From the year 2012, Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) has introduced a new online SINGLE window counselling process. With this process in action, a student will not have to go to the counselling centre half a dozen times and nor worry about applying to separate courses with different forms. KEA has setup 12 helpline centres across the state where the student will have to just verify the documents and pay the fees.

Before doing any of that, you should be armed with the knowledge of various courses & colleges you might want to apply to. Once you have your ranks in hand all you have to do is follow these simple steps...

STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED:

• Go to one of the 12 helpline centres and get your documents verified. You'll need quite a few documents, so fortunately we have an exhaustive list below.
• On verification of documents, you'll receive these 4 things:
  1. Verification Slip 2. Unique Keyword needed for logging in KEA's website 3. Instruction Manual & User Handbook (soft copy of which is available online at KEA Website 4. Audio Visual DVD.
• Next, you have to fill the online priority form with the colleges & streams you wish to apply for in order of your preferences. The number of choices is not limited so you can fill in as many options as you want. If you're eligible for more than one type of course (for example, if you're eligible for both, medical and engineering), you have to mark your options on the same form itself, again in the order of preference. Medical colleges and engineering colleges do not need to be grouped together; you can fill it any way you like.
• The online form can either be filled with the guidance of people at the Helpline centres if you're not comfortable using computers or at your own house if no assistance is required.
• The form filling is the same for both, the Admission Round and the Casual Vacancy Round.

ADMISSION ROUND:

You'll be allotted seats according to your merit & order of preference.

For example if you give priority 1 to medical (BMC, Bangalore) then you shouldn't give 1 to any other course or college. Another college/course combination should be assigned 2, 3, 4.... priorities (Eg RVCE - ECE - 2, RVCE - Architecture - 3, PESIT - CSE - 4 & so on).

Once entry of options are completed, KEA will come out with mock allotment based on real data.

Two days' time will be given to verify the status of their allotment. Here, you can change/modify the options allotted within the stipulated date and time. Then based on the modified entry of options the real allotment will be carried out.

NOTE: Due to change in the options by candidates after Mock Allotment, one may not get the same seat in the real allotment as was allotted in the mock allotment.

After the first round, you have three options:

1. If you're satisfied with the allotted option, you can join the college you have been allotted. To complete the procedure you need to pay the prescribed fees in the Helpline centre, obtain the admission order and report to your college. You will NOT be eligible for any subsequent counselling rounds.

2. If you're satisfied with the allotted option, but you feel you could get a better college, then you can seek better options afresh in the next round. If you're allotted a new college then your earlier option gets cancelled automatically otherwise you still have the earlier option in hand.

3. If you're not satisfied with the allotted seat and wish to try again with new options in the next round, you can surrender the seat and apply afresh for the next round.

This is repeated for the 2nd and the 3rd round. The seats which are not allotted are again put back into the pool. A student is not bound by the same options for all the 3 rounds, he can change the list after each round.

CASUAL VACANCY ROUND:

After the Admission Rounds, all vacant reserved seats are converted to general category seats, and a new list of available seats is made. If you haven't been allotted a college, or if you have but would like to try your luck for a better college, then you're eligible for this round. However, you'll have to let go of the college you have in hand, and will have to submit a fresh list. Also, you cannot switch streams, ie, you can't switch from, say, medical to engineering. You can, however, switch courses (such as electronics and computers) within the same stream.

List of Documents needed at helpline centres:

1. SSLC / 10th standard Marks Card
2. 2nd PUC / 12th standard Marks Card of the candidate
3. Candidate’s Study (Passing) Certificate / Transfer Certificate
4. If claiming Rural quota: - Rural Study Certificate
5. If claiming Kannada Medium quota: Kannada Medium Study Certificate
6. If claiming reservation benefits: Caste / Caste Income Certificate issued by Concerned Tahsildar as per the prescribed format.

Students not belonging to quota 'a' would be required to furnish some additional documents such as domicile certificates, transfer certificate etc.