KEA NEET Counselling 2026: 69,170 Students Eligible for 14,094 MBBS Seats in Karnataka

KEA NEET Counselling 2026 Highlights

KEA NEET UG Counselling 2026 Merit List Released

The Karnataka NEET 2026 rank list has been published for candidates who claimed Karnataka state while filling out the NEET UG 2026 application form. The merit list contains the All India Rank (AIR), NEET score and roll number of eligible candidates.

According to the document released by KEA, the merit list has been displayed as received from NTA. Candidates included in the list are eligible to participate in the upcoming Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026 process, subject to the eligibility conditions prescribed by the authority.

Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026: 14,094 MBBS Seats Available

Candidates participating in KEA MBBS admission 2026 will compete for admission to 14,094 MBBS seats offered by 74 medical colleges across Karnataka. Among these, 22 government medical colleges offer 3,949 MBBS seats, while 52 private medical colleges offer 10,145 MBBS seats. The large number of private medical colleges makes Karnataka one of the preferred states for NEET UG counselling, especially for candidates seeking admission through the private quota.

Karnataka MBBS Seat Matrix 2026

KEA NEET Counselling 2026 Competition: Nearly 5 Candidates for Every MBBS Seat

The KEA NEET Counselling 2026 merit list shows that 69,170 candidates are eligible to participate in the counselling process. These candidates will compete for 14,094 MBBS seats available across Karnataka. This means that around five students are competing for every MBBS seat, making the counselling process highly competitive.

Although not all eligible candidates will choose MBBS admission in Karnataka, the competition is expected to remain high, especially for government medical colleges. Candidates with better NEET ranks are more likely to get a seat in the first few rounds of KEA NEET Counselling 2026. Those with lower ranks may still have a chance of getting admission in private medical colleges in the later rounds, depending on seat availability and the choices filled during counselling.

Government vs Private MBBS Seats Through KEA NEET Counselling 2026

One of the major highlights of Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026 is the significant number of private medical colleges participating in the admission process.

• Government Medical Colleges: 22
• Government MBBS Seats: 3,949
• Private Medical Colleges: 52
• Private MBBS Seats: 10,145

Out of the 14,094 MBBS seats available in Karnataka, 10,145 seats are offered by private medical colleges. This means around 72% of the total MBBS seats are in private colleges and gives candidates more options during KEA NEET Counselling 2026.

What Happens After the KEA NEET Counselling 2026 Merit List?

Following the release of the KEA NEET Counselling 2026 merit list, the Karnataka Examinations Authority will announce the complete counselling schedule. The admission process includes the following stages:

• Release of counselling schedule
• Online registration
• Document verification
• Choice filling and option entry
• Mock seat allotment
• Round 1 seat allotment result
• Reporting to the allotted college

Why is Karnataka a Popular Choice for NEET Counselling?

Karnataka is one of the top states for NEET UG counselling because it offers a large number of MBBS seats and medical colleges. With a large number of colleges and seats, KEA NEET Counselling 2026 provides medical aspirants with more admission opportunities compared to many other states.

Some of the main reasons why students prefer Karnataka NEET Counselling 2026 are:

• 74 medical colleges participating in the counselling process
• 14,094 MBBS seats available for admission
• 52 private medical colleges, offering a large number of seats
• Admission through both government and private quotas
• Multiple rounds of counselling, including mop-up and stray vacancy rounds