Bengaluru, September 18, 2026: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has opened a new window for eligible NEET UG 2026 candidates to surrender their KEA-allotted MBBS or BDS seats ahead of the next round of allotment. The facility runs from September 17, 2026 (4:00 PM) to September 20, 2026 (5:00 PM).
This matters for candidates because KEA has said that any seats surrendered during this window will go into the pool for Round 3 allotment. In other words, seats given up now could mean more vacancies for candidates in the next round — though exactly how many depends on how many people actually choose to surrender before the deadline.
Why KEA opened this window
This comes against the backdrop of an ongoing overlap between the All-India Quota (AIQ) counselling run by MCC and Karnataka's own state counselling run by KEA. In Round 2, some candidates ended up holding seats through both MCC and KEA at the same time, and many had to choose which one to keep.
Earlier, KEA had offered a Choice-4 exit option — mainly used by candidates who wanted to hold on to their MCC seat and step out of Karnataka counselling. After those exits, KEA reran the allotment using the freed-up seats and published the Round 2 final allotment result on September 16, 2026.
Even after that final result, more candidates kept asking to cancel or surrender their seats, especially those who'd secured a seat through MCC or another counselling route. This September 17–20 window exists to handle those requests in an organised way before Round 3 begins.
Who should consider using this window
This facility applies to more than one type of candidate:
- Those allotted seats in both MCC and KEA, who now plan to take admission through MCC and want to give up their KEA seat
- Those who've secured a seat through another state's counselling and want to exit their KEA allotment
- Candidates without an MCC seat who still wish to cancel their KEA allotment — subject to KEA's own eligibility rules
Don't assume this is only for candidates holding seats in two places at once — the facility is broader than that, though each case is still governed by KEA's rules.
Key dates to keep in mind
- Seat surrender/cancellation window: September 17 (4 PM) to September 20 (5 PM)
- Round 2 post-allotment timeline: fee payment during September 16–19 (banking hours), and college reporting by September 21, 5 PM
Since the surrender deadline sits between the fee-payment window and the reporting deadline, it's worth thinking through your admission plan carefully before deciding.
Penalties and refunds
KEA reportedly follows a stage-wise penalty structure for seat cancellation. Generally, cancelling earlier — before deadlines like the Round 3 option-entry cut-off — falls under a lower penalty, while surrendering later can mean a bigger financial hit and could affect eligibility for future rounds.
As for refunds, there's no single rule that applies to everyone. What you get back, if anything, depends on the stage of allotment or admission, processing charges, and other conditions. It's worth checking the official KEA instructions in your login, and the relevant rules, before you submit a surrender request.
What to do next
- Check your Round 2 final allotment status on the KEA portal
- Decide whether to keep your Karnataka seat or move to another counselling seat
- Complete the online surrender process before September 20, 5 PM
- Save your acknowledgement or screenshots for your records