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Independent Information Site · UGCET 2026

Understanding the journey from OptionEntry to Seat Allotment.

OptionEntry.com is a student-first information project focused on the most decisive stage of UGCET-2026 — option entry to seat selection. We break down how to enter your college-and-course options in priority order, how the online seat-allotment rounds work, and how your rank and choices come together to decide the seat you finally get. To apply and enter options, you must use the official KEA portal.

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The OptionEntry Workflow

From Your Rank to Seat Selection — in Six Steps

This is the workflow OptionEntry.com helps you with: using last year's data to plan a smart option list before you enter it on KEA. We focus on the decisive stage — turning your rank into the right list of choices with the help of the 2025 First Round cutoff ranks.

1
Know Your Rank & Category

Start with your UGCET rank and your reservation category (GM, SC, ST, 1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B and rural/Kannada variants) — these decide which seats are realistically within reach.

Your starting point
2
Study the 2025 Cutoff Ranks

Look up the 2025 First Round closing ranks for each college and course, in your category, to see where your rank would have secured a seat last year.

Reference data
3
Shortlist Colleges & Courses

Pick the college-and-course combinations whose 2025 cutoffs are close to your rank — a healthy mix of ambitious, safe and backup choices.

Build your shortlist
4
Build Your Priority List

Arrange the shortlist in true order of preference — most-wanted first. This ordered list is exactly what you will enter as your options.

Order matters most
5
Enter Options on KEA

Log in to the official KEA portal with your verification slip and enter your option list in the planned priority order. You may add as many options as you wish.

On the KEA portal
6
Seat Allotment

KEA allots seats online over three rounds (plus Casual Vacancy) — strictly by merit/rank and the priority of the options you entered.

3 Rounds + CV
💡
Cutoffs guide you — they don't guarantee. The 2025 First Round ranks show last year's trend and can shift this year with demand, seat-matrix changes and category movement. Use them to plan a balanced list, but always enter your options carefully on KEA in your true order of preference — the list you submit before Round 1 carries through every round.
Reservation Category Codes

Categories & Their Codes

Every reservation category in CET-2026 carries a short code with General (G), Rural (R) and Kannada (K) variants. These are the abbreviations used throughout the seat matrix and allotment, as listed in the Information Bulletin.

General Merit

GM and its horizontal variants
GM General Merit GMR GM Rural GMK GM Kannada

Category-1

Most backward — Form 'E'
1G General 1R Rural 1K Kannada

Scheduled Caste

SC — Form 'D' · internal A/B/C reservation
SCG General SCR Rural SCK Kannada

Scheduled Tribe

ST — Form 'D'
STG General STR Rural STK Kannada

OBC — 2A / 2B

Other Backward Classes — Form 'F'
2AG2AR2AK 2BG2BR2BK

OBC — 3A / 3B

Other Backward Classes — Form 'F'
3AG3AR3AK 3BG3BR3BK
CodeSpecial / Other Category
KK (HK)Kalyana Karnataka Region — Article 371(j)
PWDPersons with Disability
SNQSupernumerary Quota (Tuition Fee Waiver)
D · DKDefence · Defence Karnataka
XDEx-Defence
CAPF · XCPCentral Armed Police Forces · Ex-CAPF
NCCNational Cadet Corps
SPOSports
AGLAnglo Indians
JKJammu & Kashmir Migrants
GMPGeneral Merit Private (Yoga & Naturopathy)
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Course & Branch Codes

Branches / Courses & Their Codes

Each course in the seat matrix has a two-letter code used during option entry. Below are the Engineering & Technology branch codes exactly as published in the UGCET-2026 bulletin.

A selection of Engineering & Technology branch codes (the full matrix lists 150+ specialisations).
ADArtificial Intelligence & Data Science
AIArtificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
CAComputer Science Engineering — AI
CSComputer Science & Engineering
CDComputer Science & Design
CBComputer Science & Business Systems
CYComputer Science Engineering — Cyber
DSComputer Science Engineering — Data Science
IOComputer Science Engineering — Internet of Things
LCComputer Science Engineering — Block Chain
IEInformation Science & Engineering
IGInformation Technology
CECivil Engineering
CKCivil Engineering (Kannada Medium)
MEMechanical Engineering
MKMechanical Engineering (Kannada Medium)
ECElectronics & Communication Engineering
EEElectrical & Electronics Engineering
EIElectronics & Instrumentation Engineering
EVElectronics Engineering (VLSI Design)
CHChemical Engineering
BTBio Technology
BMBio Medical Engineering
AEAeronautical Engineering
SEAero Space Engineering
AUAutomobile Engineering
RBRobotics
RARobotics & Automation
MTMechatronics
MNMining Engineering
MCMathematics & Computing
ARArchitecture
LAB. Plan (Planning)
PLPetroleum Engineering
PTPolymer Science & Technology
TXTextile Technology
IMIndustrial Engineering & Management
IPIndustrial & Production Engineering
Reservation of Seats

Categories & Horizontal Reservation

Reservation applies only to eligible Karnataka candidates. To claim a benefit you must declare it in the application and enter the correct RD number of your certificate.

15%
Rural

10 full years (1st–10th) in rural Karnataka.

5%
Kannada Medium

10 full years studied in Kannada medium.

5%
Supernumerary (SNQ)

Tuition-fee waiver for income < ₹8 Lakh (Engg).

70%/8%
Art. 371-J

Local-area & statewide Kalyana-Karnataka seats.

SC·ST
Cat-I & OBC

2A, 2B, 3A, 3B with Form D/E/F + RD number.

10%
Defence

Horizontal, for children of Karnataka-origin defence personnel.

NCC
Special Category

'B' certificate; 8 levels of preference.

SPO
Sports

Best 2 of last 3 years' achievements scored.

Stay Safe & Informed

Important Warnings From KEA

🚫 Beware of touts & brokers

No one can "guarantee" a seat. All allotments are online, strictly by UGCET/UGNEET merit and your options. Report fraud to KEA by email.

💸 Surrender & forfeiture

Cancelling early refunds your fee minus ₹5,000. Surrendering an Engineering seat after the Casual Vacancy round forfeits the fee plus a 5× penalty.

📵 One mobile, one application

OTP-based registration — use only your own number & email. Mobile numbers cannot be changed later; KEA sends urgent updates here.

⚖️ Jurisdiction & appeals

Disputes fall under the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka. Appeals against the Executive Director's order: within 15 days to the Principal Secretary (Higher Education).

🔁 No previous-year seat holders

If you took a seat through KEA in a previous year, you can't continue it once you select a different discipline this year.

📰 Check the portal twice a day

Visit the KEA website regularly till the final round. KEA isn't responsible for missed notices due to non-diligent follow-up.

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Understand the option entry workflow

Learn how to plan and enter your options based on the 2025 cutoff ranks — then head to the official KEA site to enter your selection.

Disclaimer

A Note on Cutoffs & Seat Allotment

OptionEntry.com is an unofficial, independent information website and is not affiliated with KEA or the Government of Karnataka. It is built to help students plan their option entry to seat allotment using past cutoff trends.

The cutoff ranks shown here are the actual closing ranks of a given year and round — Round 1, Round 2, the extended/mop-up rounds, or casual vacancy rounds. They reflect what happened that year and are shared only as guidance for planning your option list. Cutoffs naturally shift from year to year and from round to round with demand, seat-matrix changes, category movement and the number of candidates — so a past closing rank is an indicator, not a guarantee of this year's result.

All data is summarised for convenience and is subject to change without notice. Always verify every detail and complete all official actions — registration, payment, option entry and seat allotment — only on the official KEA portal at cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea. In case of any discrepancy, the official KEA Information Bulletin and Government orders shall prevail.

Disclaimer: OptionEntry.com is an unofficial, independent information website. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) or the Government of Karnataka, and it does not handle applications, fees, examinations or seat allotment. All dates, fees and rules are summarised from the official UGCET-2026 Information Bulletin and are subject to change. In any case of discrepancy, the official KEA Information Bulletin, CET-2006 Admission Rules and Government orders shall prevail. Always apply and verify only on cetonline.karnataka.gov.in/kea.