Chaotic scenes unfolded at the Karnataka Examinations Authority office as hundreds of students queued up to surrender coveted seats in top-tier institutions, aiming to qualify for the upcoming third round of seat allotment.

According to admission rules, candidates declining their round-two allotment must formally relinquish their secured admissions before they can be considered for the subsequent phase.

This high-risk strategy has triggered an unprecedented surge in cancellation requests, leaving officials overwhelmed as ambitious students chase their dream courses.