Block engineering seats but fail to take admission? KEA to impose heavy penalties

In a major move to curb the rampant seat blocking scam, the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has introduced strict new rules this year. Students who block engineering seats but fail to take admission will now face heavy penalties. KEA has warned that those who cancel their seats at the final stage will be fined five times the normal fees and will face a three-year ban from appearing in CET exams.

Also Read: KEA introduces strict measures to prevent exam malpractices in CET

Previously, students could download their college admission letters after paying the prescribed fee, but KEA often lacked clarity on whether the students actually joined the colleges. As a result, seats were wrongly considered vacant for the next counseling rounds, creating chaos.

To tackle this, KEA will now issue a Seat Confirmation Letter instead of a direct admission letter. Students allotted seats must report to the respective college for a mandatory period. If they fail to do so, their seats will be marked as vacant and offered to other candidates in subsequent rounds.

The new system is a clear warning: block a seat irresponsibly, and your academic future could be ruined. KEA’s master plan aims to ensure greater transparency and discipline in the seat allocation process, making it harder for students to manipulate the system.

Students are urged to be cautious — one wrong move could cost them dearly.