Karnataka NEET UG stray round: option entry closes today for 191 MBBS seats

By TUF News Desk · Published 9 November 2026 · 3 min read

Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy

Today is the last day for Karnataka NEET UG candidates to enter their options in the special stray vacancy round. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) closes the option entry window on November 9, and the seat allotment result will be published on November 11 after 1 pm.

The round covers 191 MBBS seats that stayed vacant after seven rounds of counselling. It is the first time in five years that medical seats in Karnataka have gone unfilled. KEA posted a provisional seat matrix on November 7 listing 205 seats in all, 195 MBBS and 10 BDS. The MBBS seats are all management quota seats in 25 private colleges, with annual fees listed between Rs 25,09,350 and Rs 45 lakh.

Take-up has been slow. The Times of India reported on November 7 that 109 new candidates had registered for the round and 153 students had entered options. With 191 MBBS seats on offer, that left seats unclaimed as of November 7 even if every option entry turned into an allotment. Only candidates who paid the caution deposit by November 6 can enter options, so the pool is now fixed.

Where the seats are

Srinivasa Institute of Medical Research Centre in Mangaluru has the most vacancies at 32, followed by PES University Institute of Medical Sciences and Research with 26 and Sri Chamundeshwari Medical College Hospital and Research Institute with 21. Bagalkot Medical College and Research Institute has 14.

The fees are high. The lowest listed annual fee in the matrix is Rs 25,09,350 and the highest is Rs 45 lakh. Educationists have blamed high fees for vacant MBBS seats nationally, and every seat in this Karnataka round is a management quota seat in a private college.

Who can still take part

Candidates who have not been allotted a medical seat so far are eligible. Those holding a dental seat can take part, but only for medical seats. The caution deposit was Rs 25 lakh for a medical seat and Rs 1 lakh for a dental seat, payable between November 4 and 6. Fresh registration ran from November 2 to 4 and is now closed.

What happens after today

KEA will publish the allotment result on November 11 after 1 pm on the official KEA portal. Candidates who get a seat must pay the remaining fees and report to the allotted college on November 12 or 13. The admission documents checklist is worth working through before the result, because two days is not much time to gather paperwork.

Why KEA is running this round

The Medical Counselling Committee issued a special schedule after about 2,000 MBBS seats stayed vacant across India. Karnataka’s round follows that schedule. We reported the announcement of this round earlier, when KEA opened fresh registration on November 2.

Frequently asked questions

When does option entry close for the Karnataka NEET UG special stray vacancy round?

Today, November 9, 2026. Only candidates who paid the caution deposit by November 6 can enter options on the KEA portal.

When will the Karnataka special stray vacancy allotment result be announced?

On November 11, 2026, after 1 pm. Allotted candidates must pay the remaining fees and report to their colleges on November 12 or 13.

How many seats are on offer in this round?

KEA announced the round for 191 vacant MBBS seats. Its provisional seat matrix of November 7 lists 205 seats in all: 195 MBBS and 10 BDS.

How much is the caution deposit for this round?

Rs 25 lakh for a medical seat and Rs 1 lakh for a dental seat, payable between November 4 and 6, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: The Times of India, JagranJosh, Deccan Herald