MCC NEET PG 2026 Counselling Schedule: Round 1–4 Dates & Deadlines

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has released the official counselling schedule for NEET PG 2026 covering the 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats and 100% seats in Deemed Universities, Central Universities, and AFMS institutions. The schedule outlines four main counselling rounds plus a stray vacancy round, with detailed timelines for registration, choice filling, seat processing, allotment, and joining. Round 1 registration opens on 12 October 2026 and the entire counselling process will conclude by 31 December 2026. This is the definitive timeline every NEET PG aspirant must follow to secure their postgraduate medical seat.

What This Schedule Covers

This is the official MCC counselling timetable for NEET PG 2026 (academic year 2026–27). It applies to all candidates who have qualified NEET PG and are eligible for the 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats or the 100% seats in Deemed Universities, Central Universities, and Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) institutions. The schedule does NOT cover state-specific counselling (which states run separately) or super-speciality courses (DM, M.Ch, DrNB), which have their own separate counselling process.

The counselling process is entirely online. All registration, payment, choice filling, and result checking happen through the MCC portal. The schedule is divided into four main rounds of counselling, followed by a stray vacancy round to fill any remaining unfilled seats. Each round follows the same sequence: registration and payment, choice filling and locking, seat processing, result declaration, and joining.

Round 1: Complete Timeline (12 Oct – 3 Nov 2026)

Round 1 is the first and largest counselling round. Participating medical colleges will verify their tentative seat matrix (the number of seats they are offering) from 10–12 October. Candidates can then register and pay the counselling fee from 12 October to 21 October 2026, up to 12:00 noon (server time). Payment can be made until 3:00 PM on 21 October.

After registration, you will fill and lock your choice of colleges and specialities from 13 October to 22 October 2026. Choice filling closes at 10:00 AM on 22 October. Choice locking (the final confirmation of your preferences) begins at 4:00 PM on 21 October and continues until 10:00 AM on 22 October. Once you lock your choices, you cannot change them. The MCC will process all allotments on 22–23 October, declare results on 24 October, and the joining period runs from 26 October to 2 November 2026. Colleges will verify joined candidates' data and share it with MCC by 3 November.

• Seat matrix verification: 10–12 Oct
• Registration & payment: 12–21 Oct (noon deadline; payment until 3 PM)
• Choice filling: 13–22 Oct (until 10 AM on 22 Oct)
• Choice locking: 4 PM on 21 Oct to 10 AM on 22 Oct
• Allotment processing: 22–23 Oct
• Result declaration: 24 Oct
• Joining period: 26 Oct–2 Nov
• Data verification by colleges: 3 Nov

Round 2: Complete Timeline (4 Nov – 24 Nov 2026)

Round 2 is held for candidates who did not join in Round 1 or who wish to upgrade their seat. Colleges verify their updated seat matrix on 4–5 November. Registration and payment open from 6 November to 11 November 2026, with a noon deadline on 11 November; payment is available until 3:00 PM on 11 November. Choice filling runs from 7 November to 12 November (until 10:00 AM on 12 November). Choice locking begins at 4:00 PM on 11 November and ends at 10:00 AM on 12 November.

Allotment processing occurs on 12–13 November, results are declared on 14 November, and the joining window is 16–23 November 2026. Colleges verify and share joined candidates' data by 24 November.

• Seat matrix verification: 4–5 Nov
• Registration & payment: 6–11 Nov (noon deadline; payment until 3 PM)
• Choice filling: 7–12 Nov (until 10 AM on 12 Nov)
• Choice locking: 4 PM on 11 Nov to 10 AM on 12 Nov
• Allotment processing: 12–13 Nov
• Result declaration: 14 Nov
• Joining period: 16–23 Nov
• Data verification by colleges: 24 Nov

Round 3: Complete Timeline (25 Nov – 14 Dec 2026)

Round 3 is the final main counselling round. Colleges verify their seat matrix on 25–26 November. Registration and payment are open from 26 November to 1 December 2026, with a noon deadline on 1 December; payment is available until 3:00 PM on 1 December. Choice filling runs from 27 November to 2 December (until 10:00 AM on 2 December). Choice locking begins at 4:00 PM on 1 December and ends at 10:00 AM on 2 December.

Allotment processing takes place on 2–3 December, results are declared on 4 December, and the joining window is 5–12 December 2026. Colleges verify and share data by 14 December.

• Seat matrix verification: 25–26 Nov
• Registration & payment: 26 Nov–1 Dec (noon deadline; payment until 3 PM)
• Choice filling: 27 Nov–2 Dec (until 10 AM on 2 Dec)
• Choice locking: 4 PM on 1 Dec to 10 AM on 2 Dec
• Allotment processing: 2–3 Dec
• Result declaration: 4 Dec
• Joining period: 5–12 Dec
• Data verification by colleges: 14 Dec

Stray Vacancy Round: Complete Timeline (15 Dec – 31 Dec 2026)

The stray vacancy round is held to fill any seats that remain vacant after the three main rounds. Colleges verify their seat matrix on 15 December. Registration and payment open from 16 December to 21 December 2026, with a noon deadline on 21 December; payment is available until 3:00 PM on 21 December. Choice filling runs from 16 December to 21 December (until 11:55 PM on 21 December — note the later closing time). Choice locking begins at 4:00 PM on 21 December and ends at 11:55 PM on 21 December.

Allotment processing occurs on 22–23 December, results are declared on 24 December, and the joining window is 24–31 December 2026. Unlike the main rounds, there is no separate data verification step listed for the stray vacancy round.

• Seat matrix verification: 15 Dec
• Registration & payment: 16–21 Dec (noon deadline; payment until 3 PM)
• Choice filling: 16–21 Dec (until 11:55 PM on 21 Dec)
• Choice locking: 4 PM to 11:55 PM on 21 Dec
• Allotment processing: 22–23 Dec
• Result declaration: 24 Dec
• Joining period: 24–31 Dec

Critical Dates to Mark in Your Calendar

The most important dates are the registration deadlines and choice-filling deadlines for each round, because missing these means you cannot participate in that round. All deadlines are in server time (IST). Here is a quick reference table:

Understanding 'Server Time' — Why It Matters

Every deadline in this schedule is given in 'server time' (IST — Indian Standard Time). This is the time on the MCC portal's server, not your local clock. If you are in a different time zone or your device clock is slightly off, you could miss a deadline. The MCC does not grant extensions for late submissions due to time zone confusion or device clock errors.

To avoid this trap: (1) Check the exact server time on the MCC portal before you submit anything. (2) Do not rely on your phone or computer clock — sync it with an official time source. (3) Submit your registration and choices well before the deadline, not at the last minute. (4) For the noon deadlines (registration), aim to complete by 11:30 AM server time. For the 10:00 AM deadlines (choice filling), aim to complete by 9:30 AM.

Payment Facility Timing — A Separate Deadline

In each round, the registration deadline (when you must submit your form) is at 12:00 noon, but the payment facility closes at 3:00 PM on the same day. This means you can register up to noon, but you have until 3:00 PM to pay the counselling fee. However, do not wait until 3:00 PM to pay — the payment gateway may be slow or overloaded, and you could lose your registration if payment fails.

For the stray vacancy round, the payment facility also closes at 3:00 PM on 21 December, even though choice filling continues until 11:55 PM. This is unusual: you must pay by 3:00 PM, but you can fill and lock choices until 11:55 PM. Plan accordingly.

Choice Filling and Choice Locking — What's the Difference?

Choice filling is the period during which you can enter your list of colleges and specialities in order of preference. You can add, remove, or reorder your choices as many times as you want during this window. Choice locking is the final step: once you lock your choices, they are frozen and cannot be changed. After locking, the MCC uses your locked list to process allotments.

In Rounds 1–3, choice locking begins at 4:00 PM on the day before the choice-filling deadline and continues until 10:00 AM on the deadline day. For example, in Round 1, choice locking runs from 4:00 PM on 21 October to 10:00 AM on 22 October. You can fill choices until 10:00 AM on 22 October, but you must lock them by 10:00 AM on 22 October. In the stray vacancy round, both choice filling and locking happen on the same day (21 December), with locking from 4:00 PM to 11:55 PM.

⚠️ TRAP: If you do not lock your choices by the deadline, the MCC may use your last saved (but unlocked) choices, or your choices may not be processed at all. Always lock your choices before the deadline.

Allotment Processing and Result Declaration

After the choice-filling deadline, the MCC processes all allotments using a computerised algorithm. This typically takes 1–2 days. During this time, the portal will show a 'processing' status. You cannot check your result until the MCC declares it on the result date.

On the result date, you will log into the MCC portal and see whether you have been allotted a seat. If you have, the result will show the college, speciality, and category of the seat. If you have not been allotted a seat in that round, you can participate in the next round (if available). The result is final for that round — there is no appeal or review process within a round.

Joining: What You Must Do After Allotment

If you are allotted a seat, you must report to the college and complete the joining formalities within the joining window. The joining window is typically 6–8 days after the result date. For example, in Round 1, the result is on 24 October and joining is from 26 October to 2 November — you have 8 days to join.

Joining involves submitting original documents (degree certificate, mark sheets, category certificate if applicable, etc.), undergoing a medical fitness test, and signing the joining form. If you do not join within the window, your seat is cancelled and you cannot participate in further rounds. If you join in one round, you cannot participate in subsequent rounds — you are locked into that seat.

⚠️ TRAP: Many candidates miss the joining deadline because they are waiting for a better seat in a later round. Once you join, you are committed. If you do not join, you lose the seat and must wait for the next round.

Academic Session Commencement: 20 November 2026

The PG academic session for 2026–27 is scheduled to commence on 20 November 2026. This is important because it falls during the Round 1 joining period (26 Oct–2 Nov) and overlaps with Round 2 (which starts 4 Nov). Colleges may begin classes before all rounds are complete. If you join in Round 1, you may be required to start attending classes from 20 November, even if Round 2 or Round 3 is still ongoing.

This also means that if you are waiting for a later round, you may miss the start of the academic session. Plan your strategy accordingly: if you are allotted a seat in Round 1 or Round 2, joining early ensures you do not fall behind in your course.

Weekends and Holidays Are Working Days

The notice explicitly states: 'All participating institutes/colleges are advised to treat all Saturdays, Sundays, and Gazetted Holidays as working days.' This means the counselling process does not stop on weekends or national holidays. If a deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it is still a deadline — there is no extension. The MCC portal will be open and operational on all days, including weekends and holidays.

This is critical for planning: do not assume you have extra time because a deadline falls on a weekend. Mark all dates in your calendar and plan to complete your registration, choice filling, and joining well before the deadline, accounting for the possibility of portal congestion or technical issues.

Frequently asked questions

Mark all four round deadlines in your calendar now: Round 1 (21 Oct), Round 2 (11 Nov), Round 3 (1 Dec), and Stray Vacancy (21 Dec). The most critical dates are the registration and choice-filling deadlines — missing these means you cannot participate in that round. Remember that all times are in server time (IST), and the portal will be open on weekends and holidays. Once you join in any round, you are locked into that seat and cannot participate in later rounds, so plan your strategy carefully. Visit the MCC portal (mcc.nic.in) regularly for updates and to register when each round opens.