BDS is a specialized undergraduate dental course that focuses on students who aspire to become dentists and oral healthcare experts. The Karnataka BDS admissions are conducted based on NEET scores. The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) is the central authority that conducts the counselling and seat allotment process for both government and private BDS colleges across the state.
The candidates can opt to enroll in many BDS colleges in Karnataka, such as the Government Dental College & Research Institute, Bangalore, and the Manipal College of Dental Sciences. The admission process begins with NEET registration and culminates with KEA counselling, where students can opt for government, private, or deemed university seats based on their merit and category.
Karnataka BDS Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who are interested in applying for BDS admission in Karnataka should fulfill the following eligibility criteria:
- Candidates must have completed 10+2 (or equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/ Biotechnology, and English as compulsory subjects.
- They should have scored a minimum aggregate marks of 50% for the general category, 40% for SC/ST/OBC (Karnataka residents) and 45% for PwD candidates.
- They must have qualified for NEET UG with the required cutoff percentile.
- Candidates must be at least 17 years old.
- They should have a domicile of Karnataka for government quota seats under KEA.
Karnataka BDS Entrance Exams
BDS admission in Karnataka is based primarily on national-level entrance exams i.e, NEET. However, some deemed universities and private institutions conduct their own counselling rounds post-NEET.
BDS Colleges in Karnataka
Here are some of the top BDS Colleges in Karnataka along with the BDS fees:
Karnataka BDS Admission Process 2025
The BDS admission process in Karnataka is handled by KEA, which conducts centralized counselling based on NEET UG scores for government, private, and NRI quota seats. Here is the detailed admission process for BDS admission in Karnataka dental colleges.
Step 1: Candidates need to register themselves for NEET UG by visiting the official website of the NEET UG NTA.
Step 2: The candidates need to fill in the required details in the application form.
Step 3: Upload the scanned copy of the documents required and submit the form.
Step 4: Appear for the entrance exam and wait for the results.
Step 5: The candidates now have to visit the official KEA website and register for BDS counselling in Karnataka.
Step 6: Fill the form and upload the required documents.
Step 7: The candidates will have to log in to the KEA portal, select preferred BDS colleges in Karnataka based on NEET score, and lock choices before the deadline.Step 8: KEA will release the seat allotment results based on NEET ranks, choices, and reservation criteria.
Step 9: The candidates who have been allotted a seat will have to pay the admission fee through the KEA portal and report to the allotted dental college in Karnataka with the original documents.
Documents Required
The list of documents required at the time of admission includes:
- NEET Scorecard
- 10th and 12th Mark Sheets
- Transfer Certificate (TC)
- Domicile/Resident Certificate (if applicable)
- Caste/Category Certificate (if applicable)
- Aadhar Card
- Passport-size photographs
The admission into the MBBS course in Karnataka will also be similar. Also, checkMBBS course.
Karnataka BDS Admission FAQs
What is the process for the BDS admission in Karnataka?
The students wanting to pursue BDS in Karnataka 2025 will need to take NEET UG 2025 and then contribute to the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) counselling process. The NEET scores are strictly used to take admission to the BDS colleges in Karnataka.
Can I enroll in the BDS colleges in Karnataka without NEET?
No, NEET is mandatory to study BDS in all the colleges of Karnataka both government and deemed as well as private universities under the instruction of DCI and NMC. The candidates are required to appear and qualify for the NEET UG exam.
What are the number of BDS seats of Karnataka?
Karnataka also has more than 2800 + BDS seats divided among 30+ twenty-five dentistry colleges, government and non-government and deemed colleges. There is certain type of reservation on these seats, that will be divided among the students of variosu categories.
How much is the course fee on BDS in Karnataka private colleges?
BDS fee in the Karnataka state varies according to the type of institutes and seats types (Management / NRI / government quota) and the varying fee ranges are in between INR 4,00, 000- 8,00, 000 per annum in the Karnataka BDS private colleges.
Are students outside the state called Karnataka allowed to apply to BDS in the state?
Yes, students, who are the residents of other states can apply to be admitted to BDS in private and deemed universities in Karnataka using NEET UG. But, seats through government quotas through KEA counselling are mostly allocated to domicile candidates of Karnataka. The Non-Karnataka students have an option of open/management or NRI quotas seats.
How does counselling of the private BDS colleges done in Karnataka?
KEA does the counselling of the Karnataka based institutions and respective universities (e.g. Manipal, NITTE, KLE) do the counselling of their respective deemed universities on the selection of the students to the private BDS colleges in the state of Karnataka. Candidates should be enrolled at either KEA or university websites, validate documents, and be subjected to the choice filled and seat offered rounds online after their NEET UG results.
