UPTAC 2026 Special Round Counselling: Eligibility, Dates, Cutoff & Fees

UPTAC main counselling rounds are over; however, the special rounds that also allow other state candidates to participate will begin soon. Check everything about the UPTAC special rounds counselling process in detail below.

What is UPTAC 2026 Special Round Counselling?

What is UPTAC 2026 Special Counselling? The special counselling rounds in UPTAC are held for admission to the vacant seats left after the main counselling and internal sliding rounds are over. The seat vacancy for the special round will be out on August 8. There will be two special rounds in UPTAC, and the special Round 1 is divided into two phases. The special round 1 phase 1 registration is over; however, the special round 1 phase 2 registration will start on August 9. The details for Special Round 2 are yet to be released.

UPTAC Special Round 2026: Eligibility

A major highlight of the UPTAC Special Counselling Round is that it offers a great opportunity for out-of-state students. While earlier main rounds generally emphasise UP domicile status, the seats available in the special round counselling are also open to candidates who have passed their qualifying examination from any institution located outside Uttar Pradesh and whose parents (both Father and Mother) are not domiciled in U.P.

So long as these non-domicile candidates satisfy the core academic eligibility conditions detailed in the official UPTAC Information Brochure, they can freely apply and secure admission.

Who is Ineligible to Participate in UPTAC Special Counselling 2026?

The following groups are strictly prohibited from participating:

• Confirmed Seat Holders: Candidates who have confirmed their seats after the last main round of the counselling process are not eligible.

• Non-Withdrawn Seat Allottees: Any candidate who was allotted a seat, paid the seat acceptance fee, but did not exercise a valid withdrawal option cannot appear in this round.

Essentially, if a candidate has already locked in a seat or retained an allotment from earlier stages without officially opting out, they cannot re-enter the special round pool.

UPTAC 2026 Special Round Counselling Dates

Check the dates for UPTAC 2026 special rounds below:

UPTAC Special Round 2026 Fresh Registration

Participation in this round requires a new application process. Fresh registrations are held for the special round. Eligible candidates must complete UPTAC registration for the special round online at uptac.samarth.edu.in by accessing the dedicated link on the website. Applicants must complete the registration form, pay the required counselling fee, and submit fresh college and course choices based on the newly published vacancy list.

The steps to apply for UPTC special round are:

• Access Portal: Visit uptac.samarth.edu.in and click "New Candidate Registration."
• Enter Details: Name, date of birth, email address, create a password, and mobile number.
• OTP Verification: Verify the OTP sent to your mobile number and email ID.
• Read Instructions: Read all details that appear on the screen and click "I Agree".
• Verify using APAAR ID: Candidates need to verify their APAAR ID to proceed with the next step of the application.
•  Complete the form: Fill in Profile Details, upload your photo, signature & other relevant documents. Read the instructions and declaration carefully by clicking the ‘Declaration’ box.
• Submit the form: Preview your application form and submit. 
• Make payment of the fee: Pay the application fee through a Credit/Debit card/Net Banking. A payment confirmation message is sent to you through SMS and email. Press the 'Next' button to see the form preview. The UPTAC special round registration fee is INR 20,000.
• Download the form: After the final submission of the online application form, you may download the filled-in application form and keep a printout for your record.

UPTAC 2026 Special Round Admission Criteria

While in the main rounds of UPTAC counselling, candidates get admission based on national-level entrance exam scores like JEE Main, NATA, CUET, etc; in the special counselling rounds, candidates are allowed to participate based on 10+2 (Class 12) scores. But in special rounds too, priority will be given to candidates with a national-level entrance score.

For example:

For BTech admission via UPTAC 2026 special round, the seat will be allotted in the following order of priority:

1. JEE Mains
2. CUET UG
3. Intermediate (10+2)

Check the table below for course-wise seat allotment priority order in UPTAC special counselling rounds: