NEET PG Counselling 2026: Schedule, AIQ and State Dates
NEET PG Counselling 2026 schedule includes AIQ and state-wise dates for Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and the Stray Vacancy Round. Check important admission deadlines, joining dates, academic session commencement, and download the official counselling schedule PDF.
NEET PG Counselling 2026: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) along with State DMEs and State Counselling Authorities conducts NEET PG Counselling for admission to postgraduate medical programs under All India Quota (AIQ), Deemed & Central Universities, and State Quota seats. The official admission and counselling schedule outlines round-wise dates for Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and the Stray Vacancy Round for the academic year 2026.
NEET PG Counselling 2026 Highlights
NEET PG Counselling 2026 is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and respective state counselling authorities for admission to postgraduate medical courses. The key highlights of NEET PG Counselling 2026 are provided in the table below.
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Name | NEET PG 2026 |
| Counselling Name | NEET PG Counselling 2026 |
| Conducting Authority (AIQ) | Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) |
| State Counselling Authority | State DMEs and State Counselling Authorities |
| Counselling Level | National and State Level |
| Admission Courses | Postgraduate Medical Courses |
| Participating Quotas | All India Quota (AIQ), State Quota, Deemed and Central Universities |
| Counselling Rounds | Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and Stray Vacancy Round |
| Academic Session Commencement | 20 November 2026 |
| Final Joining Deadline | 31 December 2026 |
| Official Counselling Website | MCC official website |
Note: Candidates should verify the dates and admission instructions through the official MCC and respective state counselling authority websites. State counselling dates and joining deadlines may differ from the AIQ schedule.
Counselling Schedule for AIQ and State Quota
The official schedule provides the complete timeline for Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and the Stray Vacancy Round. Candidates must adhere strictly to these joining deadlines and admission windows across both national and state levels. The table below outlines the full admission and counselling schedule for postgraduate medical admissions for 2026:
| S.No. | Schedule for Admission | All India Quota/ Deemed & Central Universities | Sharing of Joined candidates Data by MCC | State Counselling | Sharing of Joined candidates Data by state DMEs/ State Counselling Authorities |
| 1. | Round-1 | 12th Oct., 2026 to 24th Oct., 2026 | 3rd Nov., 2026 | 21st Oct., 2026 to 2nd Nov., 2026 | 11th Nov., 2026 |
| 2. | Last date of Joining for Round-1 | 2nd Nov., 2026 | — | 10th Nov., 2026 | — |
| 3. | Round-2 | 6th Nov., 2026 to 14th Nov., 2026 | 24th Nov., 2026 | 14th Nov., 2026 to 23rd Nov., 2026 | 1st Dec., 2026 |
| 4. | Last date of joining for Round-2 | 23rd Nov., 2026 | — | 30th Nov., 2026 | — |
| 5. | Round-3 | 26th Nov., 2026 to 4th Dec., 2026 | 14th Dec., 2026 | 4th Dec., 2026 to 12th Dec., 2026 | 19th Dec., 2026 |
| 6. | Last date of joining for Round-3 | 12th Dec., 2026 | — | 18th Dec., 2026 | — |
| 7. | Stray Vacancy | 16th Dec., 2026 to 24th Dec., 2026 | Data of allotted candidates will be shared by MCC on 24th Dec., 2026 | 22nd Dec., 2026 to 25th Dec., 2026 | — |
| 8. | Last date of joining for Stray Vacancy Round | 31st Dec., 2026 | — | 31st Dec., 2026 | — |
| 9. | Commencement of Academic Session for PG Courses | 20th Nov., 2026 (Common across quotas) | — | — | — |
NEET PG Counselling 2026 Schedule PDF Download
Candidates can download the NEET PG Counselling 2026 Schedule PDF from the official Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) website. The PDF includes the AIQ and State Counselling schedule for postgraduate medical admissions.
NEET PG Counselling 2026 Schedule PDF
Important Instructions & Guidelines
The counselling authorities have released mandatory operational guidelines for all medical colleges and participating institutions:
Working Days Directive: For ensuring faithful obedience of the time schedule and keeping in view the limited time available for conducting counselling, all participating institutes and colleges are directed to treat all Saturdays, Sundays, and Gazetted Holidays as working days.
Begin NEET PG Prep Today with NEET PG Online Courses
NEET PG Counselling 2026 FAQs
When will the PG medical academic session commence for 2026?
What are the AIQ Round 1 counselling dates?
What is the directive regarding working days during counselling?
When is the last date of joining for the Stray Vacancy Round?
Have questions about your prep?
Our experts can answer all your questions