AIIMS PG Counselling 2026 is a centralised seat-allocation process conducted by AIIMS New Delhi for postgraduate medical admissions — MD, MS, MDS, DM, MCh and Fellowship programmes — across all 23 Institutes of National Importance (INIs). The process is based on merit in the INI-CET (Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test) and runs twice a year, once for the January session and once for the July session.
- Both the January 2026 and July 2026 session counselling processes have concluded; the Open Round for the July session closed on August 31, 2026.
- All 23 INIs — including 19 AIIMS campuses, JIPMER, PGIMER, NIMHANS and SCTIMST — participate in a single centralised allotment; there is no institute-specific or state-level counselling.
- Approximately 1,131 MD/MS seats across INIs are filled through this counselling each session.
- Counselling runs in four stages: a non-binding Mock Round, followed by Round 1, Round 2, and a final Open Round for stray vacancies.
- All registration, choice filling and seat acceptance take place on the official portal at aiimsexams.ac.in — there is no physical registration window.
What is AIIMS PG Counselling 2026?
AIIMS PG counselling is the centralised seat-allocation process for postgraduate medical admissions at all 23 Institutes of National Importance (INIs) in India. It is conducted by AIIMS New Delhi on behalf of all participating institutes through the INI-CET counselling portal. The process runs twice a year: the January session (based on the November INI-CET exam) and the July session (based on the June INI-CET exam). Both 2026 session counsellings have been completed as of September 2026.
The counselling allocates seats for MD, MS, MDS, DM, MCh and Fellowship programmes across all 23 INIs, which include 19 AIIMS campuses across India, JIPMER Puducherry, PGIMER Chandigarh, NIMHANS Bengaluru and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram. Every seat across every participating institute is filled through a single unified process — there is no separate portal, separate application or institute-level counselling to navigate.
Registering for counselling is mandatory — your INI-CET rank alone does not guarantee a seat.
The four-stage process begins with a non-binding Mock Round that previews your tentative allotment, then moves through two binding rounds (Round 1 and Round 2) and ends with an Open Round for any remaining stray vacancies. After each binding allotment, you choose to Accept and Freeze your seat, Accept and Upgrade into the next round, or Withdraw entirely. All steps — registration, choice filling, seat acceptance and security deposit payment — happen online at aiimsexams.ac.in.
AIIMS PG Counselling 2026 Schedule
AIIMS PG 2026 ran in two sessions. All events in the 2026 cycle have been completed as of September 18, 2026. The table below lists the complete lifecycle in chronological order, with all completed events marked Over. The next cycle — for the January 2027 session — will follow the INI-CET exam expected around November 2026.
| Event | Session | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| INI-CET Exam | January 2026 | November 9, 2025 | Over |
| Result Declaration | January 2026 | December 2025 | Over |
| Mock Round + Round 1 + Round 2 Counselling | January 2026 | December 2025 – January 2026 | Over |
| Open Round Registration and Choice Filling | January 2026 | January 23 – February 7, 2026 | Over |
| Open Round Seat Acceptance and Reporting | January 2026 | February 23 – February 28, 2026 | Over |
| INI-CET Exam | July 2026 | June 8, 2026 | Over |
| Result Declaration | July 2026 | June 19, 2026 | Over |
| Round 1 Choice Filling Closes | July 2026 | June 17, 2026 | Over |
| Round 1 Seat Allotment Result | July 2026 | Late June 2026 | Over |
| Round 2 (INI SS) Allotment Result | July 2026 | July 9, 2026 | Over |
| Open Round Registration and Choice Filling | July 2026 | July 27 – August 3, 2026 | Over |
| Open Round Allotment Result | July 2026 | August 21, 2026 | Over |
| Open Round Seat Acceptance and Reporting | July 2026 | August 22 – August 31, 2026 | Over |
Note: The INI-CET exam for the January 2027 session is expected around November 2026, with applications typically opening in September–October 2026 on aiimsexams.ac.in. Check the official portal for the exact notification date.
AIIMS PG Counselling Eligibility Criteria 2026
To participate in AIIMS PG counselling, you must meet all of the following conditions. Qualifying INI-CET is a necessary starting point, but it is not sufficient on its own — every criterion below must be satisfied independently.
- You must have qualified INI-CET for the relevant session and secured a rank above the cut-off percentile published in the merit list.
- You must hold an MBBS or BDS degree from a university recognised by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for MD/MS/MDS seats. For DM/MCh (super-speciality) seats, you must additionally hold a recognised MD/MS degree.
- You must have obtained a minimum of 55% aggregate marks in MBBS or BDS. For SC and ST students, the minimum threshold is 50%.
- You must have completed a 12-month compulsory rotating internship by the session-specific deadline — July 31 for the July session and January 31 for the January session.
- You must hold a valid NMC or State Medical Council (SMC) registration certificate — permanent or provisional registration is accepted.
- Foreign National, OCI and PIO students are eligible but must possess a valid passport and their respective OCI or PIO card.
- There is no upper age limit for AIIMS PG admissions as a general rule. However, some participating INIs — PGIMER, NIMHANS, JIPMER and SCTIMST — specify their own age limits in their individual session notifications; check each institute’s prospectus before applying.
Note: Eligibility to appear in INI-CET is not the same as eligibility to participate in counselling. Even if you qualified the exam, confirm your internship completion date and your NMC/SMC registration are in order before the counselling registration window opens — missing either disqualifies you for that session.
Reservation of Quotas for AIIMS PG Counselling 2026
AIIMS PG seats are allocated on an All-India basis. There is no domicile quota, home-state quota or management quota at any stage of the process. The reservation framework follows Government of India norms and applies uniformly across all 23 INIs in the centralised pool.
| Category | Reservation Percentage | Type | Key Certificate Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / Unreserved (UR) | 50% | Vertical | No certificate required |
| OBC – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) | 27% | Vertical | OBC-NCL certificate dated on or after April 1, 2026 |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% | Vertical | EWS income and asset certificate for the current financial year |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% | Vertical | SC certificate from competent authority (no expiry) |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% | Vertical | ST certificate from competent authority (no expiry) |
| Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) | 5% | Horizontal (within each vertical category) | PwBD certificate showing ≥40% disability, issued by a Notified Medical Board |
The PwBD reservation is horizontal: it is carved out from within each vertical category pool, not added as additional seats. A PwBD-UR student competes within the UR pool; a PwBD-OBC-NCL student competes within the OBC-NCL pool. The horizontal reservation does not increase the total seat count.
Note: OBC-NCL certificates must be dated on or after April 1 of the exam year; older certificates are rejected even if otherwise valid. EWS certificates must reflect the current financial year. Carry originals at reporting — an outdated certificate results in category downgrade to UR, which may invalidate an allotment made under OBC-NCL quota.
How to Apply for AIIMS PG Counselling 2026?
The entire AIIMS PG counselling process is online. Registration, choice filling, mock round review, seat acceptance and security deposit payment all happen through the INI-CET counselling section on aiimsexams.ac.in. There is no physical window to register. You must complete each stage within its announced deadline — missing a deadline removes you from that round’s allotment pool, and in some cases from the entire session.
Step 1: Online Registration
Visit aiimsexams.ac.in and navigate to the INI-CET Counselling section for the relevant session (January or July). Create your counselling profile by entering your INI-CET roll number, date of birth and registered email address. Upload scanned copies of key documents: your INI-CET scorecard, MBBS/BDS degree or provisional pass certificate, internship completion certificate, NMC/SMC registration certificate and category certificate if applicable. Verify every entry before submitting — corrections after submission may not be permitted within the window.
Step 2: Security Deposit Payment
A security deposit of ₹3,00,000 is required when you accept a seat at any round. Pay through the online payment gateway on the portal using net banking, debit card or credit card. This deposit is fully refundable on completing admission formalities and joining the allotted institute on time. Students who do not receive any allotment also receive a full refund. If you withdraw after accepting a seat or fail to report by the deadline, part or all of the deposit is forfeited — the exact forfeiture amount is specified in the session-specific counselling notification.
Step 3: Choice Filling
Log into the counselling portal and go to the Choice Filling section. Browse the complete list of available institute–course combinations for the session. Add each combination you would consider, ranked in your order of preference — your most desired option must be at position 1. Fill at least 15–20 choices to maximise your chances across all rounds. You can edit your choices any number of times until the choice-filling window closes. Once you lock your choices, no further changes are permitted for that round.
Step 4: Mock Round
Before Round 1, AIIMS releases a non-binding Mock Round result. This simulates what your allotment would be based on your current locked choices and your rank — it does not require any acceptance, payment or action. The sole purpose is to let you review your list and adjust it if the tentative allotment does not match your expectations. After reviewing the Mock Round result, you can modify and re-lock your choices before the final Round 1 deadline.
Step 5: Seat Allotment and Acceptance
Round 1 and Round 2 seat allotment results are released on dates published in the official counselling schedule. After each allotment, log in to the portal and choose one of three options within the stated deadline: Accept and Freeze (confirm the seat permanently and exit all future rounds), Accept and Upgrade (hold the current seat while competing for a higher preference in the next round), or Withdraw (exit the counselling process entirely). If you receive no allotment in Round 1, you automatically participate in Round 2 without any additional action. The Open Round is the final stage for remaining stray vacancies.
How to Lock Choices (Step-by-Step Guide)
Step 1: Log In to the Counselling Portal
- Go to aiimsexams.ac.in and click on the INI-CET Counselling link for your session.
- Enter your roll number and password to access your counselling dashboard.
Step 2: Open the Choice Filling Page
- Click "Choice Filling and Locking" from the left-side menu on your dashboard.
- The page displays all available institute–course combinations for the current session.
Step 3: Add and Order Your Choices
- Search by institute name, course or speciality to find the combinations you want.
- Click "Add" next to each combination you wish to include.
- Use the drag-and-drop interface or the up/down arrows to reorder — your most preferred combination must be at position 1.
Step 4: Review Before Locking
- Carefully read through your complete ordered list before locking.
- Cross-check the Mock Round tentative result against your current order and adjust if needed.
Step 5: Lock Your Choices
- Click "Lock Choices" once you are satisfied with your list and order.
- A confirmation pop-up appears — confirm to finalise your choices.
- Save or print the confirmation page for your records.
Once confirmed, your choices are locked and cannot be changed for that round. The allotment algorithm assigns a seat by running down your locked list in strict order until it finds the highest preference for which a seat is available at your rank.
| Action | Deadline | Consequence of Missing |
|---|---|---|
| Choice Filling Window Opens | Announced on portal | N/A — start of window |
| Choice Filling Close / Lock | Announced on portal (typically 5 PM) | Choices not locked means exclusion from that round’s allotment |
| Seat Acceptance — Round 1 / Round 2 | Within 48–72 hours of allotment result | Allotted seat cancelled; risk of exclusion from subsequent round |
| Security Deposit Payment | Along with seat acceptance | Acceptance is not confirmed without payment — seat lapses |
| Physical Reporting to Allotted Institute | As stated in allotment letter | Treated as withdrawal; seat cancelled and deposit may be forfeited |
AIIMS PG Counselling Documents Required 2026
Scanned copies are uploaded at the online registration stage. Originals along with two sets of self-attested photocopies are mandatory at the time of physical reporting to your allotted institute. Missing even one original at reporting can result in admission being cancelled at the document verification stage.
- INI-CET 2026 Admit Card — for the session (January or July) you appeared in
- INI-CET 2026 Scorecard / Rank Letter — downloaded from aiimsexams.ac.in after result declaration
- MBBS / BDS Degree Certificate or Provisional Pass Certificate issued by your university
- MBBS / BDS Mark Sheets — all years and semesters
- Internship Completion Certificate — issued by your medical college or the attached hospital where internship was completed
- NMC / State Medical Council (SMC) Registration Certificate — permanent or provisional registration
- OBC-NCL Certificate (dated on or after April 1, 2026), EWS Certificate (current financial year), or SC / ST Certificate from competent authority — whichever applies to your category
- PwBD Disability Certificate from a Notified Medical Board, showing ≥40% disability — required only if claiming PwBD reservation
- Valid Government-Issued Photo ID — Aadhaar card, passport, voter ID or driving licence
- Recent Colour Passport-Size Photographs — minimum 6 copies
- Security Deposit Payment Confirmation — transaction reference number or bank challan (required at reporting stage)
- No Objection Certificate (NOC) — required only if you are currently employed in a central or state government service
- Valid Passport and OCI / PIO Card — required only for Foreign National, OCI or PIO students
Note: Carry originals plus two self-attested photocopies of every document listed above. Incomplete documentation at reporting — even for a single item — can result in the cancellation of your admission at the verification stage, with no recourse.
How Much Money is Needed for AIIMS PG Counselling 2026?
AIIMS PG counselling does not charge a separate registration fee or a choice-filling fee. The only payment collected during counselling itself is the security deposit, which is triggered at the seat-acceptance stage. The INI-CET application fee — charged at the time of applying for the exam — is separate from counselling and is non-refundable.
Non-Refundable Fees
| Fee Component | Category | Amount | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| INI-CET Application Fee (exam stage — paid before counselling) | General / OBC-NCL / EWS | ₹1,500 | Paid at exam application; non-refundable regardless of outcome |
| SC / ST | ₹1,200 | ||
| Counselling Registration Fee | All categories | Nil | No fee charged for counselling registration or choice filling on the portal |
| Security Deposit — forfeited portion on withdrawal after acceptance | All categories | Part or full of ₹3,00,000 | Non-refundable if you withdraw after accepting a seat or fail to report within the deadline; exact forfeiture amount specified in session notification |
Refundable Fees
| Fee Component | Amount | Refund Condition | Refund Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Deposit | ₹3,00,000 | Fully refunded on completing joining and admission formalities at the allotted institute on time. Also fully refunded to students who received no allotment in any round. | Processed after institute-level verification; typically within a few weeks of joining |
If you withdraw after accepting a seat, the seat acceptance fee is not fully refunded. The amount forfeited depends on the stage at which you withdraw. Read the official fee and refund policy in the session-specific counselling notification on aiimsexams.ac.in before making any acceptance decision — the rules can vary between the January and July session notifications.
Upgrade, Freeze, and Withdraw: What to Choose?
After each binding round’s allotment result, you must log in to the counselling portal and respond within the stated acceptance deadline. You have three options. The choice you make shapes both your admission outcome and your financial exposure.
| Option | What It Means | Best Suited For | Financial Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accept and Freeze | You accept the allotted seat permanently and exit all future rounds of the session | You are satisfied with the allotted seat and want no risk of losing it in a subsequent round | Security deposit of ₹3,00,000 required immediately; refunded in full on joining |
| Accept and Upgrade | You hold the current seat as a confirmed fallback but remain in the pool to compete for a higher-preference seat in the next round | You want a better institute or speciality but need a confirmed backup in case no upgrade materialises | Security deposit required now; if upgraded in Round 2, your Round 1 seat is automatically released — no extra payment; if not upgraded, the Round 1 seat stands |
| Withdraw | You exit the counselling process for the session entirely | You no longer wish to take a PG seat at any of the 23 INIs this session — perhaps because of admission elsewhere or a personal decision | Security deposit forfeited if it was paid; no re-entry to the same session’s counselling is permitted |
- If you receive no allotment in Round 1, you automatically participate in Round 2 — no login action is required.
- Students who choose Accept and Freeze in Round 1 are removed from the upgrade pool and do not participate in Round 2.
- If you choose Accept and Upgrade in Round 1 but get no better seat in Round 2, your Round 1 seat is confirmed automatically — you do not need to re-accept it.
- Students who take no action within the acceptance deadline are treated as having withdrawn; their allotted seat is cancelled and any paid deposit may be forfeited.
- The Open Round is the final opportunity for stray vacancies — eligibility criteria for the Open Round are specified in each session’s counselling notification and may differ from the main rounds.
Note: Inaction within the acceptance deadline is treated as withdrawal — it is not a neutral choice. If you are allotted a seat and do not respond, you lose the seat and your security deposit. Always log in before the acceptance window closes, even if only to withdraw formally.
FAQs
Ques: Who conducts AIIMS PG counselling?
Ans: AIIMS New Delhi conducts AIIMS PG counselling centrally on behalf of all 23 Institutes of National Importance (INIs). This covers 19 AIIMS campuses across India plus JIPMER Puducherry, PGIMER Chandigarh, NIMHANS Bengaluru and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram. The official portal for all counselling activity is aiimsexams.ac.in.
Ques: Is there a separate counselling process for each AIIMS campus?
Ans: No. AIIMS PG counselling is fully centralised. All 23 INI seats are filled through a single, unified process run by AIIMS New Delhi. You fill choices for all institutes simultaneously through one portal, and the allotment engine assigns a seat based on your rank and your choice order. You do not apply separately to individual campuses or attend separate institute-level counselling sessions.
Ques: How many rounds does AIIMS PG counselling have?
Ans: AIIMS PG counselling runs in four stages per session:
- Mock Round — non-binding preview of your tentative allotment; no payment or acceptance needed
- Round 1 — first binding allotment; you must accept, upgrade or withdraw within the deadline
- Round 2 — second binding allotment, including upgrade results from Round 1
- Open Round (Stray Vacancy Round) — final round for any remaining unfilled seats
Ques: Is there any registration fee for AIIMS PG counselling?
Ans: No. AIIMS PG counselling does not charge a registration fee or a choice-filling fee. The only financial requirement during counselling is the security deposit of ₹3,00,000, which is collected only when you accept a seat. This amount is fully refundable if you join the allotted institute on time. Students who receive no allotment also receive a full refund.
Ques: What happens if I accept a seat and then decide to withdraw?
Ans: Withdrawing after accepting a seat results in forfeiture of part or all of your ₹3,00,000 security deposit. The exact amount forfeited is specified in the session-specific counselling notification — it can vary between the January and July sessions. You are also excluded from re-entering that session’s counselling process. Similarly, failing to report to the allotted institute by the reporting deadline is treated as withdrawal and carries the same financial consequence.
Ques: Can I participate in AIIMS PG counselling if my internship is not yet complete?
Ans: No. Your 12-month compulsory rotating internship must be fully completed by the session deadline — July 31 for the July session and January 31 for the January session. Students who have not met this deadline are not eligible for counselling in that session, even if they have qualified INI-CET and appear on the rank list. You would need to wait for the next session.
Ques: What is the difference between Accept and Freeze and Accept and Upgrade?
Ans: Both options confirm your current allotted seat and require the security deposit. The distinction lies in what happens next:
- Accept and Freeze: Your seat is finalised permanently. You exit all future rounds and cannot receive an upgrade. This is the safer option if you are fully satisfied with your allotment.
- Accept and Upgrade: Your seat is held as a confirmed fallback, but you also compete in the next round for a higher-preference seat. If a better seat is allotted in Round 2, your Round 1 seat is released automatically. If no better seat is found, your Round 1 seat stands. This option carries no extra financial risk but does leave your current seat conditionally held rather than fully locked.
Ques: Is there a home-state or domicile quota for AIIMS PG admissions?
Ans: No. All AIIMS PG seats across all 23 INIs are allocated on a purely All-India merit basis. There is no domicile quota, home-state quota or management quota at any participating institute. The only reservations applied are the Government of India vertical categories (UR, OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST) and the 5% horizontal reservation for PwBD students, both of which apply uniformly across all INIs.
Ques: What documents must I carry to physical reporting?
Ans: Carry originals and two sets of self-attested photocopies of the following at the time of reporting to your allotted institute:
- INI-CET admit card and scorecard/rank letter
- MBBS/BDS degree or provisional certificate and all year/semester mark sheets
- Internship completion certificate
- NMC/SMC registration certificate (permanent or provisional)
- Category certificate (OBC-NCL/EWS/SC/ST — current-year where required)
- PwBD certificate from Notified Medical Board (if applicable)
- Valid government photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or voter ID)
- 6 recent passport-size colour photographs
- Security deposit payment confirmation
- NOC from employer (if in government service)
Note: Missing even one original document at the reporting stage can lead to cancellation of admission with no recourse. Verify your document checklist against the official session notification before travelling to the institute.
Ques: When is the next AIIMS PG counselling after the July 2026 session?
Ans: The next counselling cycle will be for the January 2027 session, linked to the INI-CET exam expected around November 2026. Based on the established cycle, the November exam result is typically declared in December, and counselling rounds (Mock, Round 1, Round 2, Open Round) run from December through February. Applications for the November 2026 exam are expected to open in September–October 2026 on aiimsexams.ac.in — check the portal for the exact notification.
Ques: How many seats are available in AIIMS PG counselling per session?
Ans: Approximately 1,131 MD/MS seats are available across all 23 INIs each session. The total count rises when DM/MCh super-speciality seats and MDS dental seats are added. AIIMS New Delhi holds the largest share of seats; newer AIIMS campuses have smaller intakes that increase gradually year on year. The exact session-wise seat matrix — listing each institute, each speciality and seats by category — is published on the official portal before counselling begins each session.
Ques: What is the INI SS allotment and how is it different from regular counselling rounds?
Ans: INI SS refers to the super-speciality (DM/MCh) allotment that runs alongside or as part of Round 2 of the main counselling process. It covers seats in super-speciality programmes — DM (Doctorate of Medicine) and MCh (Magister Chirurgiae) — at participating INIs. Eligibility requires a recognised MD or MS degree in the relevant specialty, unlike the main MD/MS rounds that require an MBBS. In the July 2026 session, the INI SS allotment result was released on July 9, 2026, as part of the Round 2 stage.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is compiled from official notifications published on aiimsexams.ac.in and publicly available sources. Dates, fees, eligibility conditions and reservation rules are subject to change in each session’s official notification. Always verify the latest details directly on the official portal before taking any action related to your admission.
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