KEAM 2026 NEET UG Stray Vacancy Round: Option Registration Till Oct 20, 258 Seats Vacant

The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala, has opened option registration for the KEAM 2026 stray vacancy allotment to MBBS and BDS courses. Candidates on the Kerala State Medical Rank List can register fresh options till October 20, 2026, 6:00 PM.

The stray vacancy round will fill the MBBS and BDS seats that fell vacant in Government and Self Financing colleges after the third phase of allotment. Candidates must register through the official CEE website, www.cee.kerala.gov.in, using the “Stray Vacancy Option Registration” menu on the home page.

KEAM 2026 Stray Vacancy Round Schedule

Event	Date and Time
Website opens for online option registration	Oct 17, 2026
Option registration ends	Oct 20, 2026, 6:00 PM
Provisional allotment publication	Oct 21, 2026
Final allotment publication	Oct 22, 2026
Joining at the allotted college after paying fees or balance fees	Oct 23, 2026 to Oct 26, 2026, 4:00 PM
Updating details of admitted candidates through OAMS	Oct 26, 2026, 5:00 PM

KEAM Stray Vacancy 2026: MBBS and BDS Seat Vacancy

Course	Government Colleges	Self Financing Colleges	Total Vacant Seats
MBBS	4	88	92
BDS	8	158	166
Total	12	246	258

The seat matrix is tentative, so the number of vacancies may change during the round.

Government College Seats Available

College	Course	Vacant Seats
Government Medical College, Idukki	MBBS	1
Government Medical College, Kasaragod	MBBS	1
Government Medical College, Palakkad	MBBS	1
Government Medical College, Konni, Pathanamthitta	MBBS	1
Government Dental College, Alappuzha	BDS	1
Government Dental College, Kozhikode	BDS	2
Government Dental College, Kannur	BDS	3
Government Dental College, Thrissur	BDS	1
Government Dental College, Thiruvananthapuram	BDS	1

Registration Fee for Stray Vacancy Round

Candidate Type	Registration Fee
Options only in Government MBBS/BDS courses	Rs 10,000
Options in both Government and Self Financing MBBS/BDS courses	Rs 25,000
SC/ST/OEC candidates, candidates with benefits under the listed Government Orders, and candidates from Sree Chitra Home, Juvenile Home and Nirbhaya Home	Rs 5,000

• SC/ST/OEC and other concession candidates will not get the fee concession if they give options in Minority or NRI quota seats in Self Financing colleges.
• Candidates who left an MBBS/BDS seat within the prescribed date in the earlier notification do not need to pay again if the fee already paid to CEE is higher than the registration fee. If it is lower, they must pay only the balance.
• Fees paid to CEE for courses other than MBBS/BDS are not counted, and such candidates must pay the full registration fee.
• The registration fee is fixed based on the details entered on the candidate portal and cannot be changed later, so candidates should fill in these details carefully.
• Options can be registered only after the applicable fee is paid online.

What Happens to the Registration Fee

• Government college allotment: the fee is carried over to the tuition fee of the allotted course.
• No allotment: the fee is refunded.
• Private Self Financing college allotment: the fee is refunded after the closing date of admission, provided the candidate has taken admission.
• Not joining in time or quitting after admission: the fee is treated as a penalty and is not refunded. The candidate is also penalised as per clause 12.2.4 of the KEAM Prospectus.

Who Is Not Eligible

• Candidates who are still in admitted status from Phase I, Phase II or Phase III allotments.
• Candidates who were allotted a seat in the third phase allotment.
• Candidates who vacated their seat after October 7, 2026, 10:00 AM.
• Candidates who are on the admitted list shared by MCC after the third round of AIQ counselling, or who get a seat in the AIQ stray allotment as per the MCC list. Their options will not be considered even if they register.

Important Points for Candidates

• Candidates should give options to all colleges and courses where they are willing to study, as vacancies may arise during the round.
• The seat received through stray vacancy allotment cannot be changed at any stage.
• Unallotted category seats, if any, will be converted during this phase as per the prospectus conditions.
• Candidates should register options only for courses and colleges where they actually want to study.

Penalty for Not Joining After Allotment

Candidates who file unnecessary options and do not take admission, causing the allotted seat to lapse, will face the following action:

Course	Penalty
MBBS	Rs 10,00,000
BDS	Rs 5,00,000

• The penalty applies irrespective of annual family income, nativity or reservation status.
• The candidature can be cancelled, and the candidate can be debarred from CEE entrance examinations and allotments for up to two years.
• If the penalty is not paid, it can be recovered under the Revenue Recovery Act.

How to Register Options

• Go to www.cee.kerala.gov.in.
• Click the “Stray Vacancy Option Registration” menu on the home page.
• Log in to the candidate portal and enter the details for the registration fee.
• Pay the applicable registration fee online.
• Register options for the colleges and courses you want and submit them before October 20, 2026, 6:00 PM.

Planning MBBS Abroad as a Backup?

Candidates who miss a seat in this round can also explore MBBS in Georgia. If you are considering Tbilisi, read our guide to the best hostel in Tbilisi for Indian students.

Helpline

Candidates can call 0471-2332120 or 0471-2338487 for help. Full details of allotment and Government Orders are on www.cee.kerala.gov.in