The Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2026 is one of the most highly sought-after medical admission processes in India. Administered by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), this centralized counselling allocates seats for MBBS, BDS, and AYUSH courses across government, private, and deemed-to-be universities in the state.
Karnataka is famously an "Open State," meaning while the 85% government quota seats are strictly reserved for Karnataka domiciles, students from all over India can participate in the KEA counselling to compete for the "Open Quota" seats in private medical colleges. The entire process—from online registration and document verification to option entry (choice filling) and seat allotment—is conducted dynamically based on the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG) 2026 merit.
To participate in the KEA Karnataka NEET 2026 counselling, candidates must meet specific criteria depending on the quota they are applying for:
Nationality & Domicile (For Government Seats): The applicant must be an Indian citizen. To claim government state quota seats, the candidate must satisfy one of the KEA eligibility clauses (typically Clause A). This generally requires the student to have studied in recognized institutions in Karnataka for a minimum period of 7 academic years (from 1st standard to 12th standard) and passed their 10th or 12th from Karnataka.
Non-Karnataka Candidates: Students from outside Karnataka are eligible to apply only for the Open/Management quota seats in private medical colleges.
NEET Qualification: Candidates must have successfully cleared the NEET UG 2026 examination and secured the minimum cutoff percentile mandated by the NTA.
Academic Qualifications: Must have passed the 2nd PUC / 10+2 examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB), and English.
Minimum Marks: General category candidates require a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in PCB. For SC/ST/OBC (Category I, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B of Karnataka), the requirement is 40%, and for PwD, it is 45%.
Age Limit: The candidate must be at least 17 years old as of December 31, 2026.
Candidates must keep the following original documents ready for verification and final admission:
KEA UGNEET 2026 Online Application Form Printout
KEA Verification Slip (issued after successful document verification)
NEET UG 2026 Admit Card and Scorecard
SSLC / 10th Standard Marks Card (Proof of Date of Birth)
2nd PUC / 12th Standard Marks Card
Study Certificate spanning 7 years (Must be countersigned by the concerned BEO/DDPI for Karnataka domiciles)
Rural / Kannada Medium Certificate (if claiming specific reservations)
Caste / Income Certificate (for SC, ST, and OBC candidates of Karnataka)
Hyderabad-Karnataka Region (Article 371J) Certificate (if applicable)
Valid Photo ID Proof (Aadhaar Card)
Passport-size Photographs
Official Website: All official notifications, option entry links, and results are hosted exclusively on the KEA website at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea.
Follow these step-by-step instructions to apply:
Official Notification: Watch the KEA portal for the "UGNEET-2026" registration notification.
Online Registration: Create an account on the KEA portal using your NEET 2026 Roll Number. Generate your Login ID and Password.
Fill the Application: Carefully fill out the detailed UGNEET online application form, selecting the appropriate eligibility clause (e.g., Clause A for domiciles).
Pay Application Fee: Remit the counselling registration fee through the online payment gateway (Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, or UPI).
Document Verification: Upload the required documents online. KEA will verify these and issue a Verification Slip. This slip contains a highly confidential Secret Key necessary for choice filling.
Option Entry (Choice Filling): Log in using your Secret Key to enter your preferences for colleges and courses. You can enter as many choices as you want.
Mock Allotment & Final Allotment: KEA will first release a Mock Allotment to give you an idea of your chances. You can modify choices after this. Finally, the real Seat Allotment result will be published.
Reporting: If allotted a seat, download the challan, pay the college fees, download the admission order, and report physically to the allotted college.
