Karnataka UGNEET 2026 Round 3: Caution Deposit, Option Entry & Rules

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released an important notice regarding the 3rd round of online seat allotment for UG medical and dental courses under UGNEET 2026.

The notice is dated 23 September 2026 and explains who can participate in Round 3, who is not eligible, the caution deposit that candidates need to pay, option-entry dates and what happens to candidates who are already holding a seat from an earlier round.

The Round 3 process will consider the medical and dental seats remaining after the second round. KEA has also stated that seats that are subsequently cancelled, forfeited or added to the seat matrix may also be considered for allotment.

Candidates should therefore read the instructions carefully before entering their choices.

Karnataka UGNEET 2026 Round 3: Who Can Participate?

According to the KEA notice, the following candidates are eligible to participate in the third round:

• Candidates who were not allotted any medical seat in Round 1 or Round 2.

• Candidates who cancelled their medical or dental seat by paying the applicable penalty.

• Candidates who have already reported to a medical or dental college and want to participate for upgradation, subject to the applicable court orders.

Candidates who fall into these categories can participate provided they meet the other requirements mentioned by KEA.

Who Is Not Eligible for Karnataka UGNEET Round 3?

KEA has also specified candidates who cannot participate in the third round.

Candidates are not eligible if:

• They were allotted a medical or dental seat in Round 1 or Round 2 but failed to exercise a choice.

• They were allotted a medical or dental seat in Round 1 or Round 2 and selected Choice 4.

Candidates should check their previous-round status carefully before assuming that they can participate in Round 3.

Karnataka UGNEET Round 3 Caution Deposit

One of the most important requirements for Round 3 is the caution deposit.

Candidates interested in participating in the third round are required to pay the applicable caution deposit during the notified period.

The caution deposit window is:

24 September 2026 to 28 September 2026

The deposit amount depends on the type of seat the candidate is interested in.

Medical Seats

For candidates interested in Medical ‘G’ seats, the caution deposit is:

₹1,00,000

For Medical ‘P’ seats, the caution deposit is:

₹12,00,000

For Medical ‘N’ / ‘Q’ seats, the caution deposit is:

₹25,00,000

Dental Seats

For candidates interested in Dental seats, the caution deposit is:

₹1,00,000

The caution deposit determines the categories of medical and dental seat options that candidates can enter, as specified by KEA.

What Happens to the Caution Deposit?

KEA has provided specific instructions regarding the caution deposit.

If a candidate is allotted a seat in Round 3, the caution deposit paid by the candidate will be adjusted.

However, candidates need to be very careful before participating.

If a candidate receives a Round 3 seat but fails to take admission, cancels the allotted seat or does not report to the college, the caution deposit can be forfeited.

KEA has also stated that the applicable penalty rules will apply, including consequences regarding participation in future years of medical counselling, including All India counselling.

Candidates should therefore not enter options for colleges or courses they are not prepared to join.

When Will Karnataka UGNEET Round 3 Option Entry Start?

The option-entry window is scheduled as follows:

Starts: 25 September 2026 at 11:00 AM

Ends: 29 September 2026 at 11:00 AM

An important instruction from KEA is that candidates must enter new options.

Previously entered options will not be considered for the third round.

Should Candidates Enter New Choices Even If Seats Are Not Showing?

KEA has specifically advised candidates to enter options in the order of priority for the courses and colleges they are interested in joining.

This is important because the seat matrix can change.

Seats may be cancelled or additional seats may be added after the publication of the initial seat matrix. Consequential vacancies can also arise during the allotment process.

Therefore, candidates may include options they genuinely want even if those seats are not currently visible in the seat matrix.

However, this should not be interpreted as a reason to add colleges without checking their fee structure and admission conditions.

Check the Fee Structure Before Entering Choices

KEA has strongly advised candidates to understand the applicable fee structure before entering their options.

This is particularly important because some candidates may see a seat being allotted and later realise that they do not want to join because of the fee.

Candidates and parents should therefore discuss the available options and check the applicable fees before submitting their choices.

A practical approach is to make a list of colleges and courses that the candidate is genuinely willing to join and then arrange those options according to preference.

What Happens to Candidates Already Holding a Seat?

There is an important rule for candidates who have already reported to a medical or dental college and are participating in Round 3 for upgradation.

If a candidate receives a seat in the third round, the seat allotted in the previous round will be automatically cancelled.

The candidate cannot subsequently withdraw from the new allotment and return to the earlier seat.

KEA has clearly stated that candidates who receive an upgraded seat in Round 3 must take admission to the newly allotted college.

So candidates already holding a seat should participate in Round 3 only after carefully considering their choices.

What If an Existing Candidate Does Not Get a Seat in Round 3?

If a candidate already holding a seat participates in Round 3 but does not receive a new seat, the seat allotted in the earlier round will continue to stand confirmed, according to the KEA instructions.

This is different from the situation where a candidate receives an upgraded seat in Round 3.

Candidates should understand this distinction before entering their options.

How Will Karnataka Round 3 Seat Allotment Be Done?

The third-round allotment for medical and dental courses will be conducted according to merit and the priority of options entered by candidates.

KEA will publish the provisional results on its official website.

The notice also states that the KEA Round 3 provisional result will be published after the result of the third round of All India Quota counselling.

Candidates should therefore keep checking the KEA website for the provisional allotment result and subsequent instructions.

Important Rule for Candidates Who Get Both AIQ and KEA Round 3 Seats

The notice also covers a situation where a candidate participates in the third round of All India Quota counselling and later receives a seat in Karnataka through KEA Round 3.

If the candidate wants to retain the KEA seat, they must personally submit a written request to KEA within one day after the announcement of the provisional results.

If the required written request is not submitted, the candidate will not be considered for the KEA third-round final allotment, even if they participated in the KEA Round 3 process and paid the caution deposit.

KEA has also stated that the caution deposit will not be refunded in that situation.

Candidates Already Studying in Engineering, Agriculture or Veterinary Courses

KEA has also given instructions for candidates who have already taken admission to courses such as Engineering, Agriculture or Veterinary studies.

Such candidates should participate in the medical or dental Round 3 process only if they genuinely want a medical or dental seat.

If they receive a new seat, they are responsible for obtaining their original documents from the college where they are currently studying and submitting them to the newly allotted medical or dental college within the prescribed time.

Candidates should therefore consider the document-retrieval process before participating.

What Happens After the Final Round 3 Allotment?

Candidates who receive a seat in the final Round 3 allotment must follow the admission instructions issued by KEA.

According to the notice, candidates allotted a seat in the final Round 3 results must pay the applicable fees, after adjusting the caution deposit where applicable, and compulsorily take admission in the allotted college along with their original documents within the prescribed deadline.

KEA has warned that failure to complete admission within the specified period can lead to action according to the applicable rules.

Karnataka UGNEET 2026 Round 3: Important Dates

For quick reference:

Caution Deposit:
24 September to 28 September 2026

Option Entry:
25 September 2026, 11:00 AM to 29 September 2026, 11:00 AM

Candidates should also continue checking the official KEA website because the seat matrix and subsequent allotment-related updates can change as the counselling process progresses.

Final Advice for Karnataka UGNEET Candidates

Round 3 is not a stage where candidates should enter choices casually.

Before paying the caution deposit and entering options, check the seat availability, fee structure and type of seat you are interested in.

Most importantly, enter only those college-course combinations that you are genuinely prepared to join.

Candidates already holding a medical or dental seat should be particularly careful because receiving an upgraded seat in Round 3 can automatically cancel the earlier allotment, and the earlier seat cannot be restored.

For the latest seat matrix, allotment results and further instructions, candidates should regularly check the official Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) website.