Karnataka PGCET 2026 round 1 seat allotment dates extended: report to colleges by October 5

The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) today, October 3, 2026, announced an extension of dates for the processes following the Karnataka PGCET 2026 first round seat allotment results. This extension aims to ensure that candidates have sufficient time to complete all necessary admission formalities within the prescribed deadlines.

The PGCET 2026 examination was conducted for admission to various postgraduate professional programmes, including MBA, MCA, M.E., M.Tech, and M.Arch. The first round seat allotment results were released on September 25, 2026, affecting a large number of candidates seeking admission to colleges across Karnataka.

Extended Schedule for First Round Admissions

The KEA has revised the deadlines for fee payment, downloading seat confirmation slips, and reporting to colleges. Candidates who have been allotted a seat in the first round are required to pay the prescribed admission fee between September 29 and October 3, 2026, during banking hours. The final date for fee payment is October 3, 2026.

Following fee payment, candidates can download their Seat Confirmation Slip until October 4, 2026. The ultimate deadline for candidates to report in person to their allotted college is October 5, 2026, by 6:00 PM. To support this process, participating institutions and colleges have been directed to consider Saturdays, Sundays, and Gazetted Holidays as working days during this admission period.

Overview of Karnataka PGCET 2026

The Karnataka Post Graduate Common Entrance Test (PGCET) 2026 covers postgraduate professional programmes such as MBA, MCA, M.E., M.Tech, and M.Arch. The KEA prepares separate merit lists for relevant courses based on entrance test performance for MBA, MCA, and M.E./M.Tech. For M.Arch admissions, counselling is processed via KEA without a separate PGCET exam.

Eligibility criteria for MBA and MCA courses require general candidates to have 50% aggregate marks, while SCA/SCB/SCC/ST and Category-I Karnataka candidates need 45%. Mathematics at the 10+2 or graduation level is a mandatory eligibility condition for MCA. There is no provision for part-time MCA courses or lateral-entry admission to MCA under this PGCET admission process. For M.E./M.Tech, general candidates require 50% aggregate marks in the qualifying degree, with 45% for applicable Karnataka reserved categories. Candidates with a valid GATE score are also eligible for M.E./M.Tech admission. SC, ST, and OBC reservation benefits are exclusively applicable to Karnataka candidates.

Key Dates in the PGCET 2026 Cycle

The PGCET 2026 cycle has seen several important dates leading up to the current seat allotment process. The MBA/MCA exam was rescheduled from May 24, 2026, to June 14, 2026. The provisional answer key for MBA/MCA was released on June 15, 2026, followed by an application form correction window that remained open until July 6, 2026. Document verification for M.Tech/M.E./M.Arch was conducted on July 10, 2026.

The PGCET 2026 results/ranks were released by KEA on August 19, 2026. An online application correction link, dated August 31, 2026, was the latest PGCET-specific update listed on the official KEA website as of September 2, 2026. The Karnataka PGCET 2026 draft seat matrix was released on September 9, 2026. Round 1 provisional seat allotment was scheduled for publication on September 19, 2026, after 5:00 PM, with the deadline for Round 1 Option Entry being September 15, 2026. Candidates could download their admission tickets until September 15, 2026, before the Round 1 seat allotment results were released on September 25, 2026.

Further reading

• Karnataka PGCET 2026 round 1 direct admission: no choice entry, round 2 unconfirmed
• Karnataka PGCET 2026 Round 1 seat allotment results declared on September 19
• KMAT/CMAT/CLAT 2026: Apply for Kochi entrepreneurship college admissions now
• KMAT, CAT, CMAT, XAT 2026 exam dates announced for Kochi MBA admissions
• KAU BTech Agricultural Engineering ICAR spot admission: Apply by Sep 25, 2026 Applications open
• Karnataka PGCET: 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.

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