If you're a Maharashtra-domicile NEET UG 2026 candidate hoping for an MBBS or BDS seat in the state, the clock has started. The State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has opened online registration for its Centralised Admission Process (CAP), the counselling route that fills medical, dental and AYUSH seats across government, private and deemed-linked colleges in Maharashtra. Registration, document upload and fee payment must all be completed by August 12, 2026. Given that this single window controls access to over 10,000 MBBS seats and thousands more in BDS and allied courses, missing any step here can cost you the entire admission cycle.
Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 candidates must complete CAP registration, document upload and fee payment by August 12, 2026 (11:59 PM) to be considered for Round 1 seat allotment.
What Is Open Right Now
The State CET Cell has activated the CAP portal for the 2026-27 admission cycle, covering MBBS, BDS, and the AYUSH streams (BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS), along with allied health courses like BPTh, BOTh, BASLP and B(P&O).
Registration opened on August 6, 2026 and candidates have until August 12 (11:59 PM) to finish registering, uploading documents and paying the fee. This is a single combined step — there is no separate later window to fix a missed upload or an unpaid fee before the deadline.
Full Round 1 Schedule
The counselling moves fast after registration closes, so it helps to know every date in advance rather than checking the portal daily.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online registration, fee payment & document upload | August 6 – August 12, 2026 (11:59 PM) |
| Online document verification / scrutiny | August 7 – August 14, 2026 |
| Registered candidate list published | August 15, 2026 |
| Provisional merit list published | August 15, 2026 |
| Grievance submission window | August 16 – August 17, 2026 |
| Final merit list published | August 18, 2026 |
| Seat matrix published | August 18, 2026 |
| Online choice filling | August 19 – August 22, 2026 (5:30 PM) |
| Round 1 result | August 23, 2026 |
| Physical joining at allotted college | August 24 – August 28, 2026 (5:30 PM) |
Who Can Apply and What It Costs
To register, a candidate must have appeared for NEET UG 2026 and cleared the qualifying percentile, cleared Class 10 and 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology from a recognised board, and hold a valid Maharashtra domicile certificate. Age and other eligibility norms follow National Medical Commission (NMC) rules for the 2026-27 session.
Candidates without Maharashtra domicile are not shut out entirely — they can apply for seats that are part of the All India Quota but get surrendered back to the state as vacant. This is a smaller, less predictable pool, so out-of-state candidates should not treat it as a primary plan.
The registration fee is Rs 800 for General category candidates and Rs 600 for SC, ST, OBC, EWS and other reserved categories, payable online via the CAP portal.
Documents to Keep Ready
Since verification and merit list preparation happen within days of registration closing, any document mismatch can delay or jeopardise your candidature. Keep both originals and self-attested scanned copies ready before you start the form.
- NEET UG 2026 admit card and scorecard
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and passing certificates
- Maharashtra domicile certificate
- Nationality certificate or valid Indian passport
- Aadhaar card or other government-issued ID
- Caste certificate and caste validity certificate (reserved categories)
- Non-Creamy Layer certificate valid till March 31, 2027 (for OBC, SEBC, EWS candidates)
- PwD certificate from a competent authority, if applicable
- Recent passport-size photograph and signature
How Many Seats Are Actually on the Table
The State CET Cell is expected to fill close to 10,845 MBBS seats and about 3,526 BDS seats through this CAP process across government, municipal corporation, private and deemed-linked colleges in Maharashtra. AYUSH and allied health science seats are counted separately and will appear in their own seat matrix.
The exact seat-wise breakup by college and category will only be confirmed when the final seat matrix is published on August 18, just before choice filling opens. Candidates should avoid finalising a college wish-list until this matrix is out, since seat numbers can shift slightly from provisional estimates.
What This Means for Your Admission Plan
Maharashtra's counselling pool is one of the largest state-run medical admission systems in the country, which is exactly why the registration window deserves full attention rather than a last-minute rush on August 12.
Because verification, merit list and grievance stages are compressed into a two-week span, any error at registration — a wrong category selection, an unclear scanned document, an unpaid fee — has very little room for correction before choice filling begins on August 19.
Candidates relying on the All India Quota surrender route should have a backup plan through other state counselling processes or central counselling, since the number of such seats depends entirely on how many All India Quota seats go unfilled and get returned to the state.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
What is the last date to register for Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 CAP Round 1?
Registration, document upload and fee payment must all be completed by August 12, 2026 at 11:59 PM on medical2026.mahacet.org.
How much is the registration fee?
General category candidates pay Rs 800; SC, ST, OBC, EWS and other reserved category candidates pay Rs 600, both payable online through the CAP portal.
Can a candidate without Maharashtra domicile apply?
Yes, but only against All India Quota seats that go vacant and are surrendered to the state for CAP allotment — not against the regular state or private college seats.
When will the provisional and final merit lists be released?
The provisional merit list is due on August 15, 2026, followed by a grievance window on August 16-17, and the final merit list on August 18, 2026.
When does choice filling happen and when is the Round 1 result declared?
Online choice filling runs from August 19 to August 22, 2026 (5:30 PM), and the Round 1 allotment result is expected on August 23, 2026.
How many MBBS and BDS seats does this counselling cover?
The State CET Cell is expected to fill roughly 10,845 MBBS seats and about 3,526 BDS seats, with AYUSH and allied health course seats counted separately in their own seat matrix.
What happens if a candidate joins the allotted college late?
Physical joining at the allotted college must be completed between August 24 and August 28, 2026 (5:30 PM); failing to report within this window typically results in forfeiting the allotted seat, based on standard CAP practice.
The next real checkpoint is August 12 for registration closure, followed quickly by the provisional merit list on August 15 and the seat matrix on August 18 — mark these on your calendar now. Maharashtra candidates should complete their document upload well before the deadline rather than waiting for the final hours, since verification and merit list preparation begin almost immediately after registration ends.
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