The Medical Counselling Committee on Friday released the complete schedule for online counselling and seat allotment for NEET-UG 2026, laying out a compressed timeline that will see seats filled across four rounds between August and October.
The schedule governs approximately 15 percent of All India Quota seats and 100 percent of positions at Deemed and Central universities, including AIIMS and JIPMER institutions in Puducherry and Karaikal. The counselling will allocate seats in MBBS, BDS and B.Sc. Nursing programs.
To meet the tight timeline, all Saturday and Sunday holidays and Gazetted Holidays are classified as working days.
What candidates need to know
The counselling process unfolds in four distinct phases. Candidates who secure a seat in earlier rounds can choose to participate in later rounds to potentially upgrade their college or course selection. Those without seats after Round 3 get one final opportunity in the Stray Vacancy round.
Each round follows the same process: registration and payment, choice filling and locking, seat allotment processing, result declaration, and a joining period ranging from five to eight days.
Candidates must complete all steps within specified windows. Missing even a single deadline in choice filling or locking means sitting out that round.
Timeline at a glance
Round 1 (Aug. 4-23): Registration Aug. 5-12, choice filling Aug. 6-13, results Aug. 17, joining Aug. 18-22.
Round 2 (Aug. 24 – Sept. 9): Registration Aug. 25-29, choice filling Aug. 25-30, results Sept. 2, joining Sept. 3-8.
Round 3 (Sept. 10-27): Registration Sept. 11-15, choice filling Sept. 11-16, results Sept. 18, joining Sept. 19-26.
Stray Vacancy Round (Sept. 27 – Oct. 10): Registration Sept. 28-30, choice filling Sept. 28-30, results Oct. 3, joining Oct. 4-10.
Key dates and deadlines
| Phase | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration closes | Aug. 12, Aug. 29, Sept. 15, Sept. 30 | 3 p.m. server time each round |
| Payment deadline | Aug. 12, Aug. 29, Sept. 15, Sept. 30 | 6 p.m. server time each round |
| Choice filling ends | Aug. 13, Aug. 30, Sept. 16, Sept. 30 | 11 a.m./p.m. server time per round |
| Choice locking window | Starts 4 p.m. day before choice closing | Ends at same time as choice filling closes |
| Seat allotment | Aug. 13-16, Aug. 31 – Sept. 1, Sept. 16-17, Oct. 1-2 | Processing period varies by round |
What this means for candidates
The compressed schedule means candidates cannot miss deadlines. All timings are based on server time, not local time, a distinction the MCC has emphasized in previous counselling cycles where confusion over time zones led to missed registrations.
Candidates must plan ahead. Those registering in the last days must also have time to fill choices before the locking deadline. The payment window closes later than registration to provide a buffer, but candidates are advised not to wait until the final hours.
The four-round structure means no candidate is left without an opportunity to secure a seat. However, participation in multiple rounds requires rejoining and refilling choices each time.
Institutional compliance
Medical colleges and universities participating in the counselling must verify their tentative seat matrices before each round begins. Institutes are required to process all joining verifications and share verified data with the MCC within the specified windows.
“All participating institutes/colleges are directed to treat all Saturdays/Sundays and Gazetted Holidays as working days,” the MCC notice stated, ensuring the schedule does not slip.
