Karnataka PGCET 2026 final round: option entry starts Oct 31, allotment Nov 5

By TUF News Desk · Published 30 October 2026 · 4 min read

Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy

October 31 carries two deadlines for Karnataka PGCET candidates. On that day, fresh option entry opens for the final extended round of counselling. It is also the last day for an earlier group of allotted candidates to pay their fee and report to college, or lose the seat to this round.

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) announced the extra round on October 29, after a Supreme Court order the same day extended the last date for admissions and directed KEA to hold another round. The round covers MBA, MCA and MTech admissions for the 2026 academic year, using seats left vacant after earlier rounds, including seats marked as not reported after the allotment conducted between October 13 and 15.

The extended round schedule

See the official KEA website for notices.

Who can take part

KEA has opened the round to candidates who received no seat in earlier rounds, candidates who have already reported to their allotted colleges and want an upgrade, and candidates who cancelled an allotted seat earlier after paying the prescribed penalty.

One group cannot walk straight into the round: candidates allotted seats between October 13 and 15 who did not pay the fee or report to their colleges. KEA has given them a way back. They can report to their allotted colleges on or before October 31, or pay a penalty of Rs 10,000 and cancel their seats online. Candidates who paid course fees and then cancel get a refund after Rs 10,000 is deducted. Seats left behind by candidates who miss the October 31, 6 pm cutoff will go into the extended allotment.

Caution deposit: what it costs

Most participants must pay a caution deposit: Rs 35,000 for general and other categories, and Rs 10,000 for SC and ST candidates. Candidates who have already reported to their allotted colleges are exempt. The deposit will be adjusted against admission fees if the candidate gets a seat. A candidate who gets a seat and then fails to pay the remaining fees or report to the college will forfeit the deposit, and will also be liable to pay the full fees as a penalty under the applicable rules.

Fresh options are compulsory

This is the detail most likely to catch candidates out. Options submitted in previous rounds will not be considered in this round. Every participant must log in and enter a fresh set of choices, arranged in order of priority, before 2 pm on November 4.

Rank choices the way you would accept them. Our guide to choosing a university in India covers the trade-offs worth weighing before locking an order, and our admission documents checklist lists the papers colleges usually ask for at reporting. Treat November 4 as a hard stop: the provisional allotment on November 5 will be drawn only from the new choices entered.

Frequently asked questions

When does Karnataka PGCET 2026 final extended round option entry open?

Fresh option entry opens at 2 pm on October 31, 2026, and closes at 2 pm on November 4. Earlier options will not be carried forward.

When will the Karnataka PGCET 2026 extended round allotment be published?

After 1 pm on November 5, 2026.

How much is the caution deposit for the Karnataka PGCET extended round?

Rs 35,000 for general and other categories, Rs 10,000 for SC and ST candidates. Already reported candidates are exempt.

Who cannot take part directly in the Karnataka PGCET extended round?

Those allotted seats between October 13 and 15 who did not pay or report are not directly eligible. They can report by 6 pm on October 31, or pay a Rs 10,000 penalty and cancel online.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Edex Live, UniList