KCET 2026: Centralized Counseling Concludes with Over 24,000 Engineering Seats Vacant

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has officially concluded the centralized counseling process for engineering admissions for the 2026 academic cycle. Following the completion of the third round and the subsequent reporting period, which ended on September 11, 2026, the authority has confirmed that a significant number of seats remain unfilled across various engineering colleges in the state.

Official data indicates that 24,283 engineering seats are currently vacant. With the centralized portal now shut, the KEA has clarified that there will be no fourth round of counseling or any generalized spot admission process conducted under its supervision. Consequently, the responsibility for filling these remaining vacancies has been transferred directly to the respective engineering institutions.

Transition to College-Level Admissions

Students who have not yet secured a seat through the previous rounds of the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) counseling must now shift their strategy. Since the KEA has handed over the vacant seat matrices to the individual colleges, the centralized online portal at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in will no longer facilitate seat allocations for these positions.

Aspirants seeking admission to B.Tech programs are advised to contact their target institutions directly. Prospective students should visit the official websites of the colleges they are interested in or reach out to the respective admission cells to inquire about enrollment procedures. As these seats are now being managed at the institutional level, they are expected to be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Institutional Management and Next Steps

The shift to decentralized admissions means that the process will vary from one college to another. Several institutions across Karnataka are currently managing a substantial number of vacancies. For instance, reports indicate that institutions such as the R.R. Institute of Technology, Rajeev Institute of Technology, and M S Engineering College have hundreds of seats available for prospective students.

Given that academic sessions have already commenced at many colleges, candidates are encouraged to act promptly. The KEA has put an end to all speculation regarding further centralized intervention, making direct communication with college administration the only viable path for those still seeking a seat for the current academic year.