Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026: Registration Expected July, Eligibility, Cutoff and Seat Allotment

Karnataka NEET Counselling is the admission process run by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) for MBBS, BDS and AYUSH seats in Karnataka. KEA fills the 85% state quota seats in government and private colleges using your NEET UG score, while the remaining 15% All India Quota seats go through MCC. As of now, the Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026 has not started, because the NEET UG 2026 result is not yet declared. NEET UG 2026 is currently in a re-exam phase, so candidates should track the result first and keep their documents ready for the KEA counselling that follows.

• NEET UG Re-Exam: The NEET UG 2026 re-exam is scheduled for June 21, 2026. The original exam held on May 3, 2026 was cancelled, so the result and KEA counselling now depend on this re-exam.
• NEET UG Result: The NEET UG 2026 result is expected in July 2026 after the re-exam. Last year (2025), the NEET UG result was declared on June 14, 2025.
• KEA Registration: Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026 registration is expected to open in July 2026, within days of the result. In 2025, KEA opened roll number enrollment on July 5, 2025.
• Round 1 Seat Allotment: The KEA Round 1 seat allotment result is expected around August 2026. In 2025, the Round 1 final result came out on August 2, 2025.

What is Karnataka NEET Counselling?

Karnataka NEET Counselling is the state-level admission process for medical, dental and AYUSH courses in Karnataka. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) conducts it every year after the NEET UG result. You need a valid NEET UG score to take part, as NEET is the single entrance test for MBBS and BDS admissions across India.

KEA handles the 85% state quota seats in government colleges and the government-share seats in private colleges. It also fills NRI and management seats in private medical colleges under the state seat-sharing agreement. The counselling covers MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses like BAMS (Ayurveda), BHMS (Homoeopathy), BUMS (Unani) and BNYS (Naturopathy and Yoga).

The process is fully online through the official KEA portal. You register, get your documents verified, fill college and course choices, and then KEA allots seats based on your NEET rank, category and choices. More than 87,000 candidates chose Karnataka as their state in NEET last year, so the competition for the top government colleges is high.

Karnataka NEET Counselling is important because government MBBS seats here are among the most affordable in India. This makes the state quota seats very competitive, especially the seats in Bangalore Medical College and Mysore Medical College.

Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026: Important Dates

The Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026 dates have not been released yet. KEA will announce the schedule only after the NEET UG 2026 result. The table below shows the expected 2026 timeline based on last year’s pattern, along with the NEET exam events that affect the counselling start.

All 2026 counselling dates above are expected dates based on the 2025 schedule. KEA will confirm the actual dates only after the NEET UG 2026 result is declared.

Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026: Eligibility Criteria

To join Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026, you must first qualify NEET UG 2026. After that, KEA checks your domicile status to decide which seats you can get. The basic eligibility is given below.

• NEET Qualification: You must qualify NEET UG 2026 by scoring at or above the category cutoff percentile.
• Age: You should be at least 17 years old by 31 December 2026.
• Class 12: You must pass 2nd PUC or Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The minimum is 50% aggregate for General and 40% for reserved categories.
• Domicile: For government quota seats, you must be a Karnataka candidate under one of the KEA eligibility clauses.

KEA defines around 15 "Karnataka candidate" clauses. You qualify for government seats if you meet any one of them. The most common clauses are listed here.

• You studied Classes 1 to 12 (at least 7 years) in Karnataka.
• You studied Classes 11 and 12 in Karnataka, and your parents studied at least 7 years in Karnataka.
• Your parents are domiciled in Karnataka, or work for the Karnataka or Central Government and are posted in Karnataka.

Non-Karnataka candidates are eligible only for private and deemed college seats, not for government quota seats. You must hold a valid domicile or study certificate to claim a state quota seat.

Karnataka NEET Counselling Registration Process

The Karnataka NEET Counselling registration is an online, step-by-step process on the KEA portal. You should complete each step carefully to avoid rejection at document verification. The main steps are given below.

• Roll number enrollment: First, enroll your NEET roll number on the KEA website. This is the entry step before the main registration.
• Registration: Enter your NEET application number, roll number, date of birth and personal details. Create your login.
• Fee payment: Pay the registration fee and the refundable security deposit online.
• Document verification: Get your original documents verified at the KEA or designated centre, then download the verification slip.
• Option entry: Fill your college and course choices in order of preference.
• Mock allotment: KEA shows a trial allotment so you can change or reorder your options before the real round.
• Seat allotment: KEA allots seats by rank, category and your choices. You then pay the fee and report to the college.

You should keep checking the KEA portal during the counselling. The windows for option entry and fee payment are short, often two to three days. If you miss a deadline, you can lose your seat or your turn in that round.

Documents Required for KEA NEET Counselling

You should keep all your documents ready before counselling begins. KEA checks the originals at verification, so missing papers can delay or cancel your allotment. The list of required documents is given below.

• NEET UG 2026 admit card
• NEET UG 2026 scorecard or rank letter
• Class 10 marks card (for date of birth proof)
• Class 12 or 2nd PUC marks card
• Study certificate or domicile certificate for Karnataka eligibility
• Caste or category certificate, if you claim reservation
• Income certificate, where required for category claims
• Recent passport-size photo, signature and left-hand thumb impression
• Article 371(J) eligibility certificate, for Kalyana-Karnataka candidates

You should carry both the originals and self-attested photocopies. Keep scanned copies ready too, as some steps need online uploads.

Karnataka NEET Counselling Fees

The Karnataka NEET Counselling fee has two parts. One is a non-refundable processing fee, and the other is a refundable security deposit. KEA returns the deposit if you do not get a seat or exit as per the rules. The table below shows the 2025 reference fees, which are likely to stay similar in 2026.

The fee is paid online during registration. The processing fee is non-refundable, so you should be sure of your eligibility before you pay. KEA will confirm the exact 2026 fee in its counselling brochure.

Karnataka NEET Seat Matrix: Colleges and Seats

Karnataka has one of the largest pools of medical seats in India. KEA fills the state quota share across government and private colleges. The approximate seat numbers from the 2025 cycle are given below as a reference.

Besides MBBS, KEA also fills around 1,500 BDS seats and several thousand AYUSH seats. The AYUSH pool includes around 1,587 BAMS and 308 BHMS seats, plus BUMS and BNYS courses. KEA runs a separate UG AYUSH counselling stream for these.

For the 2025-26 session, the NMC approved 450 extra MBBS seats in Karnataka. Of these, 400 seats were added across 8 government colleges and 50 at JGMMMC Hubballi. This means slightly more government seats are available than in earlier years.

The top government colleges include Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI), Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI), and Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hubballi. These fill up fast because of their low fees and strong reputation.

Reservation Categories in Karnataka NEET Counselling

Karnataka follows its own reservation system for state quota seats. This is different from the central system used by MCC. You should know your correct category, because it decides your cutoff and your seat chances.

The main categories are SC, ST, Category-I, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and GM (General Merit). You need a valid category certificate from the Karnataka authorities to claim these seats. Income limits (creamy layer) apply to most OBC categories, except Category-I.

• SC and ST: Reserved for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates.
• Category-I: For the most backward communities, with no creamy layer limit.
• 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B: Other Backward Class sub-categories, each with its own community list.
• GM: General Merit, open to all candidates including reserved category students.

Karnataka also gives a horizontal reservation of around 30% for women across each category. The state revised its reservation roster recently under the Karnataka SC and ST (Reservation) Act, raising the SC and ST shares. You should check the latest KEA brochure for the exact category percentages applied in 2026.

Article 371(J): Kalyana-Karnataka Reservation

Article 371(J) of the Constitution gives a special reservation to candidates from the Kalyana-Karnataka region (earlier called Hyderabad-Karnataka). This region covers Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara districts.

If you are from this region, you can claim seats under the 371(J) quota. You need a special eligibility certificate from your district Assistant Commissioner. The reservation works in two ways.

• In medical colleges located inside the Kalyana-Karnataka region, 70% of state quota seats are reserved for region candidates.
• In medical colleges outside the region, 8% of seats are reserved for Kalyana-Karnataka candidates.

This reservation is separate from the SC, ST and OBC categories. So a candidate can hold both a category certificate and a 371(J) certificate. You should apply for the 371(J) certificate early, as it takes time to get.

NRI and Management Seats in Karnataka

KEA also fills NRI and management seats in private medical colleges under the state agreement. These seats have a higher fee than government seats, but they give more options to candidates who do not get a government seat.

• NRI seats: Reserved for NRI candidates or their wards. You need NRI documents and a higher registration fee.
• Management seats: Filled by KEA in private colleges as part of the government-private seat sharing.
• Eligibility: Non-Karnataka candidates can apply for private, NRI and deemed seats even without state domicile.

You should note that the COMEDK consortium is a separate body. COMEDK runs its own entrance test and counselling for many private engineering and some private medical seats. It is not the same as KEA. For NEET-based medical seats, KEA is the body that fills the state and NRI quota.