If you registered for NEET UG 2026 counselling under the 15% All India Quota, the next few days are the ones that decide which MBBS or BDS college you could end up studying in. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has opened the Round 1 choice filling window on its portal, and the sequence in which you arrange your college preferences now will directly shape your seat outcome. There is a short, non-negotiable window to fill and lock choices, followed by processing and a result date. Missing or mishandling this step is one of the most common — and most avoidable — mistakes NEET aspirants make during counselling.
Fill and lock your Round 1 choices on mcc.nic.in by 11 AM on August 13, 2026, in your true order of preference — an unlocked list gets auto-locked by the system exactly as it stands, so don't leave it to the last minute.
What Just Opened, and Why the Dates Matter
The choice filling window for Round 1 of NEET UG 2026 counselling went live at 12 noon on August 8, 2026, two days later than originally planned after MCC pushed back the launch. Only candidates who have already completed Round 1 registration and paid the counselling fee can access this window and start selecting colleges and courses.
The window to fill and edit choices stays open until 11 AM on August 13, 2026. A separate but overlapping locking window opens at 4 PM on August 12 and also closes at 11 AM on August 13. Locking is the step that finalises your list for allotment — anything you have entered but not actively locked will be auto-locked by the system in whatever order it is in when time runs out, so there is no benefit to waiting until the deadline.
| Stage | Window |
|---|---|
| Registration and fee payment | August 5 – August 12, 2026 (till 3 PM); payment accepted till 6 PM |
| Choice filling | August 8, 12 noon – August 13, 11 AM |
| Choice locking | August 12, 4 PM – August 13, 11 AM |
| Seat allotment processing | August 13 – August 16, 2026 |
| Round 1 result | August 17, 2026 |
| Reporting to allotted college | August 18 – August 22, 2026 |
Which Seats Are Actually on Offer in This Round
Round 1 counselling run by MCC covers the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in state government medical and dental colleges — these are the seats every NEET-qualified candidate across India competes for, regardless of home state. Beyond AIQ seats, this round also fills seats at AIIMS institutes across the country, JIPMER (Puducherry and Karaikal), ESIC medical colleges, and AFMC Pune.
It also includes seats in Central Universities such as AMU, BHU, Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia, as well as Deemed Universities offering MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing programmes. Knowing exactly which category a college choice falls under matters, because quota and category eligibility can differ between an AIQ state college seat and a Central University or Deemed University seat.
- 15% All India Quota seats in state government medical/dental colleges
- AIIMS institutes nationwide
- JIPMER Puducherry and Karaikal
- ESIC medical colleges
- Central Universities (AMU, BHU, DU, Jamia Millia Islamia)
- Deemed Universities (MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing)
- AFMC Pune
How to Approach the Choice List
The order in which you list colleges is not a formality — it is the actual mechanism of allotment. MCC allots seats purely on NEET UG rank matched against your locked preference order; the system offers you the highest-ranked choice on your list that you are still eligible for at your rank. This means a college placed lower on your list will only be considered if every choice above it has already been filled by candidates with better ranks.
Before locking, cross-check every entry for the correct course (MBBS or BDS), category, and quota, since an error here can mean allotment to a seat you did not actually intend to take. It's worth reviewing the official Round 1 seat matrix released by MCC to confirm which colleges and seats are genuinely on offer this year before finalising your order.
- Log in to mcc.nic.in with your NEET UG 2026 roll number and password.
- Open the choice filling tab from your candidate dashboard.
- Add every college-course combination you would realistically accept.
- Arrange entries strictly by genuine preference, not just perceived prestige.
- Review course, category and quota tags on each entry.
- Lock the list well before the 11 AM, August 13 deadline.
- Download and save the locked choice list for your records.
After Locking: What Happens Next
Once the locking window closes, MCC processes Round 1 allotment between August 13 and August 16, 2026, matching locked preferences against merit rank and seat availability. The result is scheduled for release on August 17, 2026, on the same portal.
Candidates who receive an allotment must report to the allotted college within the reporting window of August 18 to August 22, 2026, carrying the required original documents and printouts, including the locked choice list and allotment letter. Missing the reporting window without a valid reason can result in forfeiture of the allotted seat, so this date deserves as much attention as the choice filling deadline itself.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Can I still register for NEET UG 2026 Round 1 counselling now?
Registration and fee payment remain open until 3 PM on August 12, 2026, with payment accepted until 6 PM the same day. You must complete registration before you can access the choice filling window.
What happens if I don't lock my choices manually?
Any choices you have filled but not actively locked will be auto-locked by MCC's system exactly as they stand once the window closes at 11 AM on August 13, 2026. It is safer to lock manually after reviewing your list.
Can I change my choice order after locking?
No. Once locked, the order is final for that round's allotment. You can only revise your preferences again if a further counselling round is announced and reopened for choice filling.
Does this round include private medical and dental colleges?
This MCC-run round covers the 15% All India Quota seats, AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC, AFMC, Central Universities and Deemed Universities. State-quota seats in private and government colleges are handled separately by respective state counselling authorities, not by MCC.
What if I don't get any seat in Round 1?
Candidates not allotted a seat in Round 1 automatically remain in contention for subsequent rounds of AIQ counselling, based on the schedule MCC releases after this round concludes.
Is reporting to the allotted college compulsory even if I plan to try for an upgrade?
Yes. Reporting (or the required online reporting/acceptance step, depending on that year's rules) within the August 18–22 window is generally necessary to retain the allotted seat while remaining eligible for upgrades in later rounds — candidates should confirm the exact retention rule in the official MCC brochure for this round.
The next five days matter more than most people realise: an AIQ seat is decided by rank plus the order you set today, not by how many colleges you list. Log in to mcc.nic.in, build your list from the official seat matrix, and lock it early rather than waiting for the August 13 deadline.
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