NEET State Counselling 2026: Dates, Process, State Quota Seats and Key Details

NEET State Counselling 2026: NEET UG 2026 state counselling is conducted by the respective State and Union Territory counselling authorities for admission to medical colleges against seats that do not come under the 15% All India Quota. Candidates seeking MBBS, BDS and other eligible undergraduate medical seats through the state quota need to participate in the counselling process conducted by their respective state authority.

The counselling schedule varies from one state to another. As per the NEET UG 2026 counselling schedule, the State Counselling Round 1 is scheduled from August 13 to August 22, 2026. The second round is scheduled from August 31 to September 8, 2026, followed by Round 3 from September 16 to September 26, 2026. A Stray Vacancy Round is scheduled from October 3 to October 5, 2026.

Candidates should note that state counselling is separate from the counselling conducted for All India Quota seats by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).

What is NEET State Counselling 2026?

NEET State Counselling is the admission process through which eligible candidates compete for medical seats under the respective State or Union Territory quota.

Admissions to seats other than the 15% All India Quota in government medical colleges and seats in participating private medical colleges are handled by the respective state counselling authorities.

The eligibility conditions, reservation rules, domicile requirements and other admission conditions can vary from one state to another. Candidates therefore need to follow the counselling notification issued by their respective State or Union Territory.

NEET State Counselling 2026 Schedule

The broad state counselling timeline is as follows:

The schedule shown above provides the broader timeline. Candidates should check their respective state counselling portal for registration, choice filling, seat allotment and reporting dates.

Who Conducts NEET State Counselling?

State and Union Territory counselling authorities conduct counselling for seats under their respective state quota and other applicable categories.

The counselling process is governed by the admission policies and eligibility conditions applicable in the concerned State or Union Territory.

For private medical colleges, admission is also subject to the applicable policies of the Government of India and the concerned State or Union Territory.

NEET State Quota Admission Rules

Admission to state quota seats is subject to the reservation policy and eligibility conditions applicable in the concerned State or Union Territory.

The category-wise reservation in medical colleges is also governed by the laws and rules prevailing in that particular state or UT.

Candidates should therefore check:

• State-specific eligibility conditions

• Domicile requirements, wherever applicable

• Category and reservation rules

• State merit list criteria

• Fee structure

• College-specific admission requirements

• Documents required during verification

How Does NEET State Counselling 2026 Work?

The state counselling process generally involves the following stages:

1. Online registration on the state counselling portal.

2. Payment of the applicable counselling fee.

3. Submission of personal, academic and NEET details.

4. Verification of documents, wherever applicable.

5. Publication of the state merit list.

6. Choice filling and locking.

7. Seat allotment.

8. Reporting to the allotted college.

9. Verification and completion of admission formalities.

The exact procedure can differ across states, so candidates should follow the instructions issued by their respective counselling authority.

NEET State Counselling 2026: Important Point

Candidates should not assume that registration for MCC counselling automatically completes the state counselling process. State quota admissions are handled separately by the respective State or UT authorities.

Therefore, candidates interested in state quota or applicable private medical college seats should register separately on the relevant state counselling portal when the registration window opens.