
NEET UG Counselling 2026 will begin after the announcement of the NEET UG result, which is expected in June 2026. The counselling process allows qualified candidates to secure admission into medical and dental colleges across India. Through this process, students can obtain seats in courses such as MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing in government and private institutions.
The counselling process is conducted by two main authorities. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) manages the counselling for the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government colleges as well as seats in central universities and deemed universities. The remaining 85% seats are managed by the respective state counselling authorities for admissions within their states.
Students who qualify for the NEET UG examination can participate in both the All India Quota and State Quota counselling processes, which helps increase their chances of getting admission to a medical college.
NEET counselling takes place in multiple rounds to ensure that all available seats are filled. Candidates must complete registration, NEET 2026 Choice Filling and Locking, seat allotment, document verification, and reporting to the allotted college to secure admission. Candidates can also check the NEET Counselling 2026 Official Website regularly for updates and notifications.
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The NEET UG counselling process includes several important details related to the conducting authority, counselling mode, eligibility criteria, and admission process. Below provides a quick overview of the key highlights candidates should know before participating in the counselling process.
| NEET UG Counselling 2026 Overview | |
| Feature | Details |
| Conducting Authority | Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) |
| Mode of Counselling | Online |
| Eligibility | Qualified NEET UG 2026 candidates |
| Courses Offered | MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing |
| Total Counselling Rounds | Round 1, Round 2, Mop-Up Round, Stray Vacancy Round |
| Seat Allotment Criteria | NEET Rank, Choice Preference, Reservation Policy |
| Document Verification | At the allotted college |
| Reporting Mode | Physical reporting at the allotted college |
Candidates will also be able to download the NEET 2026 Counselling Schedule PDF from the counselling portal once the official timetable is released.
The counselling schedule usually begins a few weeks after the NEET result declaration. Although the official dates will be announced later, the expected timeline is given below.
| NEET UG Counselling 2026 Important Dates | |
| Event | Expected Date |
| NEET UG Exam 2026 | 3 May 2026 |
| NEET Result Declaration | June 2026 |
| NEET Counselling 2026 Registration Date | July 2026 |
| Choice Filling Window | July–August 2026 |
| Round 1 Seat Allotment | August 2026 |
| Reporting and Document Verification | August 2026 |
| Round 2 Counselling | August 2026 |
| NEET 2026 Mop-Up Round Counselling | Late August – September 2026 |
| Stray Vacancy Round | September 2026 |
Several important factors determine how the counselling process is conducted.
The Medical Counselling Committee conducts counselling for NEET 2026 AIQ Counselling (15% Quota) in government medical and dental colleges across India.
The remaining NEET 2026 State Quota Counselling (85%) is managed by the counselling authorities of individual states. These seats are mainly reserved for candidates belonging to that state.
The counselling process is usually conducted in four rounds:
Round 1
Round 2
Mop-Up Round
Stray Vacancy Round
Each round provides another opportunity for candidates to secure a seat if they were not allotted one earlier.
Seats are allotted based on several factors, including:
NEET rank
Candidate preferences
Reservation policies
Seat availability
After each counselling round, candidates can check the NEET 2026 Seat Allotment Result on the official portal.
Candidates must verify their documents at the allotted college before confirming admission.
After seat allotment, students must report to the college within the specified time to complete the admission process.
Candidates must meet certain eligibility requirements to participate in NEET counselling.
Candidates must have completed Class 12 or an equivalent examination with the following subjects:
Physics
Chemistry
Biology or Biotechnology
English
Minimum marks required in PCB subjects are generally:
General category: 50%
OBC/SC/ST categories: 40%
PwD candidates: 45%
| NEET Qualifying Percentile | |
| Category | Qualifying Percentile |
| General | 50th percentile |
| SC/ST/OBC | 40th percentile |
| General PwD | 45th percentile |
| Reserved PwD | 40th percentile |
Candidates must be at least 17 years old at the time of admission.
Eligible candidates include:
Indian citizens
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
Overseas Citizens of India (OCI)
Persons of Indian Origin (PIO)
Foreign nationals
MCC counselling includes various types of institutions.
| Types of Seats Covered in MCC Counselling | ||
| Seat Type | Percentage | Institutes Covered |
| All India Quota | 15% | Government medical colleges |
| AIIMS | 100% | All AIIMS institutes |
| Central Universities | 100% | BHU, AMU, and others |
| Deemed Universities | 100% | Deemed medical universities |
| JIPMER | 100% | Puducherry and Karaikal campuses |
Reservation policies follow central government norms.
| NEET UG 2026 Reservation Policy | |
| Category | Reservation |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% |
| Persons with Disability (PwD) | 5% (horizontal reservation) |
The counselling process includes several stages that candidates must complete. Below is the complete NEET 2026 Counselling Process Step by Step
Candidates must first register on the official MCC counselling portal.
Steps include:
Visiting the MCC website
Entering NEET roll number and personal details
Creating a password
Paying the counselling registration fee
After submission, candidates should download the confirmation page for reference.
After registration, candidates must select their preferred colleges and courses.
Students can choose multiple colleges and arrange them in order of preference. This step is important because seat allotment depends on the choices submitted.
Candidates must lock their choices before the deadline. If choices are not locked manually, the system may lock them automatically after the deadline.
Once locked, the choices cannot be modified until the next counselling round.
The seat allotment process considers:
NEET rank
Candidate category
Choice preferences
Availability of seats
Candidates can download the seat allotment letter from the official counselling portal.
Students who receive a seat must report to the allotted college within the given time period.
During reporting, the following steps take place:
Document verification
Submission of admission fees
Confirmation of the allotted seat
Failure to report within the deadline may result in the cancellation of the seat.
Candidates must carry several documents during the admission process.
Important documents include:
NEET 2026 Admit Card
NEET Scorecard or Rank Letter
Class 10 Certificate (for date of birth proof)
Class 12 Mark Sheet and Certificate
Identity Proof (Aadhaar card, passport, etc.)
Passport-size photographs
Provisional seat allotment letter
Category certificate (if applicable)
Candidates should carry both original documents and photocopies during reporting.
NEET UG counselling is conducted in multiple rounds to ensure that all available medical and dental seats are filled efficiently. Each round provides candidates with an opportunity to secure admission based on their NEET rank, preferences, and seat availability.
Candidates register, fill choices, and receive the first seat allotment result.
Candidates who did not receive a seat in Round 1 can participate again. Candidates may also upgrade their seats.
This round fills seats that remain vacant after Round 2.
The final round is conducted to fill any remaining vacant seats in medical colleges.
Students should keep the following points in mind during the counselling process:
Register early to avoid missing deadlines
Carefully research colleges before making choices
Keep all documents ready in advance
Regularly check official websites for updates
Fill multiple college options to improve admission chances
