The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has started registration for NEET UG 2026 counselling, which decides who gets an MBBS, BDS or BSc Nursing seat under the 15% All India Quota (AIQ), AIIMS, JIPMER, Central Universities and Deemed Universities. If you sat for NEET UG 2026 and want any of these seats, the clock is now running — registration and fee payment for Round 1 must be completed by August 12, and Round 1 results are due on August 17. This year MCC has also added a Freeze and Float system for online document verification, which changes how candidates seeking an upgrade need to act between rounds. Missing a deadline in this process usually means losing that round entirely, so knowing the exact dates matters as much as your rank.
Register and pay fees on mcc.nic.in by August 12 for AIQ/AIIMS/JIPMER/Deemed seats — Round 1 results arrive August 17, and every later stage depends on hitting each MCC deadline exactly on time.
What counselling has just opened, and for whom
MCC's portal is now accepting registrations for candidates who want to be considered for the 15% All India Quota, plus seats at AIIMS, JIPMER, Central Universities and Deemed Universities across MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing. This is distinct from the 85% state quota, which is run separately by each state's own counselling authority — more on that below.
If you qualified NEET UG 2026 and are eligible for any of these central-pool seats, you need an active account on mcc.nic.in, your NEET application details, and your fee ready. Registration and fee payment close at 3 pm on August 12, though the payment window itself stays open a few hours longer, till 6 pm the same day. There is no scope to register late for this round — a missed window means waiting for Round 2.
Round 1 timeline: what happens each day
Round 1 runs on a tight, sequential calendar. Registration and fee payment: August 5 to August 12. Choice filling (selecting and ranking the colleges/courses you'd accept): August 6 to August 13. Choice locking, where you finalise your preference order: from 4 pm on August 12 to 11 am on August 13.
After choices lock, MCC runs the seat-matching computer process from August 13 to August 16, and the Round 1 allotment result is published on August 17. Candidates who get a seat must physically report to the allotted institute between August 18 and August 22, after which the institute confirms to MCC on August 23 who actually joined.
Rounds 2, 3 and the stray vacancy round
Counselling doesn't end after Round 1 — candidates who didn't get a seat, or want to try for a better one, get further chances. Here is how the remaining three stages are structured.
| Stage | Registration/Fee | Choice Filling & Locking | Allotment Processing | Result | Reporting to Institute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 2 | Aug 25–29 | Till Aug 30 | Aug 31–Sep 1 | Sep 2 | Sep 3–8 |
| Round 3 | Sep 11–15 | Till Sep 16 | Sep 16–17 | Sep 18 | Sep 19–26 |
| Stray Vacancy (Online) | Sep 28–30 | Till Sep 30 | Oct 1–2 | Oct 3 | Oct 4–10 |
The new Freeze and Float option — what it actually means for you
In previous cycles, a candidate who had already joined a college but wanted to try for an upgrade in the next round often still had to travel back to complete verification formalities in person after each round, even if they didn't switch colleges. MCC has now introduced Freeze and Float as an online alternative to this repeated physical reporting.
In practice, this should reduce travel and paperwork for candidates who are 'floating' — i.e., staying registered for a possible upgrade in the next round while holding on to their current allotted seat. If you plan to use this option, keep your documents scanned and ready in the exact format MCC specifies, since online verification only works smoothly if your uploads are complete and correctly named.
Don't forget the 85% state quota — it runs on a separate portal
The seats under the 85% state quota for MBBS and BDS are handled entirely by individual state counselling bodies, not by MCC directly, though MCC has set the broad timeline they follow. State Round 1 runs from August 13 to August 22, Round 2 from August 31 to September 8, Round 3 from September 16 to September 26, and the state stray vacancy round from October 3 to October 5.
This is a separate registration altogether — your MCC account for AIQ seats does not automatically enrol you for state quota counselling. You must register independently on your home state's counselling portal, with its own fee, documents and eligibility rules (such as domicile certificates), which can differ from state to state.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Who should register on mcc.nic.in right now?
Any NEET UG 2026 qualified candidate who wants to be considered for the 15% All India Quota, AIIMS, JIPMER, Central University or Deemed University seats in MBBS, BDS or BSc Nursing should register before 3 pm on August 12.
When will I know my Round 1 seat allotment?
The Round 1 result is scheduled for August 17, after the seat-matching process runs from August 13 to August 16.
What happens if I miss the August 12 registration deadline for Round 1?
You will not be considered in Round 1 of AIQ/AIIMS/JIPMER/Deemed University counselling, but you can still register when Round 2 registration opens on August 25.
Do I need to report physically after every round if I'm allotted a seat?
Not necessarily. MCC's new Freeze and Float option lets candidates seeking an upgrade complete document verification online instead of visiting the institute in person after each round, though those changing colleges will still need to report physically at the appropriate stage.
Is state quota counselling the same as this MCC process?
No. The 85% state quota for MBBS and BDS is counselled separately by each state authority on its own portal, though the rounds are timed to broadly follow MCC's schedule.
How many rounds does NEET UG 2026 AIQ counselling have?
Four: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and a final Online Stray Vacancy Round running from late September into early October.
What is the last date to lock choices for Round 1?
Choice locking for Round 1 closes at 11 am on August 13, after opening at 4 pm on August 12.
The next hard deadline is 3 pm on August 12 for registration and fee payment, followed by choice locking by 11 am on August 13 — mark both on your calendar now. Keep checking mcc.nic.in directly for the official seat matrix and any last-minute notices, since MCC has made clear no late requests will be accepted at any stage.
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