Karnataka M.Sc Nursing exam postponed, AYUSH NEET UG round 1 option entry open until October 12

In short

The M.Sc Nursing entrance examination, previously scheduled for October 11, 2026, has been postponed by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA).
A revised schedule for the M.Sc Nursing examination will be announced later by the KEA.
Option entry for Round 1 of UG AYUSH counselling is now open on the official KEA website.
Candidates for AYUSH NEET UG Round 1 counselling must submit their choices by October 12, 2026.
Candidates already admitted to another college must confirm document availability before participating in AYUSH NEET UG counselling.

The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has announced the postponement of the M.Sc Nursing entrance examination, which was originally scheduled for October 11, 2026. Simultaneously, the KEA has initiated the option entry facility for Round 1 of the undergraduate AYUSH counselling, allowing candidates to select their preferred courses and colleges.

keaonline.karnataka.gov.in homepage — Official website: keaonline.karnataka.gov.in

The M.Sc Nursing entrance test, intended to be a two-hour examination from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, has had its timetable withdrawn. A new schedule for the examination will be released by the KEA at a later date, and candidates are advised to contact the Directorate of Medical Education Department for further information regarding the revised examination plan.

AYUSH NEET UG Round 1 Option Entry Underway

The KEA has commenced the option entry process for candidates participating in Round 1 of UG AYUSH counselling. Aspirants can now log in to the official KEA website, keaonline.karnataka.gov.in, using their CET number to submit their course and college preferences.

The deadline for entering options for AYUSH NEET UG Round 1 is October 12, 2026. Candidates are reminded to list their choices in order of preference. Those who have already secured admission to another college should only participate in AYUSH NEET UG counselling after ensuring they can obtain their original documents within the stipulated time frame, as the responsibility for collecting these documents rests solely with the candidates. Fees paid for other courses will not be adjusted for AYUSH NEET UG admissions.

Growth and Infrastructure of AYUSH Education

The expansion of AYUSH medical education infrastructure in India has been significantly driven by non-government institutions. The Ministry of Ayush, established on November 9, 2014, aims to promote ancient systems of medicine and has seen increased central spending under the AYURGYAN scheme, which supports education, capacity building, and research.

Data from 2021 to 2024 indicates a substantial increase in the number of AYUSH colleges and admission capacities across the country. The total number of AYUSH colleges rose from 789 in 2021 to 971 in 2024, marking a 23% increase. Similarly, the total admission capacity grew by 25%, from 63,477 to 79,593, and permitted seats saw a 43% increase, from 50,711 to 72,490.

Category	2021	2024	Increase (%)
Number of AYUSH Colleges	789	971	23%
Total Admission Capacity	63,477	79,593	25%
Permitted Seats	50,711	72,490	43%

As of April 2024, Ayurveda colleges constituted the largest share, with 541 institutions, followed by Homoeopathy with 277 colleges. A significant proportion of these institutions are non-government, with 467 out of 541 Ayurveda colleges and 236 out of 277 Homoeopathy colleges being non-governmental.

System	Total Colleges	Non-Government Colleges	Government Colleges
Ayurveda	541	467	74
Unani	58	42	16
Siddha	17	14	3
Yoga and Naturopathy	71	56	15
Homoeopathy	277	236	41
Sowa-Rigpa	7	NA	NA

For the 2024-25 academic year, 60,890 students were admitted against 63,073 permitted undergraduate seats in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) courses. Ayurveda demonstrated almost full use, filling 39,952 out of 40,136 permitted seats. Homoeopathy accounted for 1,887 vacancies in ASU&H admissions.

System	Permitted Seats	Admitted Students	Vacancies
Ayurveda	40,136	39,952	184
ASU&H Total	63,073	60,890	2,183
Homoeopathy	NA	NA	1,887

Central and State Initiatives in AYUSH

The Ayush Admissions Central Counseling Committee (AACCC) is doing conducting online counselling for allotment to AIQ-UG (BAMS/BSMS/BUMS/BHMS/B.Pharm-ITRA) seats for the 2026-27 session. Candidates for AACCC-UG Counseling are required to register at aaccc.gov.in and pay counselling fees, which include a non-refundable registration fee and a refundable security deposit, at the time of registration.

Central spending under the AYURGYAN scheme has seen a significant increase, rising from ₹8.42 crore in 2021-22 to ₹48.5 crore in 2024-25. This scheme supports various aspects of AYUSH education, capacity building, continuing medical education, research, and innovation.

Financial Year	Allocation (₹ crore)
2021-22	8.42
2022-23	10.5
2023-24	14.66
2024-25	48.5

In a related development, the Department of AYUSH in Hyderabad District is engaging various categories of services on an outsourcing basis under the NAM Scheme. Applications for these outsourcing services will be received from October 12, 2026, to October 22, 2026. Interested individuals can submit their applications in person or via Registered Post at the O/o. District Collector and Magistrate, Hyderabad.

Title	Start Date	End Date
Dept. of AYUSH, Engaging various categories of services on outsourcing basis under NAM Scheme in Hyderabad District	06/10/2026	22/10/2026

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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