KEA Makes Second Round Admission Compulsory to Prevent Seat Blocking

To prevent seat blocking in professional courses, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) in Bengaluru has made college admission compulsory for candidates who secured seats in the second round of CET counselling and opted for Choice-1.

Under the updated rules, candidates must complete their admission process within the stipulated deadline of August 28, 2026. Those who secure admission to colleges and still wish to upgrade their seats are permitted to participate in the third round of seat allotment.

The measure covers seats allotted across multiple disciplines, including Engineering, Architecture, Yoga and Naturopathy, Agricultural Science, Veterinary Sciences, B.Sc Nursing, B-Pharma, Pharm-D, BPT, BPO, and Allied Health Science courses. Candidates who do not want the allotted seat can opt for Choice-4 to leave the counselling process entirely.

For candidates selecting Choice-1, the process requires paying the prescribed fee, downloading a confirmation slip, and obtaining an OTP through the college portal login using online face recognition. Candidates must then verify eligibility, download the admit card, and complete enrollment at the allotted institution.

Candidates who do not select Choice-1 but wish to participate in the third round must cancel their second-round allotment by paying a penalty of ₹5,000. Following this cancellation and penalty payment, KEA will permit candidates to complete a fresh login and registration for round three.

According to KEA officials, the policy change addresses previous misuse where candidates held onto seats across rounds without enrolling, blocking government quota seats. In the 2024-25 academic year, KEA registered a case against three private colleges, leading to raids by the Enforcement Directorate. In 2025-26, notices were issued to 351 candidates who secured government quota seats in the final round but failed to take admission.

H. Prasanna, Executive Director of KEA, stated that earlier practices allowed some candidates to hold seats through multiple rounds and abandon them, contributing to seat blocking. He noted that candidates must now secure admission first before seeking seat upgradation in the third round.

KEA clarified that candidates who secure upgraded seats in the third round will not be required to pay additional tuition fees, as their fees are already deposited with the authority. Furthermore, college administrations have agreed to refund hostel, skill, and other institutional fees if candidates shift institutions during the third round.