well before the deadline to avoid technical issues

Critical rules to avoid losing your seat or deposit

Once you are allotted a seat in Round 3, several strict rules apply. If you are allotted a seat and fail to report to the college, or if you report but later wish to cancel your admission, your caution deposit will be forfeited entirely. You will also be required to pay a penalty as per KEA rules. More importantly, you will lose eligibility to participate in any future medical counselling rounds, including All India Counselling (AICTE counselling for national-level seat adjustments). This is a permanent bar, so think carefully before cancelling.

Another critical rule: once you join a college after Round 3 allotment, you cannot reject or leave that seat or college. If you change your mind after joining, you cannot withdraw. This is why it is essential to verify the fee structure of every college you list as an option before submitting. KEA will not entertain requests to cancel a seat simply because you did not understand or were unaware of the fee structure. Check the official fee details on the KEA website or the college's prospectus before entering your options.

Additionally, if you have paid fees for other courses or in other rounds, that money will not be credited as a caution deposit for Round 3. You must pay the caution deposit separately for this round. Finally, if you are allotted a seat in Round 3 but do not join the college, you forfeit the deposit and cannot participate in future counselling. These rules are strict to ensure that only serious candidates participate and that seats are not wasted.

• If allotted but do not report: caution deposit forfeited + penalty + barred from future counselling
• If you join and later cancel: deposit forfeited + penalty + permanent bar from future counselling
• Cannot reject or leave a seat after joining a college
• Fee structure ignorance is not grounds for cancellation—verify fees before entering options
• Fees paid for other courses/rounds do not count as caution deposit for Round 3
• Allotment is final; no changes after joining

Seat availability and the importance of checking the seat matrix

Before you enter your options, KEA has released a list of vacant seats available after Round 2. This list, called the seat matrix, shows which colleges have how many seats available in each category (government, private, general, reserved, etc.). You should download and carefully review this seat matrix from the KEA website to understand what seats are actually available in Round 3.

However, do not assume that only the seats shown in the current seat matrix are available. During the allotment process, additional seats may become vacant due to candidates cancelling their admissions, not reporting to colleges, or other administrative adjustments. If you have listed such seats as options in your preference order, you could be allotted them even if they are not currently visible. This is why KEA advises candidates to enter options for all colleges and courses of interest, regardless of current seat availability.

The key strategy is to list your preferences in genuine order of priority—your first choice should be the college and course you most want, your second choice the next best, and so on. Do not leave out colleges hoping to get a better seat later; instead, include all colleges you would be willing to join, ranked by your true preference. This maximizes your chances of being allotted a seat that matches your interests.

• Download and review the seat matrix before entering options
• Seat matrix shows currently vacant seats but not all seats that may become available
• Additional seats may open during allotment due to cancellations or adjustments
• Enter options for all colleges of interest, even if seats are not currently shown
• Rank options in genuine order of preference, not by guessing seat availability
• Allotment considers all consequential, added, and cancelled seats

What happens after you submit your options?

After the option entry window closes on September 29, 2026, at 11 AM, KEA will process all submitted preferences and conduct the allotment. The allotment will be based on your NEET rank, the seats available, and the order in which you ranked your preferences. Candidates with higher NEET ranks will be allotted seats first, and they will receive their highest-ranked available preference. Lower-ranked candidates will then be allotted from the remaining seats.

Once allotment results are announced, you will be notified of which seat (if any) has been allotted to you. If you are allotted a seat, you must report to the college within the specified time frame (usually a few days). Reporting means physically visiting the college, submitting required documents, and completing the admission formalities. If you do not report within the deadline, your seat will be cancelled, your caution deposit will be forfeited, and you will be barred from future counselling.

If you are not allotted a seat in Round 3, this is typically the end of state-level counselling in Karnataka. However, you may still be eligible for All India Counselling (AICTE counselling) if you meet the criteria. Check the official AICTE website for eligibility and timelines. Round 3 is usually the final opportunity for state-level seat allotment, so take it seriously.

• Allotment is based on NEET rank and preference order
• Higher-ranked candidates get priority for their preferred seats
• Allotment results will be announced after September 29
• You must report to the allotted college within the specified deadline
• Failure to report results in seat cancellation and deposit forfeiture
• If not allotted in Round 3, check eligibility for All India Counselling

Special case: upgrading after already joining a college

A recent High Court order has allowed candidates who have already reported to and joined a medical or dental college after Round 1 or 2 to participate in Round 3 specifically to upgrade to a better college or course. This is a unique opportunity for candidates who secured a seat in an earlier round but now wish to move to a higher-ranked or more preferred institution.

If you fall into this category, you do not need to pay the caution deposit again. You can directly enter your options for Round 3. However, if you are allotted a better seat in Round 3 and you accept it, you must formally withdraw from your current college and report to the new college. If you do not report to the new college after being allotted, you will lose your new seat and may face penalties. Additionally, you cannot return to your original college once you withdraw.

This upgrade option is valuable but comes with risks. Ensure that the new college or course you are upgrading to is genuinely better in terms of ranking, location, or course preference. Do not upgrade on a whim; think through the decision carefully. Also, check whether your current college will allow you to withdraw without penalty or whether there are any contractual obligations you need to fulfill.

• Eligible to upgrade if you have already reported to a college after Round 1 or 2
• No caution deposit required if upgrading
• Can enter options for Round 3 to seek a better seat
• If allotted a better seat, you must withdraw from current college and report to new college
• Failure to report to new college results in seat loss and penalties
• Cannot return to original college after withdrawal

Common mistakes to avoid in Round 3

One of the most common mistakes is not checking the fee structure before entering options. Candidates often assume that all government seats are affordable or that private seats have similar fees across colleges. In reality, fees vary significantly. If you enter an option without knowing the fee and are allotted that seat, you cannot cancel it citing fee ignorance. You will be bound by the fee structure of that college. Always download the official fee prospectus from the college or KEA website and verify that you can afford the fees before listing that college as an option.

Another mistake is entering options in the wrong order of preference. Some candidates list colleges they do not really want as their first choice, hoping to get a better seat later. This is risky because you might be allotted your first choice and then be stuck with it. Always rank your options in genuine order of preference—your first choice should be the college you most want to join, even if it is a lower-ranked institution.

A third mistake is not entering enough options. Some candidates enter only 3 or 4 options, thinking they will be allotted one of them. In reality, if none of your options match your rank and available seats, you will not be allotted anything. Enter as many options as possible (up to the maximum allowed) to increase your chances of being allotted a seat. Finally, do not miss the deadline. The option entry window closes at 11 AM on September 29; if you submit even one minute late, your options will not be accepted.

• Verify fee structure before entering options; ignorance is not grounds for cancellation
• Rank options in genuine order of preference, not by guessing seat availability
• Enter as many options as possible to maximize chances of allotment
• Do not miss the deadline: September 29, 2026, at 11 AM
• Do not assume government seats are always affordable; check fees
• Do not enter options for colleges you would not actually join

Frequently asked questions

Round 3 is likely your final opportunity for state-level seat allotment in Karnataka. Carefully review your eligibility, verify the fee structure of every college you list, and submit your options in genuine order of preference by September 29, 2026, at 11 AM. Remember: once you join a college, you cannot leave, so choose wisely.