Those who were allotted a spot in the first round of UGNEET 2026 have been given a short but important window to make their admission secure. KEA has moved some key cut-offs so that candidates have one last opportunity to report in time and settle their fees.
According to a notice from the 3rd of September, 2026, KEA is allowing round-one allottees to make their selection on the portal until 2 PM on the 4th. Anyone going with Choice-1 will need to have the fee paid by 4 PM that day, within banking hours.
Who is affected and why it matters
This change in schedule is for those candidates in the medical or dental streams who already have a first-round seat. For them, the new window is what will determine if they keep the allotment or not.
The consequences are not to be taken lightly. KEA has made it plain that failure to put in a choice by the deadline means the case is considered Choice-4. In effect, that marks a lack of interest in the seat and puts an end to participation in later rounds of counselling.
What KEA has changed
With the timeline as it stands now, one must select a choice before paying, and pay before reporting to the college. A seat confirmation slip can be downloaded once the prescribed fee is put through, which is required for the formalities of on-campus admission.
Reporting for Choice-1 is still on a tight schedule. Students are expected to be at their allotted college with the confirmation slip no later than 6 PM on September 5, 2026. An otherwise sure allotment can be undone if that window is missed.
Key cut-offs at a glance
KEA has set these hard stops for round-one allottees:
– 2 PM on September 4, 2026 for choice selection
– 4 PM on September 4 for Choice-1 fee (banking hours)
– Download of seat confirmation slip upon fee payment
– 6 PM on September 5, 2026 to report at the college
How to go about securing the seat
Log into the KEA counselling portal to see what is on offer and make the right choice prior to the 2 PM cut-off. Should one opt for Choice-1, it is best to get to the payment quickly and not be caught in a bottleneck before the 4 PM close of banking hours.
As soon as the transaction is done, download the seat confirmation slip. There is no point in waiting for the day of reporting to do so. Have the slip and all necessary papers in hand when turning up at the medical or dental college to complete reporting by 6 PM on the 5th of September.
Consequences of inaction
KEA leaves no room for ambiguity where inaction is concerned. A candidate who does not register a choice in the revised period will be marked as Choice-4 by the system, denoting no desire for the round-one position.
That is a harsh outcome for any future plans. Eligibility for subsequent counselling is forfeited. For a student with his eye on an upgrade or later participation, doing nothing at this stage could shut the door on those options altogether.
What colleges should expect
Institutions will have a reporting cycle that comes to an end at 6 PM on September 5, 2026. Since the confirmation slip is only issued after the money is put forward, colleges can assume the students who report in have seen to the financial side of things.
The directive from KEA to both administrators and students is unambiguous: work within the revised cut-offs. Select the choice, make the payment in due course, get the confirmation slip and be on time to ensure the allotted seat is protected.
