After AP NEET 2026 Round 1 seat allotment, students must log in to apdhte.nic.in and select either Upgrade to compete for a better seat in Round 2, or Freeze to permanently confirm their allotted seat at TRIHMS or another state quota college.
The Directorate of Higher and Technical Education (DHTE), Arunachal Pradesh, conducts NEET UG counselling for 85 state quota MBBS seats at Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS), Naharlagun. Once Round 1 allotment results are published on apdhte.nic.in, every allotted student must report to their college and exercise the upgrade or freeze option before the deadline to protect their admission.
- TRIHMS offers 100 total MBBS seats; 85 are filled through DHTE state quota counselling.
- AP NEET 2026 counselling is conducted across four rounds: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and Stray Vacancy Round.
- Choosing Upgrade releases your Round 1 seat and enters you into the Round 2 allotment pool.
- Choosing Freeze permanently locks your admission — you are not considered for any further round.
- Failure to report to your allotted college within the deadline is treated as withdrawal from counselling.
- A non-refundable counselling fee of ₹5,000 is payable at the time of registration.
| Direct Link to AP NEET 2026 Counselling Portal (ACTIVE) — apdhte.nic.in |
What Upgrade and Freeze Mean in AP NEET 2026 Counselling
After DHTE publishes Round 1 seat allotment results, every allotted student must log in to the portal and select one of two options before the response window closes:
| Option | What It Means | Effect on Your Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade | You want a higher-preference college or course and agree to participate in Round 2 | Your Round 1 seat is released back into the allotment pool; you re-enter Round 2 with updated choices |
| Freeze | You are satisfied with your Round 1 allotted seat at TRIHMS or the state quota college | Admission is permanently confirmed; you are not considered for Round 2 or any further round |
Freeze is an irreversible decision. Once you freeze your seat and complete joining formalities, you cannot re-enter subsequent rounds under any circumstance. Choose Upgrade only if you are prepared to forfeit your Round 1 seat and compete again in Round 2.
How to Upgrade Your Seat After Round 1 Allotment
Students who want a better college or course preference than their Round 1 allotment should follow these steps on the DHTE portal:
- Report to your Round 1 allotted college within the specified deadline carrying all original documents for verification.
- Complete document verification at the allotted college as required by the institution authorities.
- Log in to apdhte.nic.in using your NEET Roll Number and registered credentials.
- Select "Willing to Upgrade" on the portal before the response window closes.
- Re-register for Round 2 counselling and rearrange your college and course preference list to reflect your updated choices.
- Lock your updated choices before the Round 2 choice-filling deadline.
- Await Round 2 allotment results announced on apdhte.nic.in.
- If a better seat is allotted in Round 2, obtain a relieving letter from your Round 1 college — this document is mandatory before joining the upgraded college.
- Report to the new college with the relieving letter and all original documents within the Round 2 joining deadline.
The relieving letter from your Round 1 college is mandatory to join any upgraded seat. You cannot complete admission at a new college without it. Your Round 1 seat is automatically cancelled once you join the upgraded college.
How to Freeze Your Seat After Round 1 Allotment
Students satisfied with their TRIHMS or other state quota seat allotted in Round 1 should follow these steps to freeze it permanently:
- Download your Round 1 allotment letter by logging in to apdhte.nic.in after results are announced.
- Log in to the portal and select the "Freeze" option within the response window.
- Report to your allotted college with all original documents on or before the joining deadline.
- Pay the admission fee at the college and complete all joining formalities.
- Your seat is permanently secured. You will not appear in Round 2, Round 3, or the Stray Vacancy Round allotments.
Students who freeze will not be eligible for any further upgrades even if a higher-preference seat becomes vacant in later rounds. Choose Freeze only when you are certain about the allotted seat.
Documents Required When Reporting to Allotted College
Carry these documents in original along with self-attested photocopies when reporting to your Round 1 allotted college to exercise the upgrade or freeze option:
| Document | Details |
|---|---|
| NEET UG 2026 Admit Card | Issued by NTA; original required |
| NEET UG 2026 Score Card / Rank Letter | Issued by NTA after result declaration |
| Class 10 Certificate and Marksheet | For date of birth verification |
| Class 12 Certificate and Marksheet | Physics, Chemistry, Biology marks required |
| Domicile / Permanent Residential Certificate (PRC) | Issued by competent authority in Arunachal Pradesh; mandatory for state quota eligibility |
| APST Certificate (if applicable) | For students claiming APST reservation category |
| Category / Caste Certificate | SC/ST/OBC as applicable, issued by competent authority |
| Passport Size Photographs | 8 copies; same as used on the application form |
| Valid Photo ID Proof | Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, Passport, or Driving Licence |
| AP NEET 2026 Allotment Letter | Downloaded from apdhte.nic.in after Round 1 results |
Key Rules Before Deciding to Upgrade or Freeze
- Non-reporting equals withdrawal: If you do not report to your Round 1 allotted college within the deadline and do not select Upgrade or Freeze on the portal, DHTE treats you as having withdrawn. You lose eligibility for all subsequent rounds.
- No reversal after Freeze: The Freeze decision is permanent. Once you freeze and join the college, you cannot re-enter the counselling pool for Round 2 or beyond.
- Upgrading carries risk: If you opt to Upgrade, your Round 1 seat is released immediately. If you do not receive a seat in Round 2, you remain eligible for Round 3 and the Stray Vacancy Round.
- Relieving letter is mandatory for upgraded seats: Students joining an upgraded seat must obtain a relieving letter from their Round 1 college before reporting to the new college.
- APST reservation applies: 80% of TRIHMS state quota seats are reserved for APST students. Non-APST students compete for the remaining 20% only.
- Counselling fee is non-refundable: The ₹5,000 registration fee is non-refundable regardless of outcome or withdrawal at any stage.
AP NEET 2026 Counselling Rounds at a Glance
| Round | Purpose | Who Participates |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | First allotment from the registered pool | All registered students |
| Round 2 | Second allotment using seats released by Round 1 upgrades and non-joiners | Students who selected Upgrade in Round 1; Round 1 non-allotted students |
| Round 3 | Third allotment from remaining unfilled seats | Students who upgraded in Round 2; previously non-allotted students |
| Stray and Special Stray Vacancy Round | Fills remaining vacant seats after Rounds 1, 2, and 3 | Eligible students from the waiting list; announced separately on apdhte.nic.in |
After all four rounds, any remaining vacant seats at TRIHMS may be surrendered to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for the All India Quota mop-up round. Students should monitor apdhte.nic.in regularly for the official schedule and round-specific deadlines.
AP NEET Counselling 2026 Upgrade Freeze FAQs
Ques. What happens if I select Upgrade but do not get a seat in Round 2?
Ans. If you select Upgrade and are not allotted a seat in Round 2, your Round 1 seat is already released. You remain eligible for Round 3 and the Stray Vacancy Round. Keep monitoring apdhte.nic.in for further allotment notifications and deadlines.
Ques. Can I change my decision after selecting Freeze?
Ans. No. The Freeze decision is permanent. Once you freeze your seat and complete joining formalities at the allotted college, you are not eligible for any subsequent round of AP NEET 2026 counselling under any circumstances.
Ques. Is the ₹5,000 AP NEET 2026 counselling fee refunded if I do not get a seat?
Ans. No. The ₹5,000 registration fee is non-refundable regardless of whether a seat is allotted, whether you choose to upgrade, or whether you withdraw at any stage of the AP NEET 2026 counselling process.
Ques. Is a relieving letter required to join an upgraded seat?
Ans. Yes. A relieving letter issued by your Round 1 allotted college is mandatory before you can join any college allotted in Round 2 or beyond. You must obtain this document from Round 1 college authorities before reporting to the upgraded college.
Ques. How many MBBS seats are available at TRIHMS through AP NEET 2026 counselling?
Ans. TRIHMS, Naharlagun has 100 total MBBS seats. Of these, 85 seats are filled through DHTE state quota counselling — 80% reserved for APST students and 20% for Non-APST students — and 15 seats fall under the All India Quota managed by MCC.
Ques. What if I fail to report to my Round 1 allotted college?
Ans. If you do not report to your Round 1 allotted college within the specified deadline and do not select Upgrade or Freeze on the portal, DHTE treats you as withdrawn from the counselling process. You lose eligibility for all remaining rounds of AP NEET 2026 counselling.
Comments