NEET PG Counselling 2026 Round 1: Registration Starts Oct 12, Key Dates & Process

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has released the official timetable for NEET PG 2026 Round 1 counselling, with registration set to begin on October 12. This is the gateway to postgraduate medical seats across India's 50% All India Quota (AIQ) institutions, deemed universities, central universities and ESIC hospitals. Every NEET PG-qualified doctor must navigate this process carefully—missing deadlines or submitting incomplete information can cost you a seat. Understanding the exact schedule, fees, documents and choice-filling strategy is essential to secure your preferred MD, MS or PG Diploma course.

NEET PG 2026 Round 1 Counselling Timeline: What You Need to Know

The MCC has announced a structured timetable for Round 1 counselling. Seat matrix verification—the process by which MCC confirms which colleges, courses and seats are available—runs from October 10 to 12. This is your window to check the official seat availability before you register. Registration and fee payment begin on October 12 and close on October 21, with a specific payment deadline of 3 PM on October 21. Do not wait until the last day; technical glitches, payment failures or data-entry errors on October 21 could lock you out.

Choice filling—where you rank your preferred colleges and courses—opens on October 13 and closes on October 22. Importantly, choice locking (the final submission of your preferences) begins at 4 PM on October 21 and ends at 10 AM on October 22. This means you have a narrow window to lock your choices; missing this window means your preferences may not be processed. Seat allotment processing happens October 22–23, with results announced on October 24. Reporting at your allotted college runs October 26 to November 2, followed by joined-candidate data verification on November 3.

• Seat matrix verification: October 10–12
• Registration & fee payment: October 12–21 (payment closes 3 PM on Oct 21)
• Choice filling: October 13–22
• Choice locking: 4 PM Oct 21 to 10 AM Oct 22
• Seat allotment result: October 24
• Reporting/joining: October 26–November 2
• Joined candidate verification: November 3

Who Is Eligible and What Seats Are Covered?

NEET PG 2026 Round 1 counselling is open to all candidates who have qualified the NEET PG 2026 entrance examination and meet the prescribed eligibility criteria for postgraduate medical admissions. Eligibility typically includes possession of an MBBS degree or provisional certificate, completion of internship, and valid medical registration. If you have cleared NEET PG, you are eligible to register; however, registration does not guarantee a seat—your final allotment depends on your merit rank, category, preferences and available seats.

MCC counselling covers 50% of all postgraduate medical seats across India, including seats in central universities, deemed universities, ESIC institutions and other centrally managed colleges. The remaining 50% state quota seats are handled by individual state counselling authorities. This means if you are aiming for an AIQ seat under MCC, you are competing nationally; if you are targeting a state quota seat, you will participate in your state's separate counselling process. Some candidates may be eligible for both and can participate in both counselling rounds.

• Eligible: All NEET PG 2026 qualified candidates meeting prescribed criteria
• MCC covers: 50% All India Quota seats
• Institutions included: Central universities, deemed universities, ESIC hospitals, other MCC-managed colleges
• State quota seats: Handled separately by state counselling authorities
• Registration does not guarantee a seat

Registration Fees: What You Will Pay by Category

The MCC charges a non-refundable registration fee and a refundable security deposit. For General category candidates applying under the 50% AIQ and central universities, the registration fee is Rs 1,000 and the security deposit is Rs 25,000. For SC, ST and OBC candidates in the same category, the registration fee is Rs 500 and the security deposit is Rs 10,000. The registration fee is retained by MCC regardless of whether you secure a seat; the security deposit is refunded after counselling, subject to compliance with counselling rules.

You must pay both the registration fee and security deposit during the registration window (October 12–21, with payment closing at 3 PM on October 21). Payment is typically made online through the MCC portal using a debit card, credit card or net banking. Ensure you have the funds available and a working payment method before you begin registration. Keep your payment receipt and registration confirmation page for your records and for reporting at your allotted college.

• General category: Registration fee Rs 1,000 + Security deposit Rs 25,000
• SC/ST/OBC category: Registration fee Rs 500 + Security deposit Rs 10,000
• Registration fee: Non-refundable
• Security deposit: Refundable after counselling (subject to rules)
• Payment deadline: 3 PM on October 21, 2026
• Payment methods: Online (debit/credit card, net banking)

Step-by-Step Registration Process at mcc.nic.in

Registration begins on October 12 at the official MCC website, mcc.nic.in. Visit the homepage and locate the PG Medical Counselling section. Click on the NEET PG Counselling 2026 / New Registration link. You will be asked to enter your NEET PG 2026 examination details (roll number, score, rank) and personal information (name, date of birth, contact details). Create a username and password to log into the counselling portal; save these credentials securely, as you will need them for choice filling and future counselling rounds.

Complete the registration form by entering your academic details (MBBS college, year of passing, marks), contact information and category (if applicable). Review all information carefully before submission—errors in your name, roll number or category can delay or invalidate your registration. Pay the applicable registration fee and security deposit as specified for your category. After successful payment, you will receive a registration confirmation page; download and save this page as proof of registration. You will then be eligible to proceed to choice filling from October 13 onwards.

• Visit mcc.nic.in and open PG Medical Counselling section
• Click NEET PG Counselling 2026 / New Registration
• Enter NEET PG exam details and personal information
• Create login credentials (save securely)
• Fill academic, contact and category details
• Review all information for accuracy
• Pay registration fee and security deposit
• Download and save registration confirmation page
• Proceed to choice filling from October 13

Documents You Must Have Ready Before Registration

Gather all required documents before you begin registration. You will need your NEET PG 2026 admit card, NEET PG scorecard or rank letter, MBBS degree certificate or provisional certificate, MBBS marksheets, internship completion certificate, medical registration certificate (from your state medical council), and a valid government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, driving licence). If you belong to a reserved category (SC, ST, OBC), have your category certificate ready. Some colleges may also ask for a caste certificate or other supporting documents at the time of reporting.

While you do not need to upload all documents during registration, having them ready ensures you can complete the form accurately and quickly. Errors in your MBBS college name, year of passing or registration number can cause delays. After you receive your seat allotment, you will be required to produce original documents at your allotted college during reporting (October 26–November 2). Ensure all certificates are valid and not expired. If your internship is still ongoing, obtain a provisional internship completion certificate from your college; you can submit the final certificate at the time of reporting.

• NEET PG 2026 admit card
• NEET PG scorecard / rank letter
• MBBS degree certificate or provisional certificate
• MBBS marksheets
• Internship completion certificate (or provisional)
• Medical registration certificate
• Valid government-issued photo ID
• Category certificate (if applicable)
• Caste certificate (if applicable)
• Any other documents specified by MCC or your allotted college

How to Fill and Lock Your Choices: Strategy Matters

Choice filling is the most critical step in counselling. From October 13 to 22, you will log into the MCC portal and rank your preferred colleges and postgraduate courses in order of preference. The seat allotment algorithm considers your NEET PG merit rank, your category, your choice preferences, available seats and applicable reservation rules. Your highest-ranked choice is your first preference; if a seat is available and you are eligible, you may be allotted that choice. If not, the algorithm moves to your second choice, and so on.

Strategy is essential. Research colleges thoroughly—check their infrastructure, faculty, reputation, location and whether they offer your desired speciality. Rank colleges realistically: place your dream colleges at the top, but also include colleges where you are likely to secure a seat based on your rank and category. Do not leave your choice list incomplete; the more choices you fill, the higher your chances of allotment. Once you have finalized your choices, you must lock them between 4 PM on October 21 and 10 AM on October 22. After locking, you cannot change your preferences. If you do not lock your choices by 10 AM on October 22, your last saved preferences will be considered locked automatically.

• Choice filling window: October 13–22
• Rank colleges in order of preference
• Allotment considers: Merit rank, category, preferences, available seats, reservation rules
• Research colleges before filling choices
• Include realistic choices alongside aspirational ones
• Fill as many choices as possible
• Choice locking: 4 PM Oct 21 to 10 AM Oct 22
• After locking, preferences cannot be changed
• Auto-lock at 10 AM on October 22 if not manually locked

Seat Allotment: How Seats Are Assigned and What It Means

Seat allotment is a computerized process. MCC processes all registrations and choice preferences from October 22–23 and announces results on October 24. The allotment algorithm ranks candidates by their NEET PG merit score within each category and considers their choice preferences in order. If you are eligible for a seat in your first choice college and a seat is available, you are allotted that seat. If not, the algorithm checks your second choice, and so on. Your final allotment depends on your rank, category, the choices you filled and the number of seats available in each college and course.

Important: registering for counselling does not guarantee a seat, and selecting a college in your choice list does not ensure admission to that college. Allotment is merit-based and competitive. If your rank is lower than the cutoff for your preferred colleges, you may be allotted a college lower in your preference list or may not receive an allotment in Round 1. In that case, you can participate in subsequent rounds (Round 2, stray vacancy round) if they are conducted. After allotment, you must report at your allotted college between October 26 and November 2 with all original documents. Failure to report within this window may result in forfeiture of your seat.

• Allotment is computerized and merit-based
• Allotment result announced: October 24
• Algorithm considers: Merit rank, category, choice preferences, available seats
• Allotment is not guaranteed by registration or choice selection
• Reporting window: October 26–November 2
• Original documents required at reporting
• Failure to report may result in seat forfeiture
• Subsequent rounds (Round 2, stray vacancy) may be available

Common Mistakes to Avoid During Registration and Counselling

Do not wait until the last day to register. October 21 is the deadline, but if you register on October 21, you risk payment failures, technical glitches or data-entry errors that could lock you out. Register by October 19 or 20 to give yourself a buffer. Do not enter incorrect or incomplete information. Errors in your name, NEET PG roll number, MBBS college name or registration number can invalidate your registration or cause delays. Double-check every field before submitting. Do not confuse the choice-filling deadline (October 22) with the choice-locking deadline (10 AM on October 22). You can fill choices until October 22, but you must lock them by 10 AM on October 22. If you do not lock, your last saved preferences will be auto-locked.

Do not register multiple times. Each registration is a separate entry; multiple registrations can cause confusion and may result in rejection. Register once and use your login credentials for all subsequent activities. Do not rely on unofficial websites or social media for registration links or counselling instructions. Use only mcc.nic.in. Do not assume that selecting a college guarantees admission; allotment is competitive and merit-based. Do not ignore the seat matrix verification period (October 10–12). Check the official seat availability and course offerings before you fill your choices. Do not forget to download and save your registration confirmation page and payment receipt; you will need these at reporting.

• Register early (by October 19–20, not on October 21)
• Enter accurate information; double-check before submitting
• Distinguish between choice-filling deadline (Oct 22) and locking deadline (10 AM Oct 22)
• Register only once
• Use only mcc.nic.in for registration
• Do not assume selection = admission
• Check seat matrix during October 10–12
• Save registration confirmation and payment receipt
• Avoid unofficial websites and social media links

What Happens After Allotment: Reporting and Next Steps

Once you receive your seat allotment on October 24, you must report at your allotted college between October 26 and November 2. Reporting means physically visiting the college, submitting your original documents (MBBS degree, internship certificate, medical registration, category certificate if applicable, and photo ID) and completing the admission formalities. The college will verify your documents, confirm your eligibility and issue you an admission letter or joining letter. Failure to report within the specified window may result in forfeiture of your seat, and the seat may be offered to the next eligible candidate.

After reporting, you will be enrolled as a postgraduate student and can begin your MD, MS or PG Diploma course. The college will provide you with details about course commencement, hostel allotment (if applicable), fee structure and other administrative matters. If you do not receive an allotment in Round 1, you can participate in Round 2 counselling (if conducted) or stray vacancy rounds. Some candidates may also be eligible for state quota counselling if they have not participated in it. Stay updated with MCC announcements for information about subsequent rounds.

• Reporting window: October 26–November 2
• Submit original documents at allotted college
• College verifies documents and confirms eligibility
• Receive admission/joining letter
• Failure to report = seat forfeiture
• Course commencement details provided by college
• If no allotment in Round 1: participate in Round 2 or stray vacancy round
• Stay updated with MCC announcements

Frequently asked questions

Mark your calendar: registration opens October 12, choice filling runs October 13–22 (with locking by 10 AM on October 22), and allotment results come October 24. Register early, fill your choices strategically, and ensure you report at your allotted college by November 2. For all official updates and the registration link, visit mcc.nic.in.