KEA Extends UGNEET 2026 First-Round Admission Deadlines and Concludes KCET Round 3 Option Entry

In a major relief to medical and dental course aspirants across Karnataka, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) extended the revised schedule for the first round of UGNEET 2026 counselling on September 3, 2026. Under the revised timeline, allotted candidates were permitted to submit their choice selection by 2:00 PM on September 4, with Choice-1 fee payments allowed up to 4:00 PM on the same day. Additionally, the final deadline to download seat confirmation slips and physically report to allotted medical or dental colleges was extended to 6:00 PM on September 5, 2026. KEA Executive Director H. Prasanna stated that the extension gives eligible candidates adequate time to complete crucial admission formalities. Officials cautioned that candidates who fail to exercise any choice within the stipulated timeframe will be automatically shifted to Choice-4 status, making them ineligible for subsequent state counselling rounds. Simultaneously, KEA successfully closed the web option entry window for the KCET 2026 Round 3 seat allotment process late in the evening on September 3. Thousands of engineering, pharmacy, and agricultural science aspirants locked their fresh option preferences during this final extended counselling round. The seat allotment results for KCET Round 3 are expected to be announced shortly on the official KEA portal, marking the final stage of the professional degree admissions cycle in Karnataka.