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Karnataka MBBS Vacant Seats 2026: Stray Vacancy Round Explained

Srijita Saha • 8 Mins read • 4 Aug 26

Karnataka MBBS Vacant Seats Stray Vacancy Round Explained

Latest Updates:

Karnataka has a total of 15395 seats for MBBS for 2026.
Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2026 Stray Round is expected to start from 3 October 2026 to 5 October 2026, according to the schedule of MCC.
The Karnataka Merit List 2026 has been released. Check here.
The verification of documents will start after the linking of the NEET Roll Number, and the dates for document verification are from 4 August to 8 August 2026.
The authority will shortly publish the Karnataka NEET 2026 seat matrix on the official website.

Karnataka UGNEET 2026 document verification will start from 4 August 2026 and will continue till 8 August 2026. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has activated the link for slot booking on its official website. Applicants who are looking for admission to BDS, MBBS. AYUSH and other undergraduate medical programs in Karnataka have to complete slot booking before they appear for the document verification process. Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2026 Stray Round is predicted to start from 3 October 2026 to 5 October 2026, according to the schedule of MCC.

Applicants who have newly registered or claimed the reservation categories like NRI, minority, rural quota, or Kannada medium have to complete the verification process before the mentioned deadline. Candidates who have already downloaded the verification slips for the Karnataka UGCET admission process 2026 do not need to attend again.

Karnataka has a total of 15395 seats for MBBS for 2026 that includes 4400 government MBBS colleges and 10995 private MBBS colleges. The stray vacancy round gives candidates in Karnataka one final possibility to enroll in a medical college in the state. The information in this guide includes all Karnataka MBBS stray vacancy updates 2026, requirements, key deadlines, seat availability, and what applicants need to do.

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What is the Stray Vacancy Round in Karnataka MBBS 2026?

The Karnataka NEET UG Stray Vacancy Round 2026 is considered the final stage of the state counselling process, which is conducted by KEA to fill the MBBS seats that are vacant after earlier counselling rounds. Taking part is limited to the candidates who fulfill the eligibility conditions that are prescribed by KEA in the official notification. The counselling is conducted online as per the applicable NMC and KEA rules.

Why the Stray Vacancy Round Matters for MBBS Aspirants

There is a lot of competition to get an MBBS seat in Karnataka. Sometimes, even after the final mop-up round, candidates do not find a seat. Those hoping to study MBBS in Karnataka have just one opportunity to do so through the stray vacancy round for 2026. With the vacancy information given to KEA by colleges, fresh merit allocations can take place. For emphasis on:

Any students who did not get a seat through Round 1, Round 2 or Mop-Up rounds.
Experts were allocated seats initially, but failed to use them because of reporting issues or document problems.
Candidates from outside Karnataka who registered with KEA and haven’t gotten a seat so far.

Karnataka MBBS Stray Vacancy Round 2026: Quick Highlights

The key features of Karnataka MBBS Stray Vacancy Round 2026 are given below:

Features	Details
Counselling Round	Stray Vacancy
Authority	Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA)
Applicable for	Participating Government and Private Medical Colleges
Mode of Counselling	Mainly Online (any physical reporting will be based on KEA notification)
Eligibility	NEET UG 2026 qualified candidates who met the eligibility criteria mentioned by KEA
Participating Institutions	Participating medical colleges in Karnataka that have notified vacant seats under KEA counselling

Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2026: Important Dates

Look at the table below to know the important dates for Karnataka NEET UG counselling 2026.

Events	Dates
Start of slot booking	2 August 2026
Last date to link the NEET Roll Number	3 August 2026
Verification of documents	4 August to 8 August 2026
Tentative Round 1 Counselling	13 August to 22 August 2026

Important Dates for Karnataka MBBS Stray Vacancy Round 2026

The table below shows the important dates for Karnataka MBBS Stray Vacancy Round 2026.

Event	Expected Dates (Tentative)
Stray Vacancy Round (Full Schedule)	3 October 2026 to 5 October 2026 (as per MCC)
Display of college-wise vacant seats	To be announced
Registration for Stray Vacancy	To be announced
Choice Filling/Option Entry	To be announced
Seat Allotment Result	To be announced
Reporting to Colleges	To be announced

Eligibility Criteria for Karnataka MBBS Stray Vacancy Round 2026

Not all NEET UG 2026 qualified candidates are eligible for this round. The following are required:

Must have qualified NEET UG 2026
Should be registered with KEA and meet the eligibility conditions prescribed in the official counselling notification.
Must meet the Stray Vacancy Round eligibility criteria as notified by KEA
Must participate in online counselling (as per KEA rules)

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Steps to Participate in Karnataka MBBS Stray Vacancy Round 2026

The steps to participate in Karnataka MBBS Stray Vacancy Round 2026 are given below:

No.	Description	Action Required
1	Registration	Ensure you are registered with KEA’s MBBS 2026 counselling portal.
2	Vacant Seat Display	Check the vacancy matrix as released by KEA and review the available seats.
3	Option Entry	Log in and enter your college and course preferences based on seat availability.
4	Seat Allotment	View results released by KEA based on NEET merit and preference entries.
5	Reporting to College	Report to the allotted college within the deadline with required original documents.
6	Confirmation of Admission	Complete the document verification process along with admission formalities to confirm MBBS admission officially.

Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026: Seat Matrix for Participating Government MBBS Institutes

The following are the participating colleges that will help you to choose your desired MBBS government college after Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2026. However, students have to verify the seats from the official website before taking admission.

Name of College	Number Of Seats
Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore	250
Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore	250
Kasturba Medical College, Manipal	250
Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore	150
Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences, Belagavi	150
Employees' State Insurance Corporation Medical College, Bangalore	100
Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, Mandya	150
Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli	200
Karwar Institute of Medical Sciences, Karwar	150
Khaja Banda Nawaz Institute of Medical Sciences, Gulbarga	100
Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences, Kodagu	150
Koppal Institute of Medical Sciences, Koppal	150
Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences, Mallasamudra Mulgund Road, Gadag	150
Government Medical College Mysore	150
Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences, Gulbarga	150
Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences, Hasan	150
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation Medical College, Gulbarga	100
Bidar Institute Of Medical Sciences, Bidar	150
Bowring & Lady Curzon Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore	150
Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Karnataka	150

Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026: Seat Matrix for Participating Private MBBS Institutes 2026

The following are the participating colleges which will help you to choose your desired private MBBS college after Karnataka NEET UG Counselling 2026, although students should verify the seats from the official website before taking admission.

Name of College	Number Of Seats
Basaveshwara Medical College and Hospital, Chitradurga	100
JJM Medical College, Davangere	245
JSS Medical College, Mysore	200
KVG Medical College, Sullia	100
Mahadevappa Rampure Medical College, Gulbarga	150
Navodaya Medical College, Raichur	150
Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar	150
Sree Siddhartha Medical College, Tumkur	150
St. John's Medical College, Bangalore	150
Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellur	150
A J Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Mangalore	150
Akash Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Devanahalli, Bangalore	150
Al-Ameen Medical College, Bijapur	150
BGS Global Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore	150
Dr Br Ambedkar Medical College, Bangalore	100
East Point College of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Bangalore	150
Father Muller's Institute of Medical Education and Research, Mangalore	150
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum	200
Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore	150
KS Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore	150
MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore	150
MVJ Medical College and Research Hospital, Bangalore	150
Raichur Institute Of Medical Sciences, Raichur	150
Sapthagiri Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Bangalore	150
SDM College of Medical Sciences & Hospital Sattur Dharwad	100
Shimoga Institute Of Medical Sciences, Shimoga	150
Shri B M Patil Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Bijapur	150
Shridevi Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Hospital, Tumkur	150
Srinivas Institute of Medical Research Centre, Srinivasnagar	150
Sri Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Bangalore	150
S S Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Davangere	150
Subbaiah Institute of Medical Sciences, Shimoga, Karnataka	150
The Oxford Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Bangalore	150
Vijaynagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary	150
Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Bangalore	250
Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore	150

Conclusion

For thousands of NEET-qualified students who are yet to secure a seat, the Karnataka MBBS stray vacancy round 2026 serves as the last opportunity. Achieving your dream of becoming a doctor is still possible this year if you adhere to proper document submission, submission deadlines, meticulous prep work, and precise choice-filling.

Karnataka MBBS Vacant Seats 2026: Stray Vacancy Round FAQs

Ques: What does stray vacancy mean in MBBS admissions?

Ans: The stray vacancy round for NEET UG 2026 is held after the Mop-Up Round to fill the MBBS seats that still remain vacant. These vacancies increase normally because of candidates not reporting to the allotted college, fee payment failures and last-minute resignations.

Ques: Is there choice filling in the stray vacancy round?

Ans: Yes, choice filling is available during online All India Quota (AIQ) stray vacancy round that is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). Eligible candidates have to log in to the official portal for submitting and locking their new college and course preferences.

Ques: How many seats are vacant in MBBS?

Ans: Previously, a total of 2849 remained vacant for undergraduate medical (MBBS) seats across India during 2024-25 academic cycle as per the data tabled in Lok Sabha.

Ques: What will happen if any candidate does not join after the Stray Round?

Ans: If any candidate fails to join an allotted seat after stray vacancy round results in the strict penalties: your seat allotment will get cancelled, your security deposit will be permanently forfeited, and you might experience a 1 year debarment or disqualification from taking the entrance exam of the next session.

Ques: What are the rules for stray vacancy round?

Ans: The rules for a stray vacancy round need that only applicants not holding a seat are eligible, joining the allotted seat is mandatory and no exit or resignation is allowed once assigned.