Bengaluru, September 20, 2026: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has opened a fresh seat cancellation/surrender window for UGNEET 2026 Medical and Dental counselling, after releasing the Round 2 final seat allotment. This window is meant for candidates who have secured seats through more than one counselling process — especially MCC (All India Quota) or another state's counselling — and now want to exit KEA counselling so their surrendered seat can be used in the next round.

Fresh surrender window: dates and timing

As per KEA's communication dated September 17, 2026, the seat cancellation facility is open from September 17 (4:00 PM) to September 20 (5:00 PM). KEA has said that seats surrendered during this period will be considered for Round 3 allotment.

However, there's an important point to note: this window does not work the same way for everyone. The penalty, and whether a candidate can join Round 3, depends on their individual situation.

Round 2 final allotment: key numbers

KEA declared the Round 2 final allotment result on September 16, 2026. According to reports quoting KEA-related updates, 11,238 seats were allotted in Round 2, including 8,772 MBBS and 2,466 BDS seats. This number reflects Round 2 allotments only — it should not be confused with total seat capacity or vacancy figures.

Candidates should also keep the admission timeline in mind, since the surrender window overlaps with reporting activities. After the final Round 2 allotment, the schedule included fee payment/confirmation slip (September 16–19, during banking hours) and reporting to the allotted college by September 21 (5:00 PM).

Who can surrender without a penalty — and who may pay ₹10,000

Reports quoting KEA's September 17 clarification point to two situations:

1) Candidates who already have a seat through MCC or another state's counselling:

If you have an allotment through MCC or another state and want to keep that seat, you can use this special window to exit KEA counselling. Such exits have been reported as penalty-free, as long as they're done before the deadline.

2) Candidates who don't have an MCC/other-state seat but still want to cancel their KEA Round 2 seat:

For candidates cancelling simply because they don't want to keep their Round 2 KEA seat, reports suggest a ₹10,000 penalty may apply. These candidates may still be allowed to join Round 3, subject to KEA's conditions. Some reports also mention that this kind of cancellation may need to be done in person at the KEA office — candidates should confirm the exact process through KEA's official channels.

Round 3 dates: don't trust unofficial claims

At the moment, a fully confirmed, detailed Round 3 schedule isn't clearly available in official notices. What is clear is that seats surrendered between September 17 and 20 will become part of the Round 3 vacancy pool. Candidates should avoid unofficial websites that guess at Round 3 dates.

Important: not reporting is not the same as surrendering

Candidates should not assume that simply not reporting to their allotted college automatically counts as a surrender. KEA has traditionally required a formal cancellation/surrender process as per its rules. It's a good idea to keep proof or an acknowledgement of your cancellation.

For accurate information, candidates should check the official KEA UGNEET portal for notice updates and act before 5:00 PM on September 20, 2026, to avoid stricter consequences later.