The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has officially announced a crucial final opportunity for aspiring dental students. A Special Stray Vacancy Round will be conducted exclusively for dental seats under the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2025 counselling process.
Why This Special Round Is Happening
This additional round is a direct result of an extension in the admission timeline for medical and dental courses for the academic year 2025. The extension was granted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). To ensure no seat goes to waste, the KEA is organising this special round to fill the remaining vacant dental seats in the state. The round will specifically cover seats under the General Merit (GM), Other Than Hindu (OTH), and Open (OPN) categories. Importantly, the authority has clarified that no fresh seat matrix will be released; allotments will be made strictly from the previously identified pool of vacant or unreported seats.
Eligibility and Crucial Reporting Instructions
This round is a final chance for specific candidates. Only those who have not been allotted any dental seat in any of the earlier NEET UG 2025 counselling rounds are eligible to participate. Furthermore, candidates must be interested in the GM, OTH, or OPN category dental seats.
The process requires in-person reporting. Eligible candidates must report to the KEA office in Malleshwaram, Bengaluru, on 31 December 2025. The reporting window is strict: between 10:00 am and 11:30 am.
Candidates must come fully prepared with the following:
- All original documents for verification.
- The verification slip originally issued by the KEA.
- The required fees in the form of a Demand Draft (DD) drawn in favour of 'Executive Director, KEA' and payable at Bengaluru.
Only after successful document verification and fee submission will candidates be permitted to access the counselling options entry window. This online window will be open for a short duration from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm on the same day (31 December 2025).
Seat Allotment and Final College Reporting
The seat allotment result for this special round will be declared swiftly on the same day, after the options entry process concludes. Candidates who receive a seat allotment must act immediately. They are required to report to their allotted dental college on or before 1 January 2026 by 4:00 pm to secure their admission.
Available Seats and Fee Structure
The KEA has provided a clear breakdown of the available seats for this special round. The details are as follows:
Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere (Code: D661)
- Category: General Merit (GM)
- Available Seats: 01
- Fees: ₹95,308
K.V.G. Dental College and Hospital, Sullia (Code: D555)
- Category: Other Than Hindu (OTH)
- Available Seats: 01
- Fees: ₹3,11,950
Srinivas Institute of Dental Science, Mangaluru (Code: D557)
- Category: Open (OPN)
- Available Seats: 02
- Fees: ₹4,61,950
- Category: Other Than Hindu (OTH)
- Available Seats: 01
- Fees: ₹4,61,950
The KEA has advised all prospective candidates to read the official notice carefully and ensure strict compliance with every instruction to avoid disqualification in this final round.
