HP NEET UG 2026 Counselling: Extended Deadline 18 Aug, Category Certificates & Priority Update

Atal Medical & Research University (AMRU), Himachal Pradesh, has extended the deadline for submitting 1st round online applications for MBBS and BDS counselling for the 2026-27 academic session to 18 August 2026 at 5:00 PM. This extension follows a delay in the All India Counselling schedule. Importantly, candidates who applied under the "Wards of Ex-Servicemen and Wives of Defence Personnel" category and those claiming EWS status have had their application forms unfrozen, allowing them to make critical corrections. If you are in these categories, you must act immediately: update your priority selection, upload the correct category certificate, and re-freeze your form before the deadline. Failure to do so will result in your application being rejected during counselling.

What Has Changed: Extended Deadline and Unfrozen Applications

The last date to submit your 1st round online application for MBBS/BDS counselling has been extended from an earlier date to 18 August 2026 at 5:00 PM. This extension was announced because the All India Counselling schedule itself was delayed.

More importantly, if you already submitted an application under the "Wards of Ex-Servicemen and Wives of Defence Personnel" category (as listed in Annexure-A of the notice) or under the EWS category, your application form has been unfrozen. This means you can now log back in and make corrections or updates to your form. However, this is not optional—you must complete specific tasks before the deadline, or your application will face serious problems during counselling.

Who Must Take Action: Three Categories of Candidates

This notice directly affects three groups of candidates:

1. **Wards of Ex-Servicemen**: Children of military personnel who have retired or died in service. 2. **Wives of Defence Personnel**: Spouses of serving or retired defence force members. 3. **EWS (Economically Weaker Section)**: Candidates from families with an annual income of ₹4.00 lakh or less.

If your name appears in Annexure-A of this notice (the list of 111 candidates provided), you are in the first two categories and your form has been unfrozen. If you applied under EWS, you must also ensure your certificate is correct and uploaded. If you are not in any of these categories, you do not need to take action—your application remains frozen and will proceed as normal.

• Wards of Ex-Servicemen (children of retired or deceased military personnel)
• Wives of Defence Personnel (spouses of defence force members)
• EWS candidates (annual family income ≤ ₹4.00 lakh)

The Three Critical Tasks You Must Complete by 18 August 2026, 5 PM

If your application form has been unfrozen, you must complete all three of the following tasks before 5:00 PM on 18 August 2026. Missing even one will cause your application to be rejected during counselling.

**Task 1: Update Your Priority Selection.** Your priority selection must match exactly what is written in your category certificate issued by the competent authority (the government office that issued your certificate). For example, if your certificate lists a specific priority or sub-category, you must select that exact same priority in your application form. Do not guess or assume—check your certificate carefully and enter the priority precisely as it appears.

• Update/select your correct priority strictly as per the priority mentioned in your category certificate
• Upload/submit the requisite category certificate in the prescribed format and requirements
• Re-check all details in the application form and re-submit/freeze the form after corrections

Task 1: Update Your Priority Selection Correctly

Your priority selection in the application form must match the priority mentioned in your category certificate issued by the competent authority. The competent authority is the government office responsible for issuing these certificates—typically the District Administration or Defence Ministry office in your state.

This is a common reason for rejection. Many candidates either forget to update their priority or enter it incorrectly. Check your certificate now. If it mentions a specific priority, sub-group, or category code, enter that exact same information in your application form. If you are unsure what your certificate says, contact the issuing authority before the deadline.

• Check your category certificate for the exact priority mentioned
• Log into the counselling portal and update your priority to match the certificate
• Do not assume or guess—enter the priority exactly as written on your certificate
• If your certificate does not clearly state a priority, contact the issuing authority immediately

Task 2: Upload the Correct Category Certificate in the Right Format

You must upload your category certificate in the exact format and with all the details required by the MBBS/BDS Prospectus 2026-27. The prospectus specifies what documents are acceptable, what information must be visible on the certificate, and how it must be submitted (usually as a PDF scan).

For **Wards of Ex-Servicemen and Wives of Defence Personnel**, the certificate must be issued by the competent authority (typically the Defence Ministry, state Defence office, or District Administration) and must clearly show your relationship to the defence personnel, the personnel's service details, and your eligibility. For **EWS candidates**, the certificate must show an annual family income of ₹4.00 lakh or less and must be issued by the prescribed authority (usually the Tehsildar or District Administration). The certificate must be valid and current—do not upload an expired or incomplete certificate.

• Download the MBBS/BDS Prospectus 2026-27 and check the exact certificate format required
• Ensure your certificate shows all required information (name, relationship, service details, income limit, etc.)
• Scan the certificate clearly (front and back if needed) and upload as a PDF
• For EWS: certificate must show annual family income of ₹4.00 lakh or less
• For Ex-Servicemen/Defence Personnel: certificate must be from the competent authority
• Do not upload a partial, blurry, or expired certificate

Task 3: Re-Check All Details and Re-Freeze Your Application

After updating your priority and uploading your certificate, you must carefully review every detail in your application form. Check your name, NEET roll number, category, address, contact information, and all other fields. Even a small typo can cause problems later.

Once you are satisfied that all details are correct, you must re-submit and re-freeze your application form. Freezing means you are confirming that the information is final and ready for counselling. Do not leave your form unfrozen—it must be frozen by 5:00 PM on 18 August 2026.

• Log into your application and review every field carefully
• Check your name, NEET roll number, category, and contact details
• Verify that your priority matches your certificate
• Verify that your certificate is uploaded and visible
• Click 'Re-submit' or 'Freeze' to finalize your application
• Take a screenshot or note of your confirmation number

⚠️ Critical Trap: EWS Certificate Income Limit Is ₹4.00 Lakh Only

If you are claiming EWS status, your certificate must show an annual family income of **₹4.00 lakh or less**. This is the exact limit specified in the MBBS/BDS Prospectus 2026-27. If your certificate shows an income above ₹4.00 lakh, it will not be accepted, and your EWS claim will be rejected.

Many candidates upload EWS certificates with higher income limits (for example, ₹5 lakh or ₹6 lakh) thinking they will still qualify. This is wrong. The prospectus is clear: only ₹4.00 lakh. If your current certificate shows a higher income, you must obtain a corrected certificate from the issuing authority (Tehsildar or District Administration) before 18 August 2026. Do not wait until counselling to discover this problem.

• EWS certificate must show annual family income of ₹4.00 lakh or less
• If your certificate shows income above ₹4.00 lakh, it will be rejected
• Obtain a corrected certificate from the Tehsildar or District Administration if needed
• Do not assume a higher income limit will be accepted

Important Dates and Deadlines

The single most important date is **18 August 2026 at 5:00 PM**. This is the final deadline for submitting your 1st round online application. After 5:00 PM on this date, the portal will close and no further applications or corrections will be accepted.

If you have already submitted your application and your form has been unfrozen, you have until 5:00 PM on 18 August 2026 to make your corrections and re-freeze. If you have not yet submitted an application, you must do so by this deadline as well.

• Last date to submit/update 1st round application: 18 August 2026
• Last time to submit: 5:00 PM (17:00 hours)
• After this deadline, no applications or corrections will be accepted
• Counselling will proceed based on applications submitted by this date

What Happens If You Don't Complete These Tasks

The notice is very clear: if you fail to correctly update your priority and/or fail to upload the requisite certificate/document by 18 August 2026, 5:00 PM, you **may face difficulties at the time of counselling and admission**. In practice, this means your application will likely be rejected or you will not be offered a seat.

Counselling authorities will verify that your priority matches your certificate and that your certificate is valid and in the correct format. If there is a mismatch or if the certificate is missing or invalid, your claim under that category will not be considered. You will either be placed in the general category (if you qualify) or not placed at all. This is not a warning—it is a certainty. Do not take this risk.

• Missing or incorrect priority: your category claim will be rejected
• Missing or invalid certificate: your category claim will be rejected
• Certificate with income above ₹4.00 lakh (EWS): your EWS claim will be rejected
• Unfrozen application after deadline: your application will not be processed
• Result: you will not be offered a seat in the category you claimed, or you will not be placed at all

How to Access the Counselling Portal and Make Corrections

To update your application, you will need to log into the official NEET UG counselling portal for Himachal Pradesh. The portal is managed by Atal Medical & Research University (AMRU). You will need your application number and password to log in.

Once logged in, you should see an option to edit or update your application. Look for fields to update your priority selection and upload documents. If you cannot find these options or if the portal is not working, contact AMRU immediately at the contact details provided below. Do not wait until the last day—the portal may be slow or overloaded near the deadline.

• Visit the official NEET UG counselling portal for Himachal Pradesh
• Log in with your application number and password
• Look for 'Edit Application' or 'Update Application' option
• Update your priority selection to match your certificate
• Upload your category certificate in the required format
• Re-check all details and click 'Freeze' or 'Re-submit'
• Save your confirmation number

Contact Information and Support

If you have questions or face technical issues while updating your application, contact Atal Medical & Research University (AMRU) directly. The contact details are:

**Email**: coemedicaluniv.mandi@gmail.com | **Phone**: 01905-243967 | **Website**: amruhp.ac.in

• Email: coemedicaluniv.mandi@gmail.com
• Phone: 01905-243967
• Website: amruhp.ac.in
• Contact during office hours for fastest response

Frequently asked questions

If you applied under Wards of Ex-Servicemen, Wives of Defence Personnel, or EWS category, act now. Log into the counselling portal, update your priority to match your certificate exactly, upload the correct category certificate in the required format, and re-freeze your application. The deadline is 18 August 2026 at 5:00 PM—there are no extensions. If you have any doubts about your certificate format, priority, or income limit, contact AMRU at coemedicaluniv.mandi@gmail.com or 01905-243967 immediately. Do not wait until the last day.