Counselling

NEET PG 2026 Round 1: Choice Locking Deadline & Seat Allotment Timeline

NEET PG 2026 Round 1 choice locking closes October 22 at 10 AM. Provisional seat allotment results announced October 24. Know the timeline, steps to lock preferences, and what happens next.

MedAdmit News Desk 22 Oct 2026 4 min read

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has set a firm deadline for NEET PG 2026 Round 1 choice submission: October 22, 2026 at 10 AM. After this window closes, candidates will no longer be able to enter or modify their course and college preferences. The provisional seat allotment results will follow on October 24, marking a critical milestone in the postgraduate medical admission process. If you have not yet locked your choices, this is your final opportunity to do so before the system auto-locks all submissions.

Lock your NEET PG Round 1 preferences by 10 AM on October 22, 2026, or you will not receive a seat allotment in this round.

Your matched MD/MS/DNB seats

Locked
CollegeBranchFeeStipendClosing AIR

Enter your NEET-PG rank to unlock the real colleges you can get — All India Quota and state — with closing ranks, fees and stipend.

Unlock My College List

When Does Choice Locking Close for NEET PG Round 1?

The choice-filling and choice-locking window for NEET PG 2026 Round 1 closes at 10 AM on October 22, 2026. Candidates must log into the official MCC counselling portal (mcc.nic.in) and submit their preferences before this deadline. Choice locking began on October 21, 2026, giving candidates a two-day window to finalize their selections.

Once the 10 AM deadline passes, the system will automatically lock all submitted choices. Candidates will no longer be able to log in, modify, rearrange, or add new preferences. This is a hard deadline—there are no extensions or grace periods. If you have not entered your choices by this time, you will be ineligible for seat allotment in Round 1.

How to Fill and Lock Your NEET PG Round 1 Choices

The process of submitting your preferences is straightforward but requires careful attention. You must visit the official MCC counselling website, select the 'PG Medical' option, and click on 'Registration' to access the choice-filling portal. Log in using your credentials (typically your registration number and password provided during the counselling registration phase).

Once logged in, open the 'Choice Filling' section and begin selecting your preferred courses and colleges. The system allows you to rank multiple course-college combinations in order of preference. You can rearrange your choices as many times as you wish before locking. After you are satisfied with the order, click the 'Lock' button to finalize your preferences. Save and submit your selections to confirm.

  • Visit mcc.nic.in
  • Select 'PG Medical'
  • Click 'Registration'
  • Log in with your credentials
  • Open 'Choice Filling' section
  • Select courses and colleges in order of preference
  • Rearrange if needed
  • Lock your choices
  • Save and submit

Know the exact MD/MS/DNB seats your rank can get

Official round-wise closing ranks with fee and stipend, matched to your rank.

See My Colleges

What Happens If You Don't Lock Your Choices Before the Deadline?

If you fail to enter and lock your preferences before 10 AM on October 22, you will not receive a seat allotment in Round 1. The MCC system does not generate seats for candidates who have not submitted their choice list. This means you will have to wait for subsequent rounds of counselling, which may result in fewer available seats and potentially less desirable college or course options.

It is critical to understand that non-submission is treated the same as withdrawal. You must actively participate in the choice-filling process to be considered for allotment. Even if you are unsure about your exact preferences, it is better to submit a reasonable list than to miss the deadline entirely.

When Will Round 1 Provisional Seat Allotment Results Be Announced?

The MCC will announce the Round 1 provisional seat allotment results on October 24, 2026. This provisional result is released first to allow candidates an opportunity to review their allotment and raise any grievances or objections if they believe an error has been made. The provisional stage is important because it gives you a chance to flag issues before the final allotment is locked.

After the provisional result is published and the grievance period closes, the MCC will issue the final allotment result. Only after the final result is released will college reporting and admission formalities begin. Candidates who are allotted seats must follow the MCC's schedule for document verification, reporting, and admission completion.

How Is Your Seat Allotted in NEET PG Round 1?

Your seat allotment depends on three key factors: your application category (general, OBC, SC, ST, or other reserved category), the preferences you have submitted in order of priority, and the availability of seats in your chosen courses and colleges. The MCC uses a merit-based algorithm that matches your rank with available seats based on your locked preference list.

The system processes allotments in order of your preferences. If a seat is available in your first choice, you will be allotted there. If not, the system moves to your second choice, and so on. This is why the order of your preferences matters significantly. Candidates with higher ranks (lower NEET PG scores) are processed first, so your rank relative to other candidates in your category also influences your outcome.

Every kind of PG seat, one rank

See the real seats your NEET-PG rank can reach.

Govt · AIQ

50% All India Quota

Lowest fees

State

Domicile quota

Best local ranks

Deemed

No domicile needed

Higher fees

DNB

Hospitals + institutes

Widest options

Private

State private colleges

Mid-range fees

See My Colleges

What Should You Do Before Locking Your Choices?

Before you lock your preferences, take time to review your course and college selections carefully. Ensure that the combinations you have listed reflect your genuine interests and career goals. Consider factors such as the college's reputation, location, infrastructure, faculty, and the course's relevance to your specialization plans. Do not rush this decision.

Check that your preferences are listed in the correct order of priority. Remember that the system will attempt to allot you a seat based on this order, starting from your first choice. If you have made any mistakes or wish to change the order, you can do so before locking. Once locked, you cannot make any changes, so verify everything one final time before clicking the lock button.

What Happens After Your Seat Is Allotted?

Once the final Round 1 allotment result is released, candidates who have been allotted seats must follow the MCC's schedule for the next stage of admission. This typically includes document verification, college reporting, and completion of admission formalities such as fee payment and hostel allocation. The exact timeline and requirements will be communicated by the MCC and your allotted college.

If you are not allotted a seat in Round 1, you will be eligible to participate in subsequent rounds of counselling. In these later rounds, you may have the opportunity to fill fresh choices or modify your existing preferences, depending on the MCC's rules for that round. It is important to monitor the official MCC website for announcements about Round 2 and beyond.

Key Dates to Remember for NEET PG 2026 Round 1

Mark these critical dates on your calendar to ensure you do not miss any important deadlines. Choice locking closes on October 22, 2026 at 10 AM—this is your final opportunity to submit preferences. The provisional seat allotment result will be announced on October 24, 2026. After this, the grievance period will open, allowing you to raise objections if needed.

The final allotment result will follow after the grievance period closes. College reporting and admission formalities will begin only after the final result is released. Stay updated with the official MCC website (mcc.nic.in) for any announcements or changes to these dates.

  • October 21–22, 2026: Choice filling and locking window (closes 10 AM on October 22)
  • October 24, 2026: Provisional seat allotment result announced
  • After provisional result: Grievance period opens
  • After grievance closure: Final allotment result released
  • After final result: College reporting and admission formalities begin
Free preview · 2 min

See the exact MD/MS/DNB seats your NEET-PG rank can get

Free 2-minute preview — round-wise closing ranks, fees and stipend for every seat your rank can reach.

See My Colleges

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline for locking NEET PG Round 1 choices?

The deadline for locking your NEET PG Round 1 choices is October 22, 2026 at 10 AM. After this time, the system will auto-lock all submitted preferences, and you will no longer be able to log in or make any changes.

What happens if I don't lock my choices before the deadline?

If you do not lock your choices before the October 22 deadline, you will not receive a seat allotment in Round 1. You will have to wait for subsequent rounds of counselling, which may have fewer available seats and less desirable options.

When will the Round 1 provisional seat allotment results be announced?

The Round 1 provisional seat allotment results will be announced on October 24, 2026. This provisional result allows candidates to review their allotment and raise grievances before the final result is released.

How do I fill and lock my NEET PG choices?

Visit mcc.nic.in, select 'PG Medical', click 'Registration', log in with your credentials, open 'Choice Filling', select your preferred courses and colleges in order of priority, rearrange if needed, lock your choices, and save your submission.

Can I change my preferences after locking them?

No. Once you lock your preferences, you cannot log in to change or rearrange them. The system auto-locks all choices after the October 22 deadline, and no modifications are allowed.

What factors determine my seat allotment in NEET PG Round 1?

Your seat allotment depends on three factors: your application category (general, OBC, SC, ST, etc.), your locked preference list in order of priority, and the availability of seats in your chosen courses and colleges. The system matches your rank with available seats based on your preferences.

What should I do if I am not allotted a seat in Round 1?

If you are not allotted a seat in Round 1, you will be eligible to participate in subsequent rounds of counselling. Monitor the official MCC website for announcements about Round 2 and later rounds, where you may have the opportunity to fill fresh choices or modify your preferences.

When do college reporting and admission formalities begin?

College reporting and admission formalities begin only after the final Round 1 allotment result is released by the MCC. The exact timeline and requirements will be communicated by the MCC and your allotted college.

If you have not yet locked your NEET PG Round 1 choices, log into mcc.nic.in immediately and complete the process before 10 AM on October 22, 2026. Review your preferences carefully, ensure they are in the correct order of priority, and lock them before the deadline. Monitor the official MCC website on October 24 for the provisional seat allotment result.

NEET PG 2026NEET PG counsellingchoice lockingseat allotmentMCC counsellingMD MS admissionPG medical counsellingNEET PG Round 1postgraduate medical seatschoice fillingmcc.nic.inPG counselling schedulemedical admission 2026DNB counselling
Found this useful? Share it

Plan your admission with free AI tools

Turn your NEET score into a rank, then into the exact colleges you can get.