Karnataka NEET Round 3: Enter options by Sep 29; pay caution money by Sep 28

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has announced the dates for Karnataka NEET Round 3 Counselling 2026, with the option entry portal set to open on September 25, 2026, at 11 AM. This round aims to provide an additional opportunity for eligible students to secure MBBS and BDS seats across the state.

Candidates interested in participating in Round 3 must complete their option entry and choice filling on the official KEA website, kea.kar.nic.in, between September 25, 2026, 11 AM, and September 29, 2026, 11 AM. A crucial requirement for participation is the payment of Karnataka NEET caution money, which must be completed before September 28, 2026.

Karnataka NEET Round 3 Counselling Schedule

The KEA has released an official notification detailing the timeline for the third round of NEET UG counselling in Karnataka. Candidates are required to submit fresh options for this round, as choices made in previous rounds will not be carried forward. The option entry window will be active for several days, allowing candidates to carefully select their preferred courses and colleges.

The key dates for Karnataka NEET Round 3 Counselling 2026 are as follows:

Eligibility Criteria for Round 3

The KEA has specified the eligibility criteria for candidates wishing to participate in Round 3 counselling. Only verified and eligible applicants will be able to proceed with the web option entry process. Certain categories of candidates are deemed ineligible for this round.

Eligible candidates for Round 3 include those who were not allotted any medical seat in the first and second rounds. Also, candidates who have reported to medical or dental colleges and wish to participate for upgradation, in accordance with recent Honourable High Court orders, are also eligible. Conversely, candidates who cancelled their medical or dental seat by paying a penalty are ineligible. Those who were allotted a medical or dental seat in the first or second round but failed to exercise a choice, or selected Choice-4, are also ineligible for Round 3.

Option Entry Process and Advice

Candidates can complete the choice filling and locking process on the KEA official portal, kea.kar.nic.in. The KEA advises candidates to enter all courses and colleges they are genuinely interested in, in their order of preference. This recommendation stands even if a particular seat is not initially visible in the seat matrix, as seats may become available due to cancellations or additions during the allotment process.

Before entering their choices, candidates are also advised to check the applicable fee structure and seat availability. The counselling process covers 85% of government college seats and 100% of seats in government colleges under the state quota. Previous rounds of counselling saw Round 1 option entry from August 7 to August 13, 2026, and Round 2 choice filling from September 7, 2026, 2:00 PM, to September 9, 2026, 2:00 PM.

Further reading

• NEET UG admissions: HC stays 91% quota in 4 UP medical colleges
• Gujarat NEET UG Round 2 Merit List 2026 Out: Check Provisional List at medadmgujarat.org
• NEET UG cutoff: previous closing ranks and marks Next step
• CBSE 12th/CUET: Apply for B.Com in Auditing in Karnataka by Today
• Ladakh Central Pool MBBS/BDS: Apply by Sep 10 for 2026-27 single merit list Applications open
• NEET UG: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

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.

View all posts →