NEET PG Counselling 2026: Round 1 Registration Begins, Check Schedule, Choice Filling and Round Wise Seat Allotment

Round 1 registration for NEET PG Counselling 2026 has been opened by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), functioning under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, from October 12, 2026. The online process has been made available on the official MCC portal for candidates who qualified in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2026, conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS).

The Round 1 registration and fee payment window is scheduled to run until October 21, 2026, with the seat allotment result tentatively set for October 24, 2026. Candidates are required to complete registration, choice filling and reporting within the prescribed timelines to remain eligible for admission to MD, MS and PG Diploma courses.

NEET PG Counselling 2026 Important Dates (AIQ/Deemed/Central Universities)

Steps to Register for NEET PG Counselling 2026 Round 1

1. Visit the official MCC website at mcc.nic.in and open the PG Medical Counselling section.
2. Click on the NEET PG 2026 counselling registration link under the candidates' activity section.
3. Select New Registration and log in using the NEET PG roll number and the application details.
4. Pay the registration fee and the security deposit, as applicable to the category, through the online payment gateway.
5. Check all details carefully before final submission of the registration form.

Documents Required for NEET PG Counselling 2026

• NEET PG 2026 admit card
• NEET PG 2026 scorecard

Source: mcc.nic.in/pg-medical-counselling 

Reservation of Quotas for NEET PG Counselling 2026

MCC follows central government reservation norms for AIQ seats, deemed university seats, and central institution seats. State quota seats (50% of government college seats, filled through state counselling) follow each state’s own reservation policy — these may differ significantly from the central norms listed below. Always check your state authority’s counselling prospectus for state quota reservation percentages.

The OBC reservation in MCC NEET PG 2026 counselling applies only to OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer) students appearing on the Central OBC list. Students belonging to OBC-Creamy Layer are treated as UR for AIQ counselling. State OBC category certificates are not valid for MCC counselling — the certificate must specifically reference the Central OBC list. Similarly, the 10% EWS quota is separate from the SC/ST/OBC quotas — EWS provides additional reservation for economically weaker UR students and does not reduce existing reserved category shares.

The PwD 5% horizontal reservation operates across all categories: 5% of the UR seats go to UR-PwD students, 5% of OBC-NCL seats to OBC-NCL-PwD students, and so on. This means PwD reservation is not a standalone pool but distributed proportionally within each category’s allocation.

For in-service candidates, most states maintain a fixed in-service quota (typically 30–50% of state quota seats) for government doctors sponsored by the state, administered through state counselling only. These in-service seats are not under MCC’s purview and are separate from AIQ counselling.

How to Apply for NEET PG Counselling 2026?

The MCC NEET PG Counselling 2026 process is entirely online — from registration to seat acceptance. You must register separately for each round you wish to participate in; registration in an earlier round does not carry forward. Registration for Round 2 and the Mop-Up Round is mandatory even for students already holding a seat from a previous round who wish to upgrade. The five-step process below covers the complete counselling workflow.

Step 1: Registration and Application Fee Payment

Visit the official MCC website at mcc.nic.in and navigate to "PG Medical Counselling." Click on "New Registration" and enter your NEET PG 2026 Roll Number, date of birth, email address, and mobile number. Set a password and complete the registration form with personal, academic, and contact details. After submitting the form, pay the non-refundable registration fee and the refundable security deposit in a single transaction using net banking, debit/credit card, or UPI. Download and retain the payment confirmation receipt — it is required during document verification and at college reporting. Your registration is confirmed only after successful payment; a failed or incomplete payment means you are not registered for that round.

Step 2: Document Verification

After completing online registration, you must have your documents verified at a designated MCC verification centre or through the online verification method specified in the 2026 prospectus. Document verification is a mandatory gateway — students who skip verification are ineligible for seat allotment in any round of that cycle. Carry original documents and two sets of self-attested photocopies. MCC verifies your MBBS degree, internship certificate, category certificates, NMC/State Medical Council registration, and identity documents. On successful verification, your portal status updates to "Verified" and you may proceed to choice filling. In-service candidates must present their state-issued sponsorship certificate at this stage.

Step 3: Choice Filling and Locking

During the designated choice-filling window, log in to the MCC portal and go to "Choice Filling and Locking." Browse and add college-course combinations (institution + specialty + degree type) to your preference list. Reorder them using drag-and-drop until your most-preferred option is at the top. Fill at least 15–20 choices to maximise your chances across all rounds. Once satisfied, click "Lock Choices" before the window closes. Choices not locked manually before the deadline are auto-locked by the system in their current order — always lock manually to confirm your intended preference sequence and prevent unintended allotments.

Step 4: Seat Allotment Result

MCC processes all verified, registered students’ locked choices against available seats using a rank-based, preference-order algorithm. The seat allotment result for each round is published on the MCC website and communicated to registered students via email and SMS. Log in to your MCC account to check your allotment. If allotted a seat, review the college name, specialty, degree type, and category before responding. You must select one of three options — Upgrade, Freeze, or Withdraw — within the response window specified in the allotment result notification. Failing to respond within the window is treated as non-acceptance and the seat is released.

Step 5: Joining / Reporting to Allotted College

After accepting your seat, download the allotment letter from the MCC portal and report to the allotted college within the reporting deadline for that round. The reporting deadline is typically 5–7 days after the allotment result is published — missing it results in automatic seat cancellation and security deposit forfeiture. At the college, present all original documents for verification, pay the first-year institutional fees (tuition, caution deposit, hostel charges as applicable), and complete the joining formalities. The college enters your joining confirmation on the MCC portal, which formally locks your seat in the system. If you intend to upgrade in the next round, indicate this on the MCC portal within the next round’s registration window and inform the college in writing.

How to Fill and Lock Choices for NEET PG Counselling 2026

Choice filling is the most consequential step in NEET PG MCC counselling. Your allotment is determined entirely by the order of your preferences and your rank relative to other registered students. A poorly ordered choice list can result in an allotment from a lower preference even when a better option was available at your rank — because the algorithm assigns the highest preference that is available at your rank, working downward. Build your list strategically using last year’s NEET PG closing ranks as a reference.

Step 1: Log In to the MCC Portal

• Go to mcc.nic.in and click "PG Medical Counselling."
• Log in with your Roll Number and registration password.
• Confirm that your document verification status displays "Verified" — you cannot fill choices without this status.

Step 2: Open the Choice Filling Dashboard

• Click "Choice Filling and Locking" from your student dashboard.
• The portal displays all available college-course combinations for the current round, filtered by your eligibility and category.

Step 3: Search, Filter, and Add Preferences

• Use available filters — State, Institute Name, Course Type (MD/MS/Diploma), and Specialty/Subject — to find combinations that interest you.
• Click "Add" next to each combination to move it into your active preference list on the right.
• Use drag-and-drop or the move arrows to reorder choices. Your most-desired specialty and institution must sit at the top.

Step 4: Review and Cross-Check the Full List

• Scroll through your complete list and verify each entry — college type (government/deemed), degree (MD/MS/Diploma), specialty, and state.
• Cross-reference each entry against last year’s NEET PG 2026 AIQ closing ranks for your category to assess whether your rank is competitive.
• Include "safety" options — diploma courses, less-competitive specialties, institutions in different regions — toward the bottom of your list to ensure at least one allotment.

Step 5: Lock Choices Before the Deadline

• Click "Lock Choices" once your preference list is finalised. A confirmation pop-up will appear — click "OK" or "Confirm."
• After locking, the list becomes read-only for that round. Download or screenshot your locked preference list as a record.
• Never rely on auto-lock — always lock manually at least 30 minutes before the deadline to avoid last-minute portal congestion.

Documents Required for NEET PG Counselling 2026

Students must carry the following documents at the time of MCC document verification and at the time of reporting to the allotted college. Carry original documents along with at least two sets of self-attested photocopies — missing or expired documents can disqualify you from the round. The official 2026 document checklist will be published in the MCC prospectus; the list below is based on the 2026 cycle.

• NEET PG 2026 Admit Card (downloaded from the NBEMS portal)
• NEET PG 2026 Score Card / Rank Letter
• MBBS Degree Certificate or Provisional MBBS Pass Certificate
• Compulsory Rotating Residential Internship (CRRI) Completion Certificate — issued by the medical college and university
• Permanent or Provisional Registration Certificate with the NMC / MCI / State Medical Council
• Class 10th (Secondary School) Certificate as proof of date of birth
• Class 12th (Higher Secondary) Certificate and Mark Sheet
• MBBS Mark Sheets — all professional examinations (1st, 2nd, 3rd/Final Year)
• Category Certificate (as applicable):
  • OBC-NCL: Certificate referencing the Central OBC list, issued by competent authority — must not be more than one year old at the date of counselling registration. State OBC certificates are not accepted.
  • SC / ST: Caste certificate from competent authority
  • EWS: Income and Asset Certificate issued in the current financial year (2026–28)
  • PwD: Disability certificate specifying the nature and percentage of disability, issued by a Central / State Government medical board
• NOC / Sponsorship Certificate from State Government (for in-service candidates only)
• Domicile / Nativity Certificate (required by certain states for state quota counselling)
• Migration Certificate from your MBBS university (if applicable — check with your university)
• Recent passport-size photographs — minimum 8, colour background as specified in the MCC 2026 instructions
• Valid Photo Identity Proof: Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, or Driving Licence
• NExT / FMGE Pass Certificate (for Foreign Medical Graduates, where applicable)
• Fee payment receipt / bank transaction receipt from online registration on the MCC portal

Note: OBC-NCL and EWS certificates have validity periods tied to the date of counselling registration. Apply for fresh certificates well in advance — ideally by September–October 2026 — to ensure they are valid when Round 1 registration opens in November 2026.

How Much Money is Needed for NEET PG Counselling 2026?

MCC collects two payment components at registration: a non-refundable processing fee and a refundable security deposit. Both components must be paid during online registration — your registration is not confirmed until the full payment is received. Fee amounts below are projected from the 2025–2026 cycles; MCC may revise these in the official 2026 prospectus. Verify at mcc.nic.in before making any payment.

Non-Refundable Registration Fee

The non-refundable registration fee is a one-time processing charge that is not returned under any circumstance — whether or not you receive a seat allotment, whether you accept or decline, or whether you withdraw from the process. This fee is also charged again if you register separately for the Mop-Up Round.

Refundable Security Deposit

The security deposit is a commitment fee ensuring students honour their seat acceptance. Its refund depends on what action you take after allotment. If you withdraw after accepting a seat, the security deposit is not fully refunded — a deduction is applied as per MCC’s published refund policy for the 2026 cycle. The full deposit is refunded to students who are not allotted any seat, or who are allotted a seat but do not accept it.

Note: Fee amounts above are projected from MCC NEET PG 2025–2026 cycles and are expected values. MCC may revise registration fees and security deposit amounts in the official 2026 prospectus. Confirm at mcc.nic.in before payment.

NEET PG Counselling 2026 Round-Wise Seat Allotment

MCC NEET PG Counselling 2026 is conducted in four sequential rounds. Seats that remain vacant or are surrendered after each round carry forward to the next round — including premium seats freed by students who upgraded to a better option. You must register separately for each round; participation in Round 1 does not automatically include you in Round 2 or the Mop-Up Round.

Students allotted a seat in Round 1 who wish to upgrade in Round 2 must complete two distinct actions: (a) report to the Round 1 allotted college by the reporting deadline, and (b) register separately for Round 2 and indicate Upgrade within the Round 2 registration window. Simply not reporting to the college does not constitute an upgrade request — it results in automatic seat cancellation and security deposit forfeiture.

The Stray Vacancy Round differs structurally from the first three online rounds. Physical presence at a designated MCC or institutional centre is mandatory; seats are allotted on the spot in descending rank order to students present that day. This round typically has limited openings in high-competition specialties like MD General Medicine, MD Radiodiagnosis, and MD Dermatology, but may have wider availability in diploma courses, non-clinical disciplines, and institutes in less-competitive locations.

State counselling for the 50% state quota seats runs on an independent, parallel schedule. If you are participating in both MCC and state counselling simultaneously, keep close track of both sets of reporting and withdrawal deadlines — an overlap can result in accepting two seats simultaneously (which is not permitted) or missing a deadline in one process while dealing with the other.

Reporting to Allotted College After NEET PG Counselling 2026

Reporting to the allotted college converts your online seat acceptance into a confirmed admission. The reporting deadline for each round is announced along with the seat allotment result — typically 5–7 days after allotment publication — and there are no extensions.

• Download your allotment letter from the MCC portal immediately after the result is published. This letter is your formal joining document and must be submitted to the college on day one of reporting.
• Carry all original documents listed in the Documents Required section, along with two sets of self-attested photocopies. The college verifies originals and retains copies.
• Pay the college’s institutional fees — first-year tuition, caution deposit, hostel and mess charges as applicable — and obtain itemised receipts for every payment. Preserve all fee receipts throughout your PG programme.
• The Principal / Dean’s office enters your joining confirmation on the MCC portal. This step formally registers your seat in the system. Without this portal entry, your admission is not confirmed even if you were physically present.
• If you intend to upgrade in the next round: indicate "Upgrade" on the MCC portal during the upgrade-option window for the next round, and inform the college in writing. Your current seat is held until you receive an upgraded allotment — you do not vacate it until that happens. If no upgrade is available, you automatically retain your current seat.
• If you wish to withdraw after joining, obtain a Relieving Letter from the college before the next round’s withdrawal deadline. Without a relieving letter, your name remains on the college’s roll, which can create complications for subsequent rounds and for your state quota counselling eligibility.

Note: Late reporting is not permitted under any circumstances. Contact MCC in writing immediately if you face a genuine emergency preventing timely reporting — there is, however, no guarantee of an extension, and the deadline remains binding.

Upgrade, Freeze, or Withdraw: What Should You Choose?

After receiving your seat allotment in any round, MCC provides three response options. Your choice directly determines whether you participate in subsequent rounds and what happens to your security deposit — selecting the wrong option can cost you a better seat or a portion of your deposit.

The Upgrade option is risk-free from a seat-retention perspective — if MCC cannot find a higher-preference seat for you in the next round, your current seat is preserved automatically. Upgrade is almost always the correct choice unless you have already received your absolute top preference.

If you withdraw after accepting a seat, the seat acceptance fee is not fully refunded — MCC applies a deduction as specified in the refund policy for that cycle. Before withdrawing, confirm you have a formally issued admission letter from the alternative institution. Once you exit MCC counselling, re-entry in the same cycle is not possible.

Students participating simultaneously in MCC and state counselling should be aware that most states bar you from state quota counselling after you accept and join an AIQ seat through MCC. If you prefer your state quota allotment over your MCC allotment, you must withdraw from MCC first (with the associated deposit deduction), then join the state-allotted college. Verify your specific state’s cross-participation policy with the state health authority before making any commitment.