If you cleared NEET UG 2026 and are eligible for All India Quota (AIQ) counselling, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has just given you the single most important document for Round 1: the seat matrix. Posted on mcc.nic.in, it lists every seat on offer this round — college by college, category by category — across MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing. This matrix is what you should study before you touch the choice-filling screen, because it tells you exactly which colleges and courses actually have seats to allot, and how many. With choice filling already open and the locking window closing fast, understanding this matrix properly can be the difference between a well-planned preference list and a rushed one.
Study the Round 1 seat matrix (31,728 seats: 27,292 MBBS, 4,068 BDS, 368 BSc Nursing) against your rank and category before you fill and lock choices, since anything not locked by the deadline is treated as final and cannot be changed.
What the Seat Matrix Actually Shows
The seat matrix is essentially the master inventory for AIQ Round 1 counselling. For every participating institution, it lists the course on offer, the quota under which the seat falls, the category (SC, ST, OBC, EWS, General/open, and PwBD sub-quotas), and the number of seats.
This year's matrix covers government medical colleges' 15% AIQ share, central institutions, deemed universities, and dedicated quotas for the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS). AIIMS, JIPMER and BHU medical seats are also part of this counselling round, while each state's own quota seats are handled separately by state authorities and do not appear here.
| Course | Total Seats — Round 1 |
|---|---|
| MBBS | 27,292 |
| BDS | 4,068 |
| BSc Nursing | 368 |
| Total | 31,728 |
Why It Matters More Than It Looks
It's tempting to skip straight to choice filling and just pick familiar college names. That's a mistake. The seat matrix reflects the actual, real-time seat count for this specific round — it can differ from previous years or from what a college's website advertises, because seats change with new approvals, quota adjustments, or corrections notified closer to counselling.
Cross-check three things against your own profile before filling choices: your category-wise seat availability at a college, whether a course is offered under the quota you're eligible for, and whether the college you're eyeing has a realistic seat count at all in Round 1 — some colleges contribute very few AIQ seats, and it helps to know that upfront rather than being surprised later.
- Match your category (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/General) and any PwBD status against the matrix before shortlisting colleges.
- Note that BSc Nursing seats, though far fewer in number, are also part of this same AIQ counselling and appear in the same document.
- Remember state quota seats are not in this matrix — those go through separate state counselling processes.
Round 1 Timeline You Need to Track
MCC has laid out a tight schedule for this round. Every step has a firm cut-off, and there is no flexibility once a window closes.
| Step | Window/Date |
|---|---|
| Registration and fee payment | August 5 – August 12, 2026 |
| Reset option deadline (for correcting registration errors) | August 12, 2026, 11:00 AM |
| Choice filling opens | August 8, 2026 |
| Choice locking window | August 12 – August 13, 2026 |
| Seat allotment result | August 17, 2026 |
The Reset Option — Use It Only If You Genuinely Erred
MCC has opened a reset facility that lets candidates unlock their registration form and correct mistakes made in personal details or category information, but only until August 12, 2026 at 11:00 AM. This isn't meant for casual edits — it's a safety net for genuine data-entry errors that could otherwise cost you eligibility for a seat you actually qualify for.
If your category, PwBD status, or personal details were entered incorrectly at registration, use this window now. Once it closes, you'll be counselled based on whatever is on record, errors and all.
Choice Filling: The Part That Decides Your Allotment
With choice filling already open, the sequence you list matters as much as which colleges you include. MCC allots seats based on your rank, your locked preference order, and seat availability — so a college placed higher in your list will be considered before one placed lower, even if you'd technically qualify for both.
The most important operational detail here: once the locking window shuts on August 13, 2026, any choices you filled but did not explicitly lock are automatically treated as locked. There is no second chance to edit after that. Aspirants who leave locking for the last minute risk having an unintended preference order finalised for them.
- Log in with your registration credentials and add courses/colleges in genuine order of preference — not just aspirational order.
- Review the full list at least once before the locking window opens, not during it.
- Lock your final list well before August 13, 2026 rather than waiting for the last hour.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Where can I check the NEET UG 2026 Round 1 seat matrix?
It is available as a downloadable PDF on the MCC website, mcc.nic.in, under the UG Medical Counselling section.
How many total seats are in Round 1 this year?
31,728 seats in total — 27,292 MBBS, 4,068 BDS, and 368 BSc Nursing seats — under All India Quota counselling.
Does the seat matrix include state quota seats?
No. It covers only AIQ seats: the 15% central pool from state government colleges, plus central institutions, deemed universities, ESIC, and AFMS seats. State quota seats are allotted separately by each state's counselling body.
What happens if I don't lock my choices by the deadline?
Any choices you've filled but not actively locked are automatically treated as final once the locking window closes on August 13, 2026. You cannot revise them afterward for this round.
Can I correct a mistake in my registration form?
Yes, but only through the reset option, and only until August 12, 2026, 11:00 AM. It is meant for genuine errors in personal or category details, not for casual changes.
When will the Round 1 result be announced?
MCC is scheduled to declare the Round 1 seat allotment result on August 17, 2026.
Are AIIMS, JIPMER and BHU seats part of this counselling?
Yes, their MBBS/related seats are filled through this same MCC AIQ counselling process, alongside government, deemed, ESIC and AFMS institutions.
The seat matrix is only useful if you actually study it before finalising your list — don't fill choices based on memory or last year's numbers. Keep a close watch on the MCC portal through the locking window and be ready to check the Round 1 result on August 17, 2026, along with any reporting instructions that follow.
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