What KEA announced
The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has opened a special stray vacancy round to fill 191 undergraduate medical seats in Karnataka that remained vacant even after the earlier counselling rounds. The round follows the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) announcing a special counselling schedule for the all-India quota. KEA executive director H. Prasanna confirmed the round, its eligibility and its dates.
For Bangalore students still without an MBBS seat, this is one of the final state-quota chances in the 2026 cycle, and the window is short: registration closes on November 4.
KEA stray vacancy round 2026: key dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Fresh registration (candidates who have not applied earlier) | November 2 to 4, 2026 |
| Payment of advance fee | November 4 to 6, 2026 |
| Fresh option entry for seat selection | November 6 to 9, 2026 |
| Seat allotment result | November 11, 2026, at 1:00 PM |
| Pay remaining fee and complete admission at the college | By November 13, 2026 |
Who can participate
- Candidates who have not registered for KEA counselling so far can register fresh in this round.
- Candidates who have not been allotted any medical seat so far are eligible.
- Candidates already allotted a dental seat can also participate, but only for medical seats.
Advance fee for this round
| Seat type | Advance fee |
|---|---|
| Medical seat | Rs 25,00,000 |
| Dental seat | Rs 1,00,000 |
The advance fee is payable between November 4 and 6. Candidates allotted a seat must then pay the remaining fee and complete admission formalities at the allotted college by November 13.
Do not confuse this with the MCC round
MCC is separately running a special stray vacancy round for all-India quota MBBS seats: registration November 2 to 4, choice locking by 11:00 AM on November 5, result on November 7, and reporting between November 7 and 16. Track the two rounds separately: KEA for the Karnataka state quota, and mcc.nic.in for the all-India quota.
What to do now
- If you have not registered with KEA, complete fresh registration before November 4.
- Pay the advance fee between November 4 and 6.
- Enter your options fresh between November 6 and 9, in your genuine order of preference.
- Check the allotment result on November 11 at 1:00 PM and complete admission by November 13 if allotted.
If you are weighing MBBS options in Bangalore, read our guides on direct admission at Vydehi Medical College and direct admission at KIMS Bangalore, or talk to a GCS Online counsellor at +91 6366615555 before the registration window closes.
Check the official KEA portal for the final schedule and notifications: cetonline.karnataka.gov.in. KEA can revise the schedule, so confirm the dates there before paying any fee.
