If you're a NEET UG 2026 candidate registered for All India Quota and central counselling, this week's dates matter more than almost anything else in your admission journey. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has set August 13 as the closing point for Round 1 choice filling, with the choice locking window active from August 12 through the same deadline. What you rank and lock in these final hours directly decides which MBBS or BDS seat, if any, you get allotted in Round 1. Missing the manual lock isn't fatal — but it does mean the system decides for you, using whatever order you last saved.
Lock your NEET UG 2026 Round 1 choices manually with OTP before the August 13, 11:55 PM deadline — if you don't, MCC's portal will auto-lock your last saved preference order, which may not reflect your true priority.
The Round 1 schedule at a glance
MCC runs NEET UG central counselling in structured phases, and Round 1 for 2026 follows a tight but standard sequence. Registration and fee payment ran from August 5 to August 12 (till 3 PM), while choice filling opened August 6 and stays live until August 13 at 11:55 PM. Choice locking, the step where you finalise your preference order, became active from August 12 at 3 PM and closes alongside choice filling on August 13.
After locking closes, MCC processes seat allotment from August 13 to August 16, based on your NEET rank, category and quota, the choices you locked, and actual seat availability across participating colleges. Results for Round 1 are scheduled for August 17, 2026, after which allotted candidates must report physically to their colleges between August 18 and August 22.
| Stage | Dates/Deadline |
|---|---|
| Registration & fee payment | August 5 – August 12 (till 3:00 PM) |
| Choice filling window | August 6 – August 13 (till 11:55 PM) |
| Choice locking active | August 12 (3:00 PM) – August 13 (till 11:55 PM) |
| Seat allotment processing | August 13 – August 16 |
| Round 1 result declaration | August 17, 2026 |
| Physical reporting at allotted college | August 18 – August 22 |
What 'locking' actually means for your rank
Choice filling is where you build a list of MBBS/BDS colleges and courses you're eligible for, based on your rank and category. Choice locking is the confirmation step — you arrange this list in strict order of preference, from most wanted to least wanted, and then confirm it using an OTP sent to your registered mobile number. Once locked, this order becomes the exact sequence MCC's algorithm checks against your rank during seat allotment.
If you never manually lock your choices, the portal doesn't leave you with no options — it auto-locks whatever choice order you last saved before the deadline. This is a safety net, not a substitute for careful ranking. A rushed or outdated list that gets auto-locked could allot you a seat you didn't actually want most, or skip past a preferred college you forgot to move higher.
Step-by-step: filling and locking on the MCC portal
The process is the same one MCC uses every counselling round, so it's worth doing methodically rather than at the last hour.
- Log in at mcc.nic.in under UG Medical Counselling using your NEET UG roll number and password.
- Go to the Choice Filling section and review the list of colleges and courses you're eligible to select.
- Filter by institution type (government, deemed, central, private) and course (MBBS or BDS) to shortlist options.
- Add colleges to your choice basket and arrange them using up/down controls, putting your most-wanted option first.
- Click Save & Continue, then move to Choice Locking, enter the OTP received on your phone, and confirm.
- Download and save the locked choice sheet (PDF) — colleges typically ask for this during physical document verification.
Why order matters more than the number of choices
A common mistake among first-time NEET counselling candidates is filling too few choices or ranking them casually, assuming a top choice will come through anyway. MCC's allotment logic works strictly top-down: it checks your highest-ranked choice first, and only moves to the next if you don't have the rank to secure it. Adding more eligible options — even ones you're less enthusiastic about — costs nothing and only widens your safety net for Round 1.
Equally, don't place a college you don't actually want to join above one you do, purely because it seems 'safer.' Round 1 allotment is binding in the sense that accepting a seat carries reporting and, in most rounds, fee obligations — so the order you lock should reflect real intent, not guesswork.
What happens after August 17
Once Round 1 results are out on August 17, candidates who receive an allotment must report to the allotted college between August 18 and August 22 for document verification and admission formalities. Missing this reporting window without a valid provision (such as opting to upgrade or float in later rounds, where allowed) can affect your standing in subsequent rounds, so check MCC's specific rules for your quota before deciding to skip reporting.
Candidates who don't get any seat in Round 1, or who want a better allotment, get further opportunities in Round 2, mop-up round, and state-level counselling rounds, depending on the quota they're eligible for. Each subsequent round repeats a similar choice filling and locking cycle, so the process described here is worth understanding well beyond just this one deadline.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
What is the last date to fill and lock choices for NEET UG 2026 Round 1?
Both choice filling and choice locking close on August 13, 2026, at 11:55 PM, as per MCC's published schedule. Locking specifically becomes available from August 12 at 3:00 PM onward.
What if I forget to lock my choices manually?
MCC's system will auto-lock whatever choice list you last saved before the deadline. This means you still get considered for allotment, but the order may not reflect your latest thinking, so manual locking is strongly advised.
Do I need an OTP to lock my NEET UG choices?
Yes. After arranging your preferences, you confirm the choice locking step by entering an OTP sent to your registered mobile number, then download the locked choice sheet for your records.
When will Round 1 seat allotment results be declared?
MCC has scheduled the Round 1 seat allotment result for August 17, 2026, after processing allotments from August 13 to August 16.
How much time do I get to report to my allotted college?
Candidates allotted a seat in Round 1 must complete physical reporting at their college between August 18 and August 22, 2026.
Should I add colleges I'm unsure about to my choice list?
Yes, generally. Adding more eligible choices, ranked below your genuine top preferences, doesn't hurt your chances at preferred colleges and only increases your options if your rank doesn't clear the higher choices.
Is the locked choice list final for all rounds, or can I change it later?
The lock applies only to the current round. In later rounds like Round 2 or mop-up, candidates typically get a fresh choice filling and locking opportunity, subject to MCC's rules for that round.
With locking closing on August 13 and results due August 17, this is not the week to leave your preference order to chance. Log in, rank your choices deliberately based on colleges and courses you'd genuinely accept, lock with OTP well before the deadline, and keep the confirmation PDF ready for reporting.
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