Kerala NEET Counselling 2026 is the MBBS and BDS admission process run by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala. Candidates apply through KEAM, submit their NEET UG 2026 score and get seats by State Medical Rank. The third phase allotment came out on 11 October 2026, and a stray vacancy round will follow.
Kerala NEET Counselling 2026
Phase-wise dates, how option registration works, eligibility, the seat reservation, MBBS and BDS fees, what to do after allotment and official notices.
| Full name | KEAM 2026 admission to MBBS and BDS courses (Kerala NEET UG counselling) |
|---|---|
| Conducted by | Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala |
| Exam level | State counselling; CEE holds no medical entrance test of its own |
| Courses / Purpose | MBBS and BDS in government and self-financing medical and dental colleges in Kerala |
| Selection | Rank in the Kerala State Medical Rank List, made from NEET UG 2026 scores |
| Application | Through KEAM 2026: 5 January to 6 February 2026, plus a fresh window on 23 to 27 July 2026 |
| Application fee | Medical and allied stream: Rs 650 General, Rs 260 SC, nil ST (KEAM 2026) |
| Eligibility | Plus Two with PCB and English, 50% in PCB (40% SC/ST/SEBC/PD); NEET UG 2026 qualified |
| Mode | Online option registration and allotment on the KEAM candidate portal; joining at the college |
| Rounds | Phase 1, 2 and 3, then a stray vacancy allotment |
| Official website | cee.kerala.gov.in |
Kerala NEET Counselling 2026 Important Dates
Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the 2026 MBBS/BDS allotment are over, and joining for the third phase ends at 4:00 PM on 14 October 2026. CEE will announce the stray vacancy allotment separately, with a fresh option registration.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| KEAM 2026 online application | 5 January to 6 February 2026 Closed |
| Online application | 23 to 27 July 2026 Closed |
| NEET UG 2026 score submission on the K… | 5 to 11 August 2026 Released |
| Merit list | 13 August 2026 Released |
| Merit list | 14 August 2026 Released |
| Phase 1 option registration | 15 to 24 August 2026 Closed |
| Phase 1 provisional allotment | 25 August 2026 Released |
| Phase 1 final allotment | 27 August 2026 Released |
| Phase 1 joining at colleges | 29 August to 5 September 2026 Released |
| Counselling (Phase 2) | 7 to 11 September 2026 Closed |
| Phase 2 provisional allotment | 11 September 2026 Released |
| Counselling (Phase 3) | 28 September to 7 October 2026 Closed |
| Phase 3 provisional allotment | 8 October 2026 Released |
| Phase 3 final allotment | 11 October 2026 Released |
| Phase 3 joining at colleges | 12 to 14 October 2026 Released |
| Stray vacancy allotment | To be announced |
How does MBBS and BDS admission in Kerala work?
There is no separate state medical exam. You apply through the KEAM application, qualify NEET UG, submit your NEET score on the KEAM portal, and CEE Kerala ranks you in the Kerala State Medical Rank List. Seats are then allotted phase by phase on that rank and your online options.
| Seats | Filled by | Who can get them |
|---|---|---|
| State quota seats in government medical and dental colleges | CEE Kerala | Keralite and Non-Keralite I candidates in the rank list |
| 85% general seats in self-financing colleges, plus minority and NRI quota | CEE Kerala | Candidates in the rank list who meet the quota rules |
| 15% All India seats in self-financing MBBS colleges and, from 2026-27, BDS colleges | CEE Kerala | Any candidate in the CEE rank list, whatever the domicile |
| 15% All India Quota seats in government colleges | MCC | Any NEET UG qualified candidate, through MCC counselling |
For the government college All India Quota, register separately in MCC NEET counselling. Candidates holding an All India Quota seat are weeded out before Kerala allotments.
How to register options in Kerala NEET Counselling 2026?
You register options on the KEAM 2026 candidate portal with your application number and password, during the window CEE opens for each phase. In 2026, Phase 3 needed fresh option registration from everyone who wanted a seat in that phase.
Apply Online for Kerala NEET Counselling 2026
The Kerala NEET Counselling 2026 application window (5 January to 6 February 2026) has closed.
- Open the KEAM 2026 candidate portal from the CEE Kerala website.
- Log in with your KEAM 2026 application number, password and the access code shown.
- Open the option registration menu and add MBBS and BDS colleges and quotas in your order of preference.
- Pay the option registration fee online if the notice asks for it, then save your options before the deadline.
- After allotment, open Allotment List, print the allotment memo and the Data Sheet from your home page.
- Pay the fee shown in the memo and join the college with your documents within the joining dates.
| Fee (2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| KEAM application fee, medical and allied stream | Rs 650 General, Rs 260 SC, nil ST |
| MBBS/BDS option registration fee | Rs 5,000 |
| Option registration fee for SC, ST, OEC and listed concession groups | Rs 500 |
The option registration fee is adjusted against tuition if you join a government college and refunded if you get no seat. It is forfeited if you do not join an allotted seat. Forgot your password or application number? Use the Forgot Password and Forgot Application Number links on the portal page.
Aiming for 2027? Apply in KEAM 2027, expected in January 2027, and tick the medical stream, even though your rank will come from NEET UG 2027.
Who is eligible for MBBS and BDS admission in Kerala?
You need a Plus Two pass with Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology and English, at least 50% in PCB together, and a qualifying NEET UG 2026 score. These are the KEAM 2026 Prospectus rules.
- PCB marks relaxed to 40% for SC, ST, SEBC and candidates in the CEE PD quota list.
- To enter the rank list you need NEET UG marks at the 50th percentile (40th for SC, ST and SEBC; 45th for unreserved PwD and 40th for reserved PwD).
- You must be 17 years old by 31 December 2026. The upper age limit follows the NEET UG 2026 Information Bulletin.
- Keralites can claim communal, special and PwD reservation and fee concessions.
- Non-Keralite I candidates (for example, schooled in Kerala from Class 8 to 12) compete only for State Merit seats.
- Non-Keralite II candidates cannot get government college seats, but can take the 15% All India seats in self-financing colleges.
How are Kerala state quota MBBS seats reserved?
State seats in government colleges are split by mandatory reservation, as listed in the 2026 first phase notice.
| Category | Share of seats |
|---|---|
| State Merit (SM) | 50% |
| Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) | 10% |
| SEBC: Ezhava 9, Muslim 8, Other Backward Hindu 3, Latin Catholic and Anglo Indian 3, Dheevara 2, Viswakarma 2, Kusavan 1, Other Backward Christian 1, Kudumbi 1 | 30% |
| Scheduled Castes (SC) | 8% |
| Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 2% |
Two colleges differ. Government Medical College, Palakkad keeps 70% for SC, 2% for ST, 13% general merit and 15% All India Quota. At Government Medical College, Kollam, 35% of seats go to wards of ESI insured persons and are not allotted by CEE.
What is the MBBS and BDS fee in Kerala for 2026?
CEE listed these fees in its first phase notice of 15 August 2026. Self-financing fees for 2026-27 were not fixed, so candidates pay the 2025-26 fee provisionally and any balance later.
| College type | Fee listed by CEE |
|---|---|
| Government medical colleges (MBBS) | Rs 23,150 |
| Government dental colleges (BDS) | Rs 20,840 |
| Self-financing MBBS, general seats (85%) | Rs 8,10,175 to Rs 9,31,118, by college |
| Self-financing MBBS, NRI seats | Rs 21,65,720 to Rs 22,74,006, by college |
| Self-financing BDS, general seats (85%) | Rs 3,47,487 (Pushpagiri: Rs 3,67,502) |
| Self-financing BDS, NRI seats | Rs 6,30,000 (Pushpagiri: Rs 6,66,288) |
SC, ST, OEC and fishermen candidates are exempt from tuition fee, except on minority or NRI seats in self-financing colleges.
What happens after the Kerala MBBS third phase allotment?
Candidates allotted in Phase 3 must pay the fee in the allotment memo and join the college between 12 October and 4:00 PM on 14 October 2026. If you do not join, you lose the seat and all higher options in that stream.
- Seats still vacant will go to a stray vacancy allotment with fresh option registration.
- You cannot take part in the stray round if you were allotted or joined a seat in Phase 3.
- You are also out if you exited your seat after 10:00 AM on 7 October 2026, or hold an All India Quota seat.
- Leaving an MBBS seat after the third allotment costs Rs 10 lakh in liquidated damages (Rs 5 lakh for BDS), and a ban of up to two years.
- MBBS graduates from Kerala colleges are liable to serve in rural areas, as per government orders.
To see how far each college went, check the Kerala NEET cut off 2026 with last ranks by category.
What documents do you need to join the allotted college?
Carry the originals listed in clause 11.7.1 of the KEAM 2026 Prospectus.
- Allotment memo and KEAM 2026 Data Sheet
- Receipt of the fee paid
- NEET UG 2026 admit card
- Date of birth proof, transfer certificate and conduct certificate
- Plus Two mark list and pass certificate
- Eligibility certificate from KUHS if your board is not Kerala HSE/VHSE, CBSE or CISCE
- Physical fitness certificate in the prospectus format, and migration certificate if needed
- Originals of every document uploaded with your online application
Kerala NEET Counselling 2026 Official Notices and Downloads
These are the latest MBBS/BDS files from the CEE Kerala website. For postgraduate seats, see Kerala PG medical admission.
- LINKMBBS/BDS 2026: Third phase allotment list published (joining till 14 October) (11 October 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen
- LINKMBBS/BDS 2026: Third phase provisional allotment published (8 October 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen
- LINKFresh option registration for third phase allotment to MBBS/BDS 2026 (28 September 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen
- LINKMBBS/BDS 2026 last rank table (Phase 1 and Phase 2) (14 September 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen
- LINKMBBS/BDS 2026 first phase: options invited, seat break-up and fees (15 August 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen
- LINKKerala State Medical and Ayurveda final rank list 2026 published (14 August 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen
- LINKG.O.: 15% All India Quota in self-financing BDS colleges from 2026-27 (15 March 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen
- PDFKEAM 2026 Prospectus (latest) (5 January 2026)Official site · cee.kerala.gov.inOpen