Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy Counselling: Schedule & Eligibility

Maharashtra's State CET Cell has announced a three-round online stray vacancy counselling process for MBBS and BDS (Group A) courses for the 2026–27 academic year. These rounds are designed to fill seats that remain vacant after the three main counselling rounds (CAP Rounds 1, 2, and 3). If you qualified NEET UG 2026, registered for counselling, filled your preferences, but were not allotted a seat in any of the three main rounds, you are eligible to participate. The stray vacancy rounds run from 14 to 26 October 2026, with a tight schedule: you must fill fresh choices for each round, and joining is mandatory—there is no option to skip a seat you are allotted. This is your last chance to secure an MBBS or BDS seat in Maharashtra for 2026–27.

What is the Stray Vacancy Counselling Round?

After the three main counselling rounds (CAP Rounds 1, 2, and 3), some seats in MBBS and BDS colleges remain unfilled. These are called 'stray vacancies.' The Maharashtra CET Cell conducts separate online rounds to fill these vacant seats. Unlike the main rounds, stray vacancy rounds happen in quick succession—each round has its own seat matrix, choice-filling window, allotment, and joining deadline.

The stray vacancy process is open only to candidates who were eligible for the main counselling but did not receive any seat allocation. Seats are available across government, corporation, government-aided, private unaided, and minority colleges offering MBBS and BDS courses in Group A (the general category quota).

Three stray vacancy rounds are scheduled. After each round, if you are allotted a seat and join, you cannot participate in further rounds. If you are not allotted a seat in a round, you automatically become eligible for the next round—but you must fill fresh choices again.

Who is Eligible for Stray Vacancy Counselling?

You are eligible for stray vacancy counselling if you meet BOTH of the following conditions:

First, you must have qualified NEET UG 2026, registered for counselling, and filled your online preference form in the main counselling process—but you were NOT allotted a seat in CAP Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3. Second, you must satisfy all eligibility criteria listed in Clause 4 of the official Information Brochure (this includes meeting the age, qualification, and domicile requirements set by the state and the Medical Counselling Committee).

Even if you registered and filled preferences in the main rounds, if you were never allotted a seat, you remain eligible for stray vacancy. The key is: you must have been part of the main counselling process but left without a seat.

• Qualified NEET UG 2026
• Registered and filled preferences in main counselling (CAP Rounds 1–3)
• NOT allotted a seat in any of the three main rounds
• Meet all eligibility criteria in Information Brochure Clause 4

Who is NOT Eligible for Stray Vacancy Counselling?

Even if you qualified NEET UG 2026, you are barred from stray vacancy counselling if you fall into any of these categories. Understanding these rules is critical—applying when ineligible will result in rejection.

If you joined a seat (took admission) in CAP Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3 of the state counselling, and you still hold that seat as of Round 3, you cannot apply for stray vacancy—even if you were freshly allotted a seat in Round 3. Similarly, if you joined and hold a seat in the All India Quota (AIQ) process up to Round 3, you are ineligible.

If you were allotted a seat in stray vacancy round 1 and joined, you cannot apply for stray vacancy rounds 2 or 3. The same applies to AIQ stray vacancy: if you received a seat in the AIQ stray vacancy round, you are barred from state stray vacancy rounds.

• You joined a seat in state CAP Round 1, 2, or 3 and still hold it
• You joined and hold a seat in All India Quota (AIQ) up to Round 3
• You were allotted a seat in stray vacancy round 1 (you cannot apply for rounds 2 or 3)
• You were allotted a seat in AIQ stray vacancy round

Important Dates: Complete Schedule for All Three Rounds

The stray vacancy counselling spans 13 days, from 14 October to 26 October 2026. Each of the three rounds follows the same sequence: seat matrix publication, choice filling, allotment declaration, and joining. The schedule is tight, and every deadline is strict. Colleges are instructed to treat Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays as working days to keep the schedule on track.

Note: The schedule is subject to change at the direction of the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), National Deemed University Council (NDC), Central Government, State Government, or the High Court. Check the official website www.mahacet.org regularly for any updates.

How to Fill Your Choices: Step-by-Step Process

For each stray vacancy round, you must fill your choices online on the CET Cell portal (www.mahacet.org). This is a fresh choice-filling process—your choices from the previous round (or from CAP Round 3 in the case of Round 1) are automatically cancelled and will not carry forward. You must log in, review the seat matrix for that round, and select the colleges and courses you wish to be considered for.

Choice filling is mandatory. If you do not fill choices for a round, you will not be considered for allotment in that round, and you will not be eligible for the next round either. The notice emphasizes: 'It is mandatory to fill the choice for online stray vacancy round 1 (Choice filled during CAP-3 will be null & Void).' The same applies to Rounds 2 and 3.

Important: Fill only those choices where you genuinely intend to take admission. Once you are allotted a seat in any stray vacancy round, joining is mandatory—you cannot decline it. If you join a seat, you are out of the stray vacancy process and cannot participate in further rounds. This is different from the main counselling, where you had the option to resign a seat without penalty (though with a deadline). In stray vacancy, the commitment is final.

• Log in to www.mahacet.org during the choice-filling window for your round
• Review the seat matrix for that round (published on the first day of the round)
• Select colleges and courses you wish to apply for
• Submit your choices before the deadline (11:59 PM for Round 1; 10:00 AM for Rounds 2 & 3)
• Choices from previous rounds are automatically null & void—you must fill fresh choices each time
• Filling choices is mandatory; if you skip, you lose eligibility for that round and all subsequent rounds

Joining a Seat: Documents, Fees & Deadlines

If you are allotted a seat in any stray vacancy round, you must join within the prescribed joining window. Joining means physically reporting to the allotted college with all original documents and paying the requisite fees. The joining window is typically 2–3 days after the allotment declaration, and the deadline is strict: 5:30 PM on the last day.

You must bring all original documents to the college. While the notice does not list every document, standard requirements for MBBS/BDS admission include: NEET UG admit card, NEET UG score card, 10th and 12th mark sheets and certificates, Aadhaar card, caste/category certificate (if applicable), domicile certificate, medical fitness certificate, and any other document specified in the Information Brochure. Verify the exact list on the CET Cell website or the college's admission portal before joining.

Fees can be paid by Demand Draft (DD), NEFT, or RTGS. The exact fee amount depends on the course (MBBS or BDS) and the college type (government, private, etc.). Check the seat matrix or the college's website for the fee structure. If you do not join within the deadline, your seat will be cancelled, and you will not be eligible for further rounds.

• Report to the allotted college in person during the joining window
• Bring all original documents (NEET admit card, score card, certificates, Aadhaar, caste certificate if applicable, domicile, medical fitness, etc.)
• Pay fees by DD, NEFT, or RTGS as per the college's instructions
• Complete joining before 5:30 PM on the last day of the joining window
• Failure to join by the deadline results in seat cancellation and loss of eligibility for further rounds

Resigning a Seat: When You Can & Cannot

In stray vacancy Round 1 only, you have a limited window to resign your seat without penalty. The last date to resign without penalty is 20 October 2026, up to 5:30 PM. If you resign by this date, you can participate in Round 2. However, any resignation after this date will incur a penalty as specified in the Information Brochure (typically a forfeiture of fees or other sanctions).

In Rounds 2 and 3, the notice does not explicitly mention a penalty-free resignation window. This suggests that once you join in Rounds 2 or 3, you are committed to that seat. Do not join a seat in Round 2 or 3 unless you are certain you want to take admission there.

The key takeaway: stray vacancy is a high-stakes process. Unlike the main counselling, where you could resign and move to the next round, stray vacancy rounds are sequential and final. Plan your choices carefully.

• Round 1 only: resign without penalty by 20 Oct 2026, 5:30 PM
• Resignation after the deadline incurs a penalty (see Information Brochure)
• Rounds 2 & 3: no penalty-free resignation window mentioned; joining is effectively final
• Once you join a seat, you cannot participate in further stray vacancy rounds

Critical Trap: Mandatory Joining & No Skipping

This is the single most important rule to understand: **joining a seat allotted in stray vacancy is mandatory**. You cannot decline it or skip it to wait for the next round. The notice states explicitly: 'It is mandatory to join the seat allotted during Online Stray Vacancy Round(s) hence candidates are advised to be vigilant and fill only those choices where they intend to take admission.'

This is fundamentally different from the main counselling rounds, where you could resign a seat and participate in the next round. In stray vacancy, if you are allotted a seat and you join, you are done—you cannot participate in Rounds 2 or 3. If you join in Round 2, you cannot participate in Round 3. This is why the notice emphasizes: fill only those choices where you genuinely intend to take admission.

Many candidates make the mistake of filling all available colleges in their choices, hoping to get a 'better' college in the next round. This is a fatal error in stray vacancy. If you are allotted a seat in Round 1 and you join, you lose the opportunity to participate in Rounds 2 and 3, where more seats may become available. Think carefully before filling your choices.

• ⚠️ Joining is MANDATORY—you cannot decline an allotted seat
• ⚠️ Once you join, you are out of the stray vacancy process; you cannot participate in further rounds
• ⚠️ Fill only those colleges/courses where you genuinely intend to take admission
• ⚠️ Do not fill choices hoping to get a 'better' college in the next round—you may be stuck with your first allotment

Fresh Choices for Each Round: Previous Choices Are Void

A critical procedural rule: for each stray vacancy round, you must fill your choices afresh. Choices you filled in the previous round (or in CAP Round 3, in the case of stray vacancy Round 1) are automatically cancelled and will not be considered. The notice states: 'Choice filled during CAP-3 will be null & Void' for Round 1, and 'Choice filled during Online Stray Vacancy Round 1 will be null & Void' for Round 2, and so on.

This means you cannot assume your choices will carry forward. If you participated in CAP Round 3 and filled choices there, those choices are wiped out when stray vacancy Round 1 begins. You must log in again and fill fresh choices for Round 1. The same applies between Rounds 1 and 2, and between Rounds 2 and 3.

There is no automatic re-filling or carry-forward. If you miss the choice-filling window for a round, you will not be considered for allotment in that round, and you will lose eligibility for subsequent rounds. Set reminders for each choice-filling deadline.

• Choices from CAP Round 3 are null & void for stray vacancy Round 1
• Choices from stray vacancy Round 1 are null & void for Round 2
• Choices from stray vacancy Rounds 1 & 2 are null & void for Round 3
• You must fill fresh choices for each round; there is no automatic carry-forward
• Missing a choice-filling deadline means you lose eligibility for that round and all subsequent rounds

No New Registration Required

You do not need to register again for stray vacancy counselling. Your registration from the main counselling process (CAP Rounds 1–3) is still valid. You only need to log in to the CET Cell portal and fill your choices for each stray vacancy round.

If you have forgotten your login credentials, contact the CET Cell or use the 'Forgot Password' option on the portal. Do not attempt to register again, as this may cause confusion or rejection of your application.

• No new registration required
• Use your existing login credentials from main counselling
• If you forgot your password, use the 'Forgot Password' option on www.mahacet.org

Where to Find Information & Updates

All official information about stray vacancy counselling is published on the Maharashtra State CET Cell website: www.mahacet.org. This includes the seat matrix for each round, choice-filling portal, allotment lists, and any schedule changes.

The notice warns: 'The above schedule is subject to change as per the direction of various authorities like MCC / NDC / Central Government / State Government / Hon'ble Court.' This means dates can shift. Check the website regularly, especially before each choice-filling window and joining deadline. Do not rely on dates from this notice alone; verify on the official portal.

Contact details: Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, 8th Floor, New Excelsior Building, A.K. Nayak Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001. Phone: 022-22016157/53/59. Email: cetcell@mahacet.org.

• Official website: www.mahacet.org
• Check regularly for seat matrices, choice-filling portal, allotment lists, and schedule updates
• Schedule is subject to change; verify dates on the portal before each deadline
• Contact: CET Cell, Mumbai. Phone: 022-22016157/53/59. Email: cetcell@mahacet.org

Frequently asked questions

Stray vacancy counselling is your final opportunity to secure an MBBS or BDS seat in Maharashtra for 2026–27. The process is fast-paced and unforgiving: you must fill fresh choices for each round, joining is mandatory, and missing any deadline disqualifies you. Start by checking the seat matrix on www.mahacet.org on 14 October 2026, then fill your choices by 16 October (11:59 PM) for Round 1. Be strategic—fill only those colleges where you genuinely intend to take admission. If you are allotted a seat, join immediately with all original documents and fees by the deadline. For any updates or clarifications, visit www.mahacet.org or contact the CET Cell at 022-22016157/53/59.