Checked 25 September 2026. From the Common Prospectus 2026-27 and the HED Phase-I (27.07.2026), flood-revision and Phase-II guidelines. Several official documents disagree on rounds and deadlines; the later guideline is shown as operative.
After the CPET marks, Odisha's P.G. admission is run centrally and online through SAMS: you lock up to ten choices, seats are allotted round by round, and at each allotment you choose what to do with the seat you got. The words the portal uses — Freeze, Float, Slide and, new in 2026, Alter — decide whether you keep a seat or keep waiting. This guide explains them with the 2026 dates.
Where other pages get this wrong
Odisha CPET counselling is centralised and online; physical reporting happens only at the allotted institution and in the waiting-list round.
Commonly published instead: "Mode of counselling: offline."
Choice locking, allotment and the Freeze/Float/Slide decision all happen on the SAMS portal. Candidates report in person only at the institution they were allotted, and in the waiting-list/spot round, where institutions publish their own selected and waitlisted lists.
HED Phase-I and Phase-II guidelines 2026-27; Common Prospectus.
The 2026 timeline
| Step | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Provisional marks; objections | Objections 10 Jul (2 p.m.) – 13 Jul (6 p.m.) |
| Choice locking (and graduation-mark update) | 27 Jul – 2 Aug |
| Round 1 allotment | 7 Aug, 4 p.m.; choose Freeze/Float/Slide and pay the fee 7–11 Aug; only Freeze candidates download the intimation letter and report, 8–11 Aug |
| Round 2 (final selection) allotment | 17 Aug, 4 p.m.; reporting extended to 25 Aug "in view of the prevailing flood situation" |
| Classes begin | 21 Aug |
| Round 3: waiting list / spot | List 28 Aug; physical reporting 29–31 Aug; institution merit lists 2 Sep; admission 3–5 Sep; residual 7–8 Sep |
| Phase-II | Choice locking 12–21 Sep; allotment 24 Sep; reporting 25–28 Sep; waitlisted 29–30 Sep; institution lists 1 Oct; admission 3–5 Oct; residual waitlisted reporting 6–7 Oct; last updation 7 Oct, 9 p.m. |
HED Phase-I guidelines (27.07.2026), the flood revision (Aug 2026) and Phase-II guidelines (Sep 2026).
Our count from 16 May 2026, the last paper in SSB's schedule and answer keys (the SAMS key-dates page still prints 18 May).
Choice locking
You list 1 to 10 options, each a combination of P.G. subject and institution, in order of preference; the portal shows the previous year's cut-off while you fill them. In 2026 you also chose, by OTP, whether you wanted regular seats (no fee under Gyanodaya), self-financing seats (fee payable) or both — and changing that category wipes your preferences. Merit is prepared entrance-subject-wise and state-wide, so your mark in, say, Chemistry competes for every Chemistry seat you list.
What to do when a seat is allotted
| Option | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Freeze | Accept the seat, pay and report — you leave the queue |
| Float | Pay the fee (where applicable) to hold the seat, and stay in line for a better subject at the same institution — no reporting or intimation letter in Round 1 |
| Slide | Pay the fee (where applicable) to hold the seat, and stay in line for a better subject and institution — no reporting or intimation letter in Round 1 |
| Alter (new in 2026, Round 1 only) | If you were allotted your 1st choice and no longer want it, re-edit preferences once and become a fresh applicant — the allotted seat lapses |
| No option chosen, or fee not paid | The seat is treated as rejected and you are out of the subsequent rounds of that phase |
Common Prospectus 2026-27 §7.3; Phase-I guidelines 27.07.2026 (clauses 7–12). A 1st-choice allotment must otherwise be taken; in Round 2 only Freeze is shown. A mistaken choice can be reverted once, by OTP, in Round 1 only — not by someone allotted their 1st choice.
Freeze, Float, Slide — or Alter?
From the Common Prospectus 2026-27 (§7.3) and the Phase-I guidelines of 27.07.2026. Choosing no option means the seat is rejected and you are out of that phase. Phase-II has no Freeze, Float or Slide.
The waiting-list round and Phase-II
Round 3 of Phase-I is the waiting-list / spot round, and it works differently: you report physically at the institution, which publishes its own list of selected and waitlisted candidates (the guidelines give 5 selected to 25 waitlisted as an example; the ratio is the institution's choice), and fees are paid to the institution directly. PwD candidates get first priority up to 5% here.
Phase-II is open to CPET-2026 candidates only, with fresh choice locking, one selection round and one waiting-list round — and no Freeze, Float or Slide, no reservation and no weightage. Whether someone admitted in Phase-I may try Phase-II is contradictory: the prospectus, the advertisement and the FAQ say no, while the 2026 Phase-II guidelines say "Applicants who have already been admitted in Phase-I admission process are also eligible to apply" (bringing a CLC). The Phase-II guideline is the operative one for Phase-II. After SAMS closes, a university may fill leftover seats through its own entrance for non-CPET applicants.
Ordering your ten choices
With only ten options and state-wide merit, the order matters more than the list. A sensible way to use the published cut-offs (our suggestion): put first the combinations you would genuinely take if allotted, even if last year's closing mark was above your score; follow with a few you are likely to get; and end with one or two safe options, such as the same subject at a university or college whose first-round mark closed well below yours. Because a 1st-choice allotment must be taken (or Altered in Round 1 only), never put first a seat you would not accept. And remember that the regular/self-financing choice filters what you can be allotted.
Reporting, documents and refunds
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Documents at reporting | Originals as listed in the intimation letter, 3 photos, residence, income and caste certificates, CLC, conduct certificate, migration (only at the last institution); 10th, +2 and +3 mark sheets; reservation and weightage certificates |
| What the institution keeps | Only the College Leaving Certificate; originals are returned after verification |
| CLC grace (Phase-I) | Prospectus: 30 days; Phase-I guidelines: 15 days — CONFLICT, work to 15 |
| CLC grace (Phase-II) | None, except 7 days for someone "Not Admitted" |
| Who may report | The candidate, or a parent or representative with ID |
| Cancelling an admission | First-year P.G. students who cancel or take a CLC after the reconciliation date and before the closure letter get the admission fee back, less ₹1,000 processing (prospectus ¶29); after closure, no refund |
| Identity | Aadhaar mandatory on the application; APAAR ID asked; DigiLocker integrated (prospectus ¶¶34–35) |
Common Prospectus 2026-27 §9 and admission rules; Phase-I and Phase-II guidelines.
Conflicts in the 2026 documents
| Point | One document says | The other says |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Phase-I rounds | Prospectus: "4 rounds" (and, later, "a maximum of 03 rounds") | Phase-I guidelines: 3 rounds (operative) |
| Phase-I admits in Phase-II | Prospectus, advertisement, FAQ: not eligible | Phase-II guidelines: eligible, with a CLC (operative for Phase-II) |
| Certificate deadline for Phase-I admits | Two months | Phase-I guidelines: 30 days |
| Start of classes | HED letter of Feb 2026: 10 July | Phase-I timeline: 21 August (operative) |
Your SAMS P.G. admission checklist
Tick each step as it happens.
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Practise it, don't just read it
Next year's counselling starts with this year's preparation. Topic quizzes are an easy way to begin.
The ProSyllabus Odisha CPET library has topic quizzes for English, Political Science, Economics, Botany and Commerce — the first one is free.
What is Freeze, Float and Slide in SAMS P.G. admission?
Freeze accepts the allotted seat; Float keeps it while waiting for a better subject at the same institution; Slide keeps it while waiting for a better subject and institution.
What is the Alter option in Odisha P.G. admission?
New in 2026, Round 1 only: a candidate allotted their 1st choice who no longer wants it may re-edit preferences once as a fresh applicant; the allotted seat lapses.
How many choices can I fill in Odisha CPET counselling?
Between 1 and 10 subject-and-institution options.
How many rounds are there in Odisha P.G. admission?
In 2026 Phase-I had three: two selection rounds and a waiting-list/spot round, followed by Phase-II.
Is there reservation in Phase-II?
No. Phase-II has no reservation and no weightage.
Can I apply in Phase-II if I took admission in Phase-I?
The 2026 Phase-II guidelines say yes, with a CLC, although the prospectus says otherwise.
What happens if I do not choose Freeze, Float or Slide?
The seat is treated as rejected and you are out of the later rounds of that phase; Phase-II has fresh choice locking.
Do I get a refund if I cancel my P.G. admission?
A first-year P.G. student who cancels after the reconciliation date and before the closure letter gets the admission fee back less ₹1,000; after closure, nothing.
Do I have to report if I choose Float or Slide?
Not in Round 1. You pay the fee (where applicable) to hold the seat; only Freeze candidates download the intimation letter and report.
When did 2026 P.G. classes start in Odisha?
21 August 2026, per the Phase-I timeline.
What is the College Leaving Certificate grace period?
The prospectus says 30 days for Phase-I admits, the Phase-I guidelines 15 days; in Phase-II there is none, except 7 days for someone "Not Admitted".
Can a parent report for me at the allotted college?
Yes, the Phase-I guidelines allow a parent or representative with ID to report.
Where do I report after allotment?
At the allotted institution, with originals and the CLC, within the reporting window.
Must I accept my first-choice allotment?
Yes, unless you use the Alter option in Round 1, which lets you re-edit your preferences once but lapses the allotted seat.
Is Odisha CPET counselling online or offline?
Online on SAMS; you report in person only at the allotted institution and in the waiting-list round.
More in this series
Sources
- official — HED — Phase-I P.G. admission 2026-27 guidelines and timeline (27.07.2026)
- official — HED — revised Phase-I timeline, flood situation (Aug 2026)
- official — HED — Phase-II P.G. admission 2026-27 guidelines and timeline (Sep 2026)
- official — HED Odisha — Common Prospectus for P.G. admission 2026-27 (linked from the SAMS portal)
- official — HED — objections to provisional marks, CPET-2026 (10.07.2026)
- official — SAMS P.G. — Key Dates 2026-27
- official — HED — Gyanodaya (Shikshya Ru Samruddhi) operational guidelines (07.08.2026)
- official — SAMS P.G. — FAQ
- reported — Careers360 — CPET (reported; see corrections)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
