NEET PG Counselling 2026 Round 1: Registration Opens Oct 12 at MCC

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has opened registration for NEET PG 2026 counselling round 1, beginning October 12 at mcc.nic.in. This is the first major step for MBBS graduates who cleared the NEET PG exam and wish to secure a postgraduate seat in MD, MS, or DNB programmes for the 2026–27 academic year. The counselling covers 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats across central universities, deemed universities, and ESIC institutes. Candidates must register, fill their college and course preferences, and await seat allotment on October 24. Understanding the timeline and requirements is critical to avoid missing deadlines.

NEET PG Counselling 2026 Round 1 Timeline: Key Dates You Must Know

The MCC has released a detailed schedule for round 1 counselling. Seat matrix verification by colleges runs from October 10–12, followed by candidate registration and fee payment from October 12–21. This is your window to complete all registration steps; missing this deadline means you cannot participate in round 1.

Choice filling and locking—the process of selecting your preferred colleges and courses—opens on October 13 and closes on October 22. The MCC will process seat allotments on October 22–23, with results announced on October 24. Candidates who receive a seat must report to their allotted college between October 26 and November 2. Data verification by colleges happens on November 3.

Three additional rounds of counselling will follow round 1, with a stray vacancy round at the end to fill any remaining seats. If you do not secure a seat in round 1, you can participate in round 2 (November 6–14), round 3 (November 26–December 4), and the stray vacancy round (December 16–24). Plan your strategy accordingly.

How to Register for NEET PG Counselling 2026: Step-by-Step Process

Begin by visiting the official MCC website at mcc.nic.in. Look for the PG Medical Counselling section on the homepage and click the link for NEET PG 2026 counselling registration. Select 'New Registration' and enter your basic details: name, date of birth, NEET PG roll number, and application number. Create your login credentials carefully—you will use these to access the portal throughout the counselling process.

After logging in, complete the full registration form by entering personal information (parents' details, contact information, category, and nationality) and your NEET PG exam details. Upload all required documents as PDFs or images. Then pay the prescribed registration fee and security deposit. The fee structure varies by category and institution type, so verify the exact amount before payment.

Once you submit the form, save the confirmation page. This is your proof of registration. Do not rely on email confirmations alone. After registration closes on October 21, you will be able to log back in to fill and lock your college and course choices from October 13–22.

• Visit mcc.nic.in and navigate to PG Medical Counselling
• Click 'New Registration' and enter your NEET PG details
• Create login credentials and verify them carefully
• Fill in personal and exam information
• Upload all required documents
• Pay the registration fee and security deposit
• Submit and save the confirmation page

NEET PG Counselling 2026 Registration Fees: What You Must Pay

The MCC charges a non-refundable registration fee and a refundable security deposit. For candidates applying to 50% AIQ or central university seats, the registration fee is ₹1,000 for general and EWS categories, and ₹500 for SC, ST, OBC, and PwD candidates. The security deposit is ₹25,000 for general and EWS, and ₹10,000 for SC, ST, OBC, and PwD.

If you are applying to deemed university seats, the registration fee is ₹5,000 for all categories, with a security deposit of ₹2,00,000. The security deposit is refundable after you complete the admission process and join the college. Ensure you have sufficient funds before registration, as payment must be completed to finalize your registration.

• 50% AIQ/Central Universities – General/EWS: ₹1,000 registration + ₹25,000 security deposit
• 50% AIQ/Central Universities – SC/ST/OBC/PwD: ₹500 registration + ₹10,000 security deposit
• Deemed Universities – All categories: ₹5,000 registration + ₹2,00,000 security deposit
• Security deposit is refundable after admission and joining

Documents Required for NEET PG Counselling 2026 Registration

Gather all required documents before you begin registration. You will need your NEET PG scorecard, rank details, and admit card. You must also have your MBBS degree certificate or provisional degree certificate, MBBS marksheets, and internship completion certificate. Your permanent or provisional medical registration certificate (issued by the Medical Council) is mandatory.

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, or driving licence), proof of date of birth, and recent passport-size photographs. If you belong to a reserved category, have your category certificate ready. If you are a person with disability (PwD), bring your disability certificate. NRI candidates must have relevant NRI documentation. The MCC or your allotted college may request additional documents during verification.

• NEET PG scorecard and rank details
• NEET PG admit card
• MBBS degree or provisional degree certificate
• MBBS marksheets
• Internship completion certificate
• Permanent or provisional medical registration certificate
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Date of birth proof
• Recent passport-size photographs
• Category certificate (if applicable)
• PwD certificate (if applicable)
• NRI documents (if applicable)

NEET PG 2026 Cutoff Marks and Qualifying Criteria

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has announced the minimum qualifying cutoff marks for NEET PG 2026. General and EWS candidates must score at least 262 marks (50th percentile) out of 800. General PwD candidates need 244 marks (45th percentile). SC, ST, and OBC candidates, including PwD candidates from these categories, must score 226 marks (40th percentile).

Only candidates who meet or exceed these cutoff marks are eligible to participate in counselling. Your NEET PG rank is determined by your score and is used during seat allotment. Historically, top government colleges like ABVIMS Delhi and NIMS Hyderabad fill their MD general medicine seats within the top 100–200 ranks, while competitive branches like MD Radiodiagnosis close within the top 1,000–2,000 ranks. Use previous year's closing ranks as a reference when filling your choices.

• General/EWS: 262 marks (50th percentile)
• General PwD: 244 marks (45th percentile)
• SC/ST/OBC (including PwD): 226 marks (40th percentile)
• Only candidates meeting cutoff are eligible for counselling
• Your rank determines seat allotment eligibility

Understanding Seat Availability: 58,468 NEET PG Seats in 2026

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has released the NEET PG 2026 seat matrix, showing a total of 58,468 seats available for MD, MS, and PG diploma programmes across government, private, and deemed medical institutions. This represents an increase of approximately 5,827 seats compared to the previous year. Government colleges offer 27,371 seats across 280 institutions, while private colleges offer 18,849 seats across 247 institutions.

The 50% AIQ seats managed by MCC are distributed across central universities, deemed universities, and ESIC institutes. The remaining 50% state quota seats are managed by individual state counselling authorities. Karnataka has the highest number of postgraduate seats, followed by other major states. Before filling your choices, review the seat matrix on the MCC website to understand availability in your preferred colleges and branches.

• Total NEET PG seats 2026: 58,468
• Government colleges: 27,371 seats across 280 colleges
• Private colleges: 18,849 seats across 247 colleges
• Increase of ~5,827 seats from previous year
• 50% AIQ seats managed by MCC; 50% state quota managed by states

Choice Filling Strategy: How to Rank Your Preferred Colleges and Courses

After registration, you will have from October 13–22 to fill and lock your choices. This is a critical step. You can list multiple colleges and courses in order of preference. The MCC's seat allotment algorithm will match your rank and choices to available seats. If your rank qualifies for your first choice, you will be allotted that seat. If not, the system moves to your second choice, and so on.

Research colleges and branches thoroughly before filling choices. Use previous year's closing ranks as a guide. For example, if you are aiming for MD general medicine at a top Delhi college and your rank is 500, you may not qualify. Instead, consider colleges where your rank falls within the opening and closing range. You can also choose to 'Freeze' your allotted seat (accepting it and not seeking upgradation) or 'Float' (keeping the option to upgrade in the next round). Plan your choices strategically based on your rank and career goals.

• Fill choices between October 13–22
• List colleges and courses in order of preference
• Use previous year's closing ranks as reference
• Rank must fall within opening and closing range to qualify
• Choose 'Freeze' to accept seat or 'Float' to seek upgradation in next round
• Research colleges and specialties before finalizing choices

What Happens After Seat Allotment: Reporting and Admission

Once the MCC announces seat allotment results on October 24, check your allotment status on the portal. If you receive a seat, you must report to your allotted college between October 26 and November 2. Reporting involves submitting your original documents for verification, completing admission formalities, and paying any applicable fees to the college. Failure to report within the deadline may result in forfeiture of your seat.

After you join, the college will verify your documents and update your status with the MCC by November 3. If you do not receive a seat in round 1, you can participate in round 2 (November 6–14) and subsequent rounds. Seats vacated by candidates who do not report or who upgrade to better seats in later rounds become available for allotment in the next round. The stray vacancy round in December is the final opportunity to secure a seat if you have not been allotted one in earlier rounds.

• Check allotment status on October 24
• Report to allotted college between October 26–November 2
• Submit original documents for verification
• Complete admission formalities and pay college fees
• College verifies documents and updates MCC by November 3
• Participate in round 2 if not allotted in round 1

Important Policy Changes: PG Diploma Programmes Being Phased Out

The NMC has announced that two-year postgraduate diploma programmes will be discontinued after the 2026–27 academic year. This means the 2026–27 batch will be the final cohort admitted to these diploma courses. From 2027–28 onwards, no new students will be admitted to two-year PG diploma programmes. If you are considering a diploma course, be aware that this is likely your last opportunity to pursue this pathway.

Additionally, the government has approved 5,000 additional PG medical seats to be created during 2025–26 to 2028–29, with an enhanced cost ceiling of ₹1.50 crore per seat. This expansion aims to increase the availability of postgraduate medical education across India. These changes reflect evolving policy priorities in medical education and may influence your choice of course and institution.

• Two-year PG diploma programmes ending after 2026–27
• 2026–27 is the final batch for diploma admissions
• 5,000 additional PG seats approved for 2025–26 to 2028–29
• Cost ceiling increased to ₹1.50 crore per seat
• Plan your course choice accordingly

Frequently asked questions

Register immediately at mcc.nic.in between October 12–21 to secure your place in NEET PG counselling 2026. Gather all required documents, verify the registration fee for your category, and plan your college choices using previous year's closing ranks. Remember that reporting to your allotted college by November 2 is mandatory—missing this deadline forfeits your seat.