For hundreds of medical aspirants in Karnataka who watched seat after seat slip away through round after round of counselling, a fresh window has just opened. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has announced a special stray vacancy round to fill 191 undergraduate medical seats that are still lying vacant, and fresh registration for the round begins on Monday, November 2.
The decision follows the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) announcing a special counselling schedule, and it comes after an unusually long admission season. KEA has already conducted seven rounds of allotment this year, yet 191 medical seats still have no takers. Officials say this is the first time in five years that medical seats in the state have gone vacant on this scale.
Why 191 seats are still empty
The story of these 191 seats goes back several rounds. After the second stray vacancy round, 273 medical seats were still unfilled. KEA then held two more allotment rounds in a single day, in which 84 seats were taken, 62 in the morning round and 22 in the evening. That left 191 seats vacant, and with the regular counselling process formally concluded, those seats needed a special round to be filled at all.
All dental seats in the state, by contrast, have been filled. The vacant seats are medical seats, largely in the management quota of private colleges. Experts tracking the admissions have pointed to the introduction of 15 percent NRI quota seats, priced at Rs 25 lakh, in government medical colleges as one reason private college seats under the management quota found fewer takers this year.
The Directorate of Medical Education has separately approached the National Medical Commission seeking a reduction in the qualifying cut-off marks for MBBS admissions, a sign of how seriously the state is taking the vacancies. For NEET UG 2026, the qualifying cut-off was 213 out of 720 marks for General and EWS candidates and 177 marks for OBC, SC and ST candidates.
Who can apply in the special round
KEA has kept the door deliberately wide for this round. Candidates who have not registered so far will also be allowed to apply online and take part, KEA Executive Director Prasanna H. has said. Candidates who have not been allotted any medical seat so far are eligible as well.
There is one important clarification for dental seat holders. Candidates who have already been allotted a dental seat can participate in this round, but only for medical seats. They cannot use this round to switch between dental options.
Aspirants should check the official KEA portal, cetonline.karnataka.gov.in, for the detailed notification and the seat matrix before applying, since the final list of available seats and colleges will be published there.
KEA special stray vacancy round: full schedule
- November 2 to 4: Fresh registration for candidates who have not applied earlier
- November 4 to 6: Payment of advance fees, Rs 25 lakh for medical seats and Rs 1 lakh for dental seats
- November 6 to 9: Fresh option entry for seat selection
- November 11, 1 pm: Announcement of seat allotment results
- By November 13: Candidates allotted seats must pay the remaining fees and complete admission formalities at their respective colleges
The advance fee is a significant amount, particularly the Rs 25 lakh for medical seats, so candidates should be certain about their choices before entering options. Option entry runs from November 6 to 9, and the order in which a candidate lists colleges will decide the allotment on November 11.
What candidates should do now
First, keep documents ready: NEET UG scorecard, rank details, category and domicile certificates where applicable, and the fee payment details. Second, register on the KEA portal as soon as the window opens on November 2 rather than waiting for the last day, since the registration window is only three days long. Third, study the seat matrix carefully and list options in genuine order of preference, because once allotment is announced on November 11, there is very little time, just two days, to complete the remaining fee payment and report to the college by November 13.
For students who missed earlier rounds entirely, this special round is effectively a last chance in this admission cycle. For those who have been waiting through seven rounds without a seat, it is one more genuine opportunity, created specifically because the seats could not be allowed to go waste.
FAQs
How many MBBS seats are vacant in Karnataka?
191 undergraduate medical seats are still vacant after seven rounds of counselling, and KEA will fill them through a special stray vacancy round.
When does fresh registration for the KEA special round open?
Fresh registration opens on November 2 and closes on November 4, 2026, for candidates who have not applied earlier.
What is the advance fee for the special stray vacancy round?
The advance fee is Rs 25 lakh for medical seats and Rs 1 lakh for dental seats, payable between November 4 and 6.
When will the KEA special round allotment result be announced?
The seat allotment results will be announced on November 11 at 1 pm, and allotted candidates must complete admission formalities by November 13.
Can candidates with a dental seat apply for a medical seat?
Yes, candidates already allotted a dental seat can participate, but only for medical seats.
With registration opening on November 2, aspirants have a short but real window to act. The 191 seats may be the last medical seats available in Karnataka this year, and the candidates who move first will have the best shot at them.
