BHU PET Counselling 2026: CAP-PG Choice Filling Open, Round Wise Schedule and Seat Allotment

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) admits students to its postgraduate programmes through CAP-PG (Counselling for Admission to PG Programmes) on the Samarth portal, using CUET PG 2026 scores as the basis for merit. The CAP-PG 2026 registration window closed on 4 June 2026, and the preference-filling, seat-allotment and document-verification stages are now underway for the first round.

• BHU PET counselling is conducted by the university itself — not by NTA — through bhucuetpg.samarth.edu.in.
• Admission is based on your CUET PG 2026 score, programme-specific merit list and reservation category.
• The counselling runs in multiple rounds — Round 1, Round 2, and a spot/mop-up round — to fill all PG seats across MA, MSc, MCom, LLM, MFA, MEd and MPEd programmes.
• You must register, fill programme preferences, accept the allotted seat, pay fees and complete document verification within the stated deadline of each round.
• Registering for counselling is mandatory — your CUET PG rank alone does not guarantee a seat at BHU.

Direct Link: BHU CAP-PG 2026 Counselling Portal ›

Reservation of Quotas for BHU PET Counselling 2026

BHU follows the Government of India reservation policy and BHU-specific quotas while preparing the CAP-PG merit list. Reservation is applied programme-wise and category-wise; horizontal reservation (PwBD) cuts across all vertical categories. The seat matrix shown on the Samarth portal already reflects these quotas.

You must upload a valid category certificate in the prescribed central-government format while registering on the Samarth portal. If the certificate is invalid, outdated or in the wrong format, BHU will treat you as a General-category student and you may lose your reserved-category seat.

Note: OBC-NCL and EWS certificates must be issued on or after 1 April 2026 to be considered valid for the 2026–27 admission cycle.

How to Apply for BHU PET Counselling 2026?

Since the CAP-PG 2026 registration window closed on 4 June 2026, only students who have already created an account on the Samarth portal can now proceed with the remaining counselling steps. The process from this point onwards is divided into five clear stages.

Each stage has its own deadline on the Samarth dashboard. Missing any single deadline — preference locking, fee payment, document upload, or reporting — will cancel your candidature for that round. Read each step carefully before acting.

Step 1: Registration on Samarth Portal

This step is already closed for fresh registrations as of 4 June 2026. If you registered in time, log in at bhucuetpg.samarth.edu.in using your registered email ID and password. If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot Password" link — the OTP is sent to your registered mobile and email.

Step 2: Profile Completion & Fee Payment

Fill in your personal, academic, CUET PG score and category details exactly as they appear on your CUET PG scorecard and qualifying-degree mark sheets. Upload scanned copies of your photograph, signature, category certificate and CUET PG admit card / scorecard. Pay the non-refundable CAP-PG registration fee through the integrated SBI / Samarth payment gateway using net banking, UPI, debit or credit card.

Step 3: Programme Preference Filling

This is the most important step of the entire counselling. You can select multiple BHU PG programmes you are eligible for and arrange them strictly in order of your preference — your favourite course at the top. The system shows only those programmes for which your CUET PG subject paper is valid. Fill at least 15–20 preferences across faculties to maximise your chances of getting a seat in Round 1.

Step 4: Seat Allotment & Acceptance

BHU runs the merit-cum-preference algorithm on the locked preferences and publishes the Round 1 seat allotment list on the Samarth portal. You can choose to Freeze, Float (Upgrade) or Withdraw the allotted seat. To confirm the seat, you must pay the seat-acceptance / part admission fee within the deadline. Failure to act within the window is treated as automatic withdrawal.

Step 5: Document Verification & Reporting

After paying the seat-acceptance fee, you must upload your original documents on the Samarth portal for online verification. The allotting department may then call you for in-person document verification at the BHU campus. Once verified, you pay the balance semester fee and complete physical reporting at the concerned faculty office to confirm admission.

How to Lock Preferences (Step-by-Step Guide)

Preference locking is the single most important action in BHU CAP-PG counselling. Once locked, your preferences cannot be edited for that round — the system uses them to run the merit-allotment algorithm. Follow this guide closely.

Step 1: Visit the Official Samarth Portal

• Open bhucuetpg.samarth.edu.in on a laptop or desktop browser.
• Click on "Registered Candidate Login".

Step 2: Log In to Your Dashboard

• Enter your registered email ID, password and the security captcha.
• On successful login, you will see your CAP-PG dashboard with the application status.

Step 3: Open Programme Selection

• Click on "Programme Selection" or "Choice Filling".
• The system shows the list of BHU PG programmes for which you are eligible based on your CUET PG subject paper.

Step 4: Order Your Preferences

• Select all programmes that interest you, including back-up choices in other faculties.
• Drag-and-drop or use the up/down arrows to arrange them in strict order of preference.
• Keep your dream programme at the top and safer back-ups at the bottom.

Step 5: Lock Your Preferences

• Click "Save" first to preview your final order.
• Click "Lock Preferences"; the system will display an OTP confirmation dialogue.
• Enter the OTP sent to your registered mobile and submit.

Once confirmed, your preference list is locked for that round. Download the "Locked Preference Order" PDF and keep it safe for future reference. Filling at least 15–20 preferences across multiple faculties is strongly recommended — students who fill only 3–4 preferences often go unallotted in Round 1.

BHU PET Counselling Documents Required 2026

You must keep both soft copies (for online upload) and self-attested hard copies (for physical verification) of these documents ready before the Round 1 allotment is announced. Mismatched scans or missing certificates are the most common reason for cancelled allotments.

• CUET PG 2026 scorecard.
• CUET PG 2026 admit card.
• Class 10 mark sheet and certificate (for date-of-birth proof).
• Class 12 mark sheet and certificate.
• Bachelor’s degree mark sheets of all semesters / years.
• Provisional / final degree certificate of qualifying examination.
• Category certificate (SC / ST / OBC-NCL / EWS / PwBD) in central-government format, wherever applicable.
• OBC-NCL and EWS certificates must be issued on or after 1 April 2026.
• Domicile certificate, only if claiming any state-specific quota (rarely applicable for BHU PG).
• Migration / transfer certificate from the last college / university attended.
• Character / conduct certificate from the head of your last institution.
• Anti-ragging undertaking (auto-generated on the Samarth portal).
• Recent passport-size photograph and scanned signature.
• Valid government photo ID (Aadhaar / PAN / Driving License / Passport).
• Seat-acceptance fee payment receipt (after Round 1 allotment).

All scanned documents must be clear, in PDF / JPG format and within the file-size limit specified on the Samarth portal. Blurred or password-protected files are routinely rejected during document verification.

How Much Money is Needed for BHU PET Counselling 2026?

BHU CAP-PG counselling has two distinct fee components — a non-refundable registration / processing fee and a part-refundable seat-acceptance / part-admission fee. You will pay only the registration fee at the time of CAP-PG sign-up; the larger seat-acceptance amount comes due only if you are allotted a seat.

Non-Refundable Charges

The CAP-PG registration fee is charged once at the time of profile completion on the Samarth portal. It is not refunded under any circumstance, even if you do not receive any seat across all rounds. This fee covers application processing, software and seat-allotment costs.

Refundable Charges

The seat-acceptance / part-admission fee is payable only after Round 1 (or Round 2) allotment. A portion of this fee is adjusted against your semester tuition once admission is confirmed at the department. If you withdraw after accepting a seat, the seat-acceptance fee is partially refunded after deducting processing charges as per BHU’s published refund policy.

Note: The exact fee amounts are published on the BHU CAP-PG information bulletin and the Samarth dashboard. Treat the figures above as indicative; always confirm from the official notice before paying.

BHU PET Counselling 2026 Round-Wise Seat Allotment

BHU CAP-PG 2026 will run at least two regular seat-allotment rounds plus one spot / mop-up round to fill all vacant PG seats. Each round publishes a fresh allotment list on the Samarth portal, after which you must accept the seat, pay the fee, and complete document verification within the round’s deadlines.

Round 1 sees the deepest filling of seats — most popular MA, MSc and MCom programmes close in Round 1 itself. Round 2 mainly improves allotment for students who chose to Float. The spot round only handles seats that remained vacant after Round 2, so plan your strategy with the first two rounds in mind.

Upgrade vs Freeze vs Withdraw — How to Decide

After every allotment, the Samarth portal asks you to choose one of three actions. Picking the wrong option is the single biggest cause of post-counselling regret. Use the rules below to decide.

Float is almost always safer than Withdraw because it keeps your current seat secure even while you try for an upgrade. Use Withdraw only after you have a confirmed admission letter in hand from another university.

Note: If you choose Float and later get a higher preference in Round 2, the earlier seat is automatically released. You cannot revert to the Round 1 seat.