Bihar UGEAC Counselling 2026: Registration, Choice Filling and Round Wise Seat Allotment

Bihar UGEAC (Under Graduate Engineering Admission Counselling) 2026 is the official state-level counselling process conducted by the Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB) for merit-based admission to B.Tech programmes at government engineering colleges across Bihar. Round 1 counselling registration and online choice filling opened on June 10, 2026, and admission is based entirely on your JEE Main 2026 All India Rank (AIR).

• Registering for counselling is mandatory — your JEE Main rank alone does not guarantee a seat.
• Bihar state domicile certificate is compulsory for all students applying through UGEAC 2026.
• Counselling registration fee is Rs. 1,200 for General/EWS/BC/EBC and Rs. 600 for SC/ST/PwD students — one payment covers all rounds.
• Over 14,000 B.Tech seats across 38+ government engineering colleges in Bihar are allocated through UGEAC 2026.
• The merit list was released on June 8, 2026; eligible students can now log in and begin choice filling at bceceboard.bihar.gov.in.

Reservation of Quotas for Bihar UGEAC Counselling 2026

All seats allocated through Bihar UGEAC 2026 are divided into two main quotas. Within the state quota, vertical category-based reservations apply as mandated by the Government of Bihar. A horizontal reservation for female students cuts across all categories.

Within the 85% State Quota, the following vertical reservations apply by category:

Horizontal Reservation for Female Students: 35% of seats within each vertical category are reserved exclusively for female students. If these reserved seats remain unfilled after all counselling rounds, they are re-allotted to eligible male students of the same category in the Mop-Up round.

Note: All reservation-related certificates — caste, domicile, and income — must be issued by competent authorities in Bihar. Documents from other states are not valid for claiming Bihar UGEAC reservation benefits. Verify certificate validity before submission at document verification.

How to Apply for Bihar UGEAC Counselling 2026?

Bihar UGEAC 2026 counselling is a fully online process. Each step must be completed within the window prescribed by BCECEB. Missing the choice locking deadline is the single most common reason students are excluded from a round’s allotment — do not confuse saving choices with locking them. The steps below walk you through the entire process from registration to reporting.

Step 1: Visit the Official Portal and Register

Go to the official BCECEB UGEAC portal at bceceboard.bihar.gov.in/UGEACIndex.php. Log in using your JEE Main 2026 Application Number and Date of Birth, or with the password created during the earlier UGEAC application registration window (May 13 – June 5, 2026). If you are logging in for counselling registration for the first time, complete your profile by verifying your JEE Main rank, personal details, Bihar domicile certificate number, and category details. Ensure all information matches your original documents — discrepancies discovered at document verification will result in seat cancellation.

Step 2: Pay the Counselling Registration Fee

After logging in and completing your profile, pay the non-refundable counselling registration fee online via net banking, debit card, or UPI. The fee is Rs. 1,200 for General/EWS/BC/EBC students and Rs. 600 for SC/ST/PwD students. A single payment covers your participation in all counselling rounds — Round 1, Round 2, and the Mop-Up round — so you do not pay again for subsequent rounds. Download and save the payment receipt; you must produce it at document verification.

Step 3: Fill Your College Choices Online

Once the registration fee is confirmed, access the Choice Filling section on the dashboard. Search and add college–branch combinations in descending order of preference — the option you most want at Position 1, the next at Position 2, and so on. Fill at least 15–20 choices to maximise your chances across all rounds. You can add, remove, and rearrange choices as many times as you wish until the window closes. The allotment algorithm will assign the highest available preference from your list based on your merit rank — it will never assign a lower preference when a higher one is available with a vacant seat.

Step 4: Check Seat Allotment Result

After the choice filling window closes, BCECEB runs the seat allotment algorithm and publishes results online. Log in to your account and download the seat allotment letter. If a seat is allotted to you, you must respond by the deadline — choose Freeze, Float, or Withdraw (explained in a dedicated section below). Failure to respond within the allotment acceptance deadline results in automatic cancellation of your allotment, and the seat is reassigned to the next student in the merit queue.

Step 5: Report to the Allotted College

After accepting your seat and paying the seat acceptance fee, report physically to the allotted college within the reporting window. Carry all original documents as specified in the Documents Required section. The college conducts physical document verification and completes admission formalities, including fee collection. If you fail to report within the stipulated dates, your seat will be cancelled and the seat acceptance fee will not be refunded. Reporting dates are published with the final allotment result — check the portal immediately after accepting your seat.

How to Lock Choices in Bihar UGEAC Counselling 2026

Locking your choices is the final and most critical action in the choice filling process. Saved choices that are not locked are not submitted to the seat allotment algorithm. Follow the steps below carefully before the window closes.

Step 1: Log In to the BCECEB Portal

• Visit bceceboard.bihar.gov.in/UGEACIndex.php.
• Enter your Application Number and Password, then click Login.

Step 2: Open the Choice Filling Section

• From your dashboard, click on "Choice Filling and Locking."
• Any choices you previously saved will appear in the list.

Step 3: Review and Finalise Your Preference Order

• Add new college–branch combinations or remove existing ones as needed.
• Rearrange choices using the drag-and-drop interface so your most preferred option is at Position 1.
• Cross-check the full list carefully — the algorithm honours preferences in the order you set them.

Step 4: Lock Your Choices

• Once satisfied, click the "Lock Choices" button at the bottom of the page.
• A confirmation pop-up will appear — read it carefully before confirming.
• After locking, no further changes to your choices are possible for that round.

Step 5: Download the Locking Confirmation Receipt

• After successful locking, download the confirmation receipt showing your locked preference list with a timestamp.
• Keep this receipt and carry a printout to the document verification centre.

Once choices are locked and submitted, BCECEB does not allow corrections under any circumstance. Ensure your preference list is complete and correctly ordered before clicking Lock.

Bihar UGEAC Counselling Documents Required 2026

You need two sets of documents: scanned copies for the online registration stage, and originals plus self-attested photocopies for physical verification at the college after seat allotment. Document verification windows typically last only 3–5 days and do not provide individual extensions. Begin collecting and organising originals well before the Round 1 allotment is published.

Documents for Online Registration (scanned copies required):

• Recent passport-sized colour photograph (white background, taken within three months)
• Specimen signature on white paper (scanned clearly)
• JEE Main 2026 Admit Card
• JEE Main 2026 Score Card / Rank Card
• Class 10 Certificate and Marksheet (for Date of Birth proof)
• Class 12 Marksheet, or Diploma Certificate and Marksheet (if applicable)
• Bihar Domicile Certificate
• Category / Caste Certificate — issued by a Bihar competent authority (if applying under reserved category)
• EWS Certificate — issued by a Bihar competent authority (if applying under EWS)
• PwD Certificate — from a competent medical authority (if applicable)

Documents for Physical Verification at the Allotted College (originals + self-attested copies):

• Printed Seat Allotment Letter (downloaded from BCECEB portal)
• Printed confirmation of locked choices
• Counselling registration fee payment receipt
• Seat acceptance fee payment receipt
• 6 recent passport-sized photographs
• Class 10 Passing Certificate (original) — for Date of Birth verification
• Class 10 Marksheet (original)
• Class 12 Passing Certificate and Marksheet (original), or Diploma Certificate and Marksheet
• JEE Main 2026 Rank Card (original)
• Bihar Domicile Certificate (original)
• Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, Driving Licence, or another valid government-issued photo identity proof
• Character Certificate from the last institution attended
• Caste / Category Certificate (original) — from Bihar competent authority (if applicable)
• Annual Income Certificate — from Bihar competent authority (if applying under EWS or income-linked reservation)
• PwD Certificate from competent medical board (if applicable)

Note: All original certificates must be physically present at the verification centre. Missing even one mandatory document leads to seat cancellation, and the seat acceptance fee will not be refunded in that case. Do not leave document collection to the last day — government-issued certificates can take time to obtain.

How Much Money is Needed for Bihar UGEAC Counselling 2026?

Bihar UGEAC 2026 involves two distinct fee payments at different stages of the process. Budget for both before you begin.

Non-Refundable Counselling Registration Fee

This fee is payable once, at the time of counselling registration on the BCECEB portal. It is non-refundable regardless of whether a seat is allotted, accepted, or declined. One payment covers all rounds — Round 1, Round 2, and the Mop-Up round.

Seat Acceptance Fee

After a seat is allotted and you decide to accept it, you must pay the seat acceptance fee to confirm your admission. This is separate from the tuition and hostel fees collected by the college at the time of joining; it is typically adjusted against the final admission fee structure of the allotted college.

If you withdraw after accepting a seat, the seat acceptance fee is not fully refunded. The refund amount — full, partial, or nil — depends on the stage of withdrawal as specified in the official BCECEB notification for 2026. Students who do not report to the allotted college within the reporting window forfeit the seat acceptance fee entirely. Review the official refund schedule before confirming seat acceptance.

Bihar UGEAC 2026 Round-Wise Seat Allotment

Bihar UGEAC 2026 seat allotment runs in up to three rounds. Each round draws from the locked choices of participating students, ranks them by JEE Main 2026 merit, and assigns the best available seat matching each student’s preferences. Seats freed by students who withdraw or fail to accept an allotment carry forward to the next round, keeping the pool available for students lower on the merit list.

Dates for Round 2 and the Mop-Up round will be officially announced by BCECEB after Round 1 seat acceptance concludes. The Mop-Up round is held only when seats remain unfilled after Rounds 1 and 2.

2026 closing ranks for each round will be published on this page as results are declared. Students can use Bihar UGEAC 2025 closing ranks as a historical reference to shortlist colleges and gauge competition. The 2025 process showed that Computer Science & Engineering branches at older, well-established colleges in Muzaffarpur and Bhagalpur filled at significantly lower JEE Main ranks (higher competition) than Mechanical or Civil branches at newer GECs — a pattern expected to continue in 2026.

Note: Do not rely on 2025 closing ranks as exact cutoffs for 2026 — fluctuations in the number of qualified students, seat matrix changes, and statewide participation levels all affect final closing ranks each year. Use them only as a directional reference when prioritising your choice list.

Upgrade, Freeze, or Withdraw — What Should You Do?

After each round’s seat allotment, every student who receives an offer must choose one of three options within the response deadline. The decision determines whether you secure the current seat, attempt an upgrade in the next round, or exit counselling entirely.

If you withdraw after accepting a seat, the seat acceptance fee is not fully refunded — the exact deduction depends on the stage of withdrawal per BCECEB’s official refund schedule. Before you choose Withdraw, confirm what portion of the Rs. 25,000 is recoverable at that point in the process.

Key considerations when choosing Float:

• If you Float and secure a better allotment, you will need to confirm acceptance and pay the seat acceptance fee for the new seat. Check the BCECEB notification for the exact adjustment or re-payment policy in this scenario.
• If no better seat is available in the next round, your original allotment is retained automatically — you do not lose your seat by Floating.
• You cannot Float if you chose Freeze in an earlier round — Freeze is a final, irrevocable decision.
• Students who do not respond to an allotment offer within the deadline are treated as having withdrawn and lose the seat.

Reporting to the Allotted College

Physical reporting to the allotted college is the last mandatory step in the Bihar UGEAC 2026 counselling process. Paying the seat acceptance fee online confirms your intent, but your admission is not finalised until the college verifies your original documents in person.

What to do when you report:

• Carry all original documents listed in the Documents Required section along with 2–3 sets of self-attested photocopies of each.
• Submit the printed Seat Allotment Letter and both fee payment receipts (registration fee and seat acceptance fee) to the college admission office.
• The college retains photocopies of documents and returns the originals after verification — do not hand over originals permanently unless instructed otherwise.
• Pay the remaining admission fee components (tuition fee, development fee, hostel charges if applicable) as per the college’s fee structure.
• Collect your provisional admission letter, student ID, and enrolment number from the college after verification is complete.

The Round 1 reporting window is expected in the first week of July 2026. Exact dates will be published alongside the Round 1 final seat allotment result on the BCECEB portal. Do not assume you have extra time — college admission offices strictly follow the schedule and do not process late arrivals.

Note: If you do not report within the specified reporting window, your seat will be cancelled and reassigned to the next eligible student on the merit list. The seat acceptance fee is forfeited in this case. There is no provision for extension of reporting dates for individual students.