Postgraduate aspirants in Karnataka have one more window to secure a seat. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has announced an extended round of counselling for Karnataka PGCET 2026, days after the Supreme Court cleared the way for another round of allotment. Fresh option entry opens on October 31, and the provisional seat allotment result will be published on November 5.
The additional round covers MBA, MCA and MTech admissions. It follows a Supreme Court order dated October 29, 2026, which extended the admission cut-off date and directed KEA to conduct another round. KEA had approached the apex court seeking permission for the extra round, and the order came in the matter of Parshavanath Charitable Trust versus the All India Council for Technical Education.
Why KEA is holding an extended round
The extended round is built around seats that are still vacant. KEA will consider seats that remained unallotted in the previous rounds, along with seats that fell vacant because candidates did not report to their allotted colleges after the allotment conducted between October 13 and 15, 2026.
The Supreme Court order removed the uncertainty over whether admissions could continue beyond the earlier schedule. Once the court extended the cut-off date, KEA moved quickly to publish the extended round schedule.
Karnataka PGCET 2026 extended round: key dates
- October 31, 2026, 6 pm: Last chance for candidates allotted seats in the October 13 to 15 round, who have not yet paid the fee or reported, to complete admission.
- October 31 to November 3, 2026: Payment of the caution deposit for the extended round.
- October 31, 2026, from 2 pm: Fresh option entry opens.
- November 4, 2026, until 2 pm: Last date to submit fresh options in order of priority.
- November 5, 2026, after 1 pm: Provisional seat allotment result published.
The two deadlines on October 31 catch different groups. The 6 pm deadline applies only to candidates already allotted a seat in the October 13 to 15 round who have not reported. The 2 pm start time is when fresh option entry begins for the extended round itself.
Who can apply, and who cannot
Eligible candidates must enter fresh options in their order of priority between October 31 and November 4. Previous options will not be considered for this allotment, even if a candidate had entered a long preference list in an earlier round. A fresh, carefully ordered list is mandatory.
Candidates who were allotted seats between October 13 and 15 but did not pay the prescribed fee or report to their colleges are not directly eligible for the extended round. They have, however, been given a final opportunity: if they complete the fee payment and reporting process by 6 pm on October 31, their earlier allotment can stand. If they miss that deadline, those seats will be treated as vacant and offered in the extended round.
How to fill your options
- Log in to the KEA portal and check the extended round notification and seat matrix first.
- Pay the caution deposit between October 31 and November 3, as per the category and instructions in the notification.
- Enter fresh college and course options in your true order of preference, starting 2 pm on October 31.
- Review the list carefully before the November 4, 2 pm deadline, and lock it if the portal asks for confirmation.
- Check the provisional allotment result after 1 pm on November 5, and follow the reporting instructions for the allotted college without delay.
Order matters more than volume in this round. Since allotment follows merit and preference, a short list in the right order serves a candidate better than a long list padded with colleges they would not actually join.
What happens after November 5
KEA will publish the provisional seat allotment result on November 5 after 1 pm. Candidates who are allotted a seat will then need to complete the fee payment and reporting steps set out in the allotment notice.
FAQs
When does Karnataka PGCET 2026 extended round option entry start?
Fresh option entry starts on October 31, 2026, at 2 pm and closes on November 4, 2026, at 2 pm.
When will the PGCET extended round allotment result be declared?
The provisional seat allotment result is scheduled for November 5, 2026, after 1 pm.
Do options from earlier counselling rounds carry forward?
No. Candidates must enter fresh options for the extended round. Earlier preferences will not be considered.
Who is not directly eligible for the extended round?
Candidates allotted seats in the October 13 to 15 round who did not pay the fee or report to their colleges are not directly eligible, unless they complete admission by 6 pm on October 31.
Which courses does the extended round cover?
The round covers MBA, MCA and MTech admissions through Karnataka PGCET 2026. Candidates should check the KEA notification for the complete course and seat list.
For thousands of postgraduate aspirants, the next five days decide the outcome of a long admission season. The dates are fixed, the window is short, and the first step, fresh option entry, opens on October 31.
