Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy: New Registration Opens 31 Oct

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has opened a fresh registration window for MBBS and BDS (Group A) courses for the 2026–27 academic year. This is a Special Stray Vacancy Round for State Quota seats, following the schedule declared by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC). If you did not join a seat in Round 2 or CAP-3, or if you cancelled your Round 2 seat, you may be eligible to register again during this window. Registration, fee payment, and document upload must all be completed by 2 November 2026. This is your chance to enter the final admission process for Maharashtra's MBBS and BDS seats.

What is this stray vacancy round?

This is a Special Stray Vacancy Round for State Quota seats in MBBS and BDS (Group A) courses. It is being conducted by the Maharashtra CET Cell following the schedule declared by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for the 2026–27 academic year.

A stray vacancy round fills seats that remain empty after earlier counselling rounds (Round 2 and CAP-3). These are genuine vacancies in colleges, and this is your last opportunity to secure admission if you missed or cancelled your seat in earlier rounds. After this round, the admission process for Group A will be complete.

Who is eligible to register?

You are eligible to register in this stray vacancy round if you fall into one of these categories:

Candidates who were allotted a seat in Round 2 of MBBS/BDS (Group A) but did NOT join, did NOT report, or cancelled that seat are eligible — provided you have not already registered for CAP-3. If you already registered for CAP-3, you cannot register again here.

You are NOT eligible if: (1) you have already registered previously in any earlier round, (2) you were allotted a seat in CAP-3 or any subsequent stray vacancy round, or (3) you are seeking admission to Group B or Group C courses (this round is Group A only).

• Allotted in Round 2 but did not join / did not report / cancelled the seat (and did not register for CAP-3)
• NOT previously registered in any round
• NOT allotted a seat in CAP-3 or any stray vacancy round after CAP-3

Important dates and deadlines

All dates and times below are in server time. Mark these deadlines clearly — missing even one will disqualify you from this round.

Registration and session application must be completed by 2 November 2026 at 5:30 pm. Fee payment must be completed by 2 November 2026 at 7:30 pm. Document upload must be completed by 2 November 2026 at 8:00 pm. Document verification will take place online up to 3 November 2026. The schedule for allotment and subsequent steps will be announced later.

Step-by-step registration process

The registration process has four steps, and you must complete all of them by the deadlines shown. Failure to complete any step will result in rejection.

Step 1: Online Registration and Session Apply. Log in to the official portal and fill in your registration form. Select your session (MBBS or BDS). This must be done by 2 November 2026 at 5:30 pm.

Step 2: Pay the Registration Fee. After registration, you must pay the fee through the online payment gateway. You are considered registered for the admission process ONLY after successful payment. Payment must be completed by 2 November 2026 at 7:30 pm.

Step 3: Upload Documents. Scan all your original requisite documents in color and upload them to the portal. This must be done by 2 November 2026 at 8:00 pm. If you fail to upload the required documents, you will NOT be considered for admission from your claimed category.

Step 4: Document Verification. The CET Cell will verify your documents online. This process will be completed by 3 November 2026. You may be asked to provide clarifications or corrections during this stage.

• Register online and apply for your session (MBBS or BDS) by 5:30 pm on 2 Nov
• Pay registration fee through online gateway by 7:30 pm on 2 Nov
• Upload colored scans of all original documents by 8:00 pm on 2 Nov
• Await online document verification (by 3 Nov)

Documents you must upload

The notice states that you must upload 'colored scanned copies of all Original Requisite Documents.' While the notice does not provide a detailed list of which specific documents are required, the standard documents for NEET UG MBBS/BDS admission in Maharashtra typically include: NEET UG admit card and score card, 10th and 12th mark sheets and certificates, caste/category certificate (if applicable), income certificate (if applicable), domicile certificate, and any other documents specified in the detailed prospectus.

CRITICAL: The notice explicitly warns that 'Candidates who fail to upload requisite documents will not be considered for the admission process from the claimed category.' This means if you claim a reserved category (SC, ST, OBC, etc.) but do not upload the required category certificate, you will be considered only in the general category, or rejected entirely. Ensure you have all documents ready BEFORE you start registration, and upload them in color (not black and white).

Refer to the official prospectus or contact the CET Cell directly (phone: 022-22016157/53/59, email: cetcell@mahacet.org) to confirm the exact list of documents required for your category and course.

• NEET UG admit card and score card
• 10th mark sheet and certificate
• 12th mark sheet and certificate
• Caste/category certificate (if claiming SC, ST, OBC, or other reserved category)
• Income certificate (if applicable)
• Domicile certificate
• Any other documents specified in the prospectus
• All documents must be scanned in COLOR, not black and white

Registration fee and payment

The notice does not specify the amount of the registration fee. You will see the fee amount when you log in to the portal during registration. Payment must be made through the online payment gateway only — no offline or cash payments are accepted.

CRITICAL: You are considered registered for the admission process ONLY after successful payment of the fee. If you register but do not pay, your registration is incomplete and you will not be eligible for allotment. Ensure payment is completed by 7:30 pm on 2 November 2026.

• Fee amount will be displayed on the portal during registration
• Payment must be made online through the payment gateway
• No offline or cash payments accepted
• Registration is complete ONLY after successful payment
• Payment deadline: 2 Nov 2026, 7:30 pm (server time)

Group A, Group B, and Group C — what you need to know

In Maharashtra's NEET UG counselling, MBBS and BDS courses are divided into three groups: Group A, Group B, and Group C. This stray vacancy round is for Group A only.

If you register in this stray vacancy round, you will be considered ONLY for Group A courses. You are NOT eligible for Group B or Group C courses. This is a one-way restriction — if you want to participate in Group B or Group C counselling, you must register separately in those rounds (if they are still open). The notice does not provide details on what distinguishes Group A, B, and C; refer to the full prospectus for clarification.

• This round is for Group A (MBBS and BDS) only
• Registering here makes you eligible for Group A allotment only
• You are NOT eligible for Group B or Group C if you register in this round
• If you want Group B or C, you must register separately in those rounds

State Quota vs. All India Quota

This stray vacancy round is for State Quota seats only. State Quota seats are filled by the state (Maharashtra) through its own counselling process, as opposed to All India Quota seats, which are filled by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) through a national process.

If you are a Maharashtra domicile or eligible under the state's domicile rules, you can apply for State Quota seats. The notice does not detail domicile eligibility; refer to the prospectus or contact the CET Cell for clarification on whether you qualify.

• This round fills State Quota seats only (not All India Quota)
• State Quota seats are for candidates meeting Maharashtra's domicile criteria
• Confirm your domicile eligibility before registering

Critical eligibility traps — read carefully

The notice contains four specific eligibility rules that, if violated, will result in automatic rejection. Read these carefully:

TRAP 1: 'Candidates who have registered previously cannot register again.' If you registered in Round 2, CAP-3, or any earlier stray vacancy round, you CANNOT register again in this round. The system will likely reject a duplicate registration.

TRAP 2: 'Candidates who were allotted a seat in CAP-3 and any subsequent stray vacancy round are not eligible for fresh registration.' If you were allotted a seat in CAP-3 (even if you did not join), you cannot register in this stray vacancy round. This is a hard bar.

TRAP 3: 'Candidates who fail to upload requisite documents will not be considered for the admission process from the claimed category.' If you claim a reserved category but do not upload the category certificate, you will lose your reserved category status and be considered in the general category only — or rejected entirely.

TRAP 4: 'Candidates registering during the above-mentioned period shall be considered only for the CAP admission process for MBBS and BDS (Group A) courses. They are not eligible for Group B & C courses.' If you register here, you lock yourself into Group A only. You cannot later switch to Group B or C.

• ⚠️ Do NOT register if you have already registered in any previous round
• ⚠️ Do NOT register if you were allotted a seat in CAP-3 (even if you didn't join)
• ⚠️ Upload ALL required documents, especially category certificates — missing documents = loss of reserved category status
• ⚠️ Registering here means Group A only — you cannot apply for Group B or C later

What happens after document verification?

The notice states that 'the subsequent schedule will be declared in due course.' This means the CET Cell will announce the next steps (merit list, allotment, joining, etc.) after document verification is complete. You should check the official portal regularly for updates.

The notice also notes that 'the above schedule is subject to change as per the direction of various authorities like MCC / AACCC / Central Government / State Government / Hon'ble Court.' This means dates and procedures may change at short notice. Stay alert to official announcements.

• Allotment schedule will be announced after document verification
• Check the official portal regularly for updates
• Dates may change due to court orders or government directives

Contact information and official portal

For any queries or clarifications, contact the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, Mumbai:

Phone: 022-22016157/53/59

Email: cetcell@mahacet.org

Website: www.mahacet.org

Address: 8th Floor, New Excelsior Building, A.K. Nayak Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001

All registration, fee payment, and document upload must be done through the official portal only. Do not use any third-party website or agent.

• Phone: 022-22016157/53/59
• Email: cetcell@mahacet.org
• Website: www.mahacet.org
• Address: 8th Floor, New Excelsior Building, A.K. Nayak Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001

Frequently asked questions

If you are eligible, register immediately on the official portal (www.mahacet.org). Complete all three steps — registration, fee payment, and document upload — by 2 November 2026 at 8:00 pm (server time). Upload colored scans of all required documents, especially your category certificate if you are claiming a reserved category. After document verification (by 3 November), the CET Cell will announce the allotment schedule. Check the portal regularly for updates, and contact the CET Cell (022-22016157/53/59 or cetcell@mahacet.org) if you have any doubts.