The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is conducting the stray vacancy round for NEET UG 2026 — the final all-India quota counselling window for the 2026–27 admission cycle. This round offers remaining MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing seats across central universities, deemed institutions, AIIMS, JIPMER, and ESIC medical colleges to candidates who did not secure a seat in the first three rounds. If you remain unplaced after Round 3, this is your last opportunity to access these institutions through the national counselling process; after this round closes, unfilled seats revert to state-level quotas.
If you qualified NEET UG 2026 but were not allotted a seat in Round 3, register immediately at mcc.nic.in before midnight today (October 13) and fill your college choices by October 15 at 10 AM — this is your final chance for all-India quota medical seats.
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Unlock My College ListWhat Is the Stray Vacancy Round and Why Does It Matter?
The stray vacancy round is the concluding phase of all-India quota counselling for NEET UG 2026. It exists to fill seats that remain vacant after the first three rounds of allotment. Once this round concludes, any remaining unfilled positions in central and deemed universities are returned to individual state counselling systems, meaning you will lose access to these institutions through the national process.
This round is critical because it represents your last shot at securing a seat in premier all-India quota institutions such as AIIMS, JIPMER, central universities, and deemed medical colleges if you were not placed earlier. Missing this window does not mean you cannot pursue medicine or dentistry — state counselling rounds will continue — but it does close the door to these specific national-level institutions.
Who Can Register for the Stray Vacancy Round?
Only NEET UG 2026 qualified candidates who remain unplaced after Round 3 are eligible to participate. The critical rule is that if you were allotted any seat in Round 3 — whether you joined the college or not, whether you accepted the seat or declined it — you cannot register for the stray round. This restriction applies uniformly across all candidates.
The round covers seats in deemed universities, central universities, AIIMS institutes, JIPMER, and ESIC medical colleges. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can apply for any of these institution types, subject to your NEET score and the cutoff requirements set by each college.
Critical Dates: Registration, Choice Filling, and Allotment
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The registration and fee payment window runs from October 12 to October 14, 2026. Today, October 13, is the second-to-last day to complete registration. You must log in to the MCC portal using your NEET UG 2026 roll number, pay the applicable registration fee online, and submit your registration form before the deadline closes at midnight on October 14.
Choice filling is open from October 12 to October 15, 2026, but there is a critical locking window: your choices must be locked between 4 PM on October 14 and 10 AM on October 15. Any choices left unlocked after 10 AM on October 15 will be automatically locked by the system. The seat allotment result will be released on October 17, and you will have until October 26 to report to your allotted college.
- Registration deadline: October 14, 2026 (midnight)
- Choice filling deadline: October 15, 2026 (10 AM)
- Choice locking window: October 14 (4 PM) to October 15 (10 AM)
- Seat allotment result: October 17, 2026
- Reporting period: October 19–26, 2026
How to Register on the MCC Portal
Registration is straightforward but must be completed before midnight today. Visit mcc.nic.in, locate the UG Medical Counselling link on the homepage, and log in using your NEET UG 2026 roll number and password. You will then be prompted to pay the registration fee online — this is a mandatory step and must be completed as part of the registration process.
After fee payment, fill out the registration form with your details and submit it. Keep a record of your registration confirmation and the fee receipt. Do not delay this step; the portal will close at midnight on October 14, and late registrations will not be accepted.
Filling and Locking Your College Choices
After registration, you must fill your college and course preferences. The MCC will release a seat matrix before choice filling begins — this matrix shows which colleges have vacant seats, the number of seats available, and the category-wise breakdown. Review this matrix carefully before submitting your preferences, as it will guide your strategy.
List your preferred colleges and courses in order of priority. Unlike earlier rounds, the stray round does not include a mock allotment, so you cannot test your choices before final submission. This makes it even more important to think through your preferences carefully. Remember that your choices must be locked between 4 PM on October 14 and 10 AM on October 15 — any unlocked choices will be auto-locked at the deadline, so do not leave this to the last minute.
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What Happens After You Submit Your Choices?
Once the choice-filling window closes on October 15 at 10 AM, the MCC will process seat allotments on October 15 and 16. The allotment result will be published on October 17, 2026, on the MCC portal. You will be able to log in with your roll number to check whether you have been allotted a seat and, if so, which college and course you have been assigned.
If you are allotted a seat, you must report to the college between October 19 and October 26, 2026. Bring all original documents, certificates, and identity proofs as required by the college. Failure to report within this window may result in forfeiture of your seat.
What If You Are Not Allotted a Seat in the Stray Round?
If you do not receive an allotment in the stray round, your options depend on your state of domicile and the state counselling schedules. Many states conduct their own separate counselling rounds for unfilled seats in state medical colleges. You should monitor your state medical authority's website for announcements about state-level counselling rounds.
It is also worth noting that some private medical colleges and deemed universities may conduct their own separate counselling or admission processes outside the MCC system. Check the websites of colleges you are interested in to see if they have independent admission windows still open.
Practical Action Plan for the Next 48 Hours
Time is extremely short. Your immediate priority is to complete registration and fee payment at mcc.nic.in before midnight today. Do not wait until the last hour — the portal may experience traffic, and you do not want to miss the deadline due to technical delays.
Once registered, download and review the stray round seat matrix from the MCC portal. Identify colleges and courses that match your NEET score and preferences. Prepare a ranked list of your choices, keeping in mind both your aspirations and realistic cutoff expectations. Between now and 10 AM on October 15, log back into the portal, fill your choices in order of preference, and lock them before the deadline. Keep your registration confirmation and all documents ready for reporting if you receive an allotment.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Can I register for the stray vacancy round if I was allotted a seat in Round 3 but did not join?
No. The MCC rule is clear: if you were allotted any seat in Round 3, you are ineligible for the stray round, regardless of whether you joined the college, accepted the seat, or declined it. This rule applies uniformly to all candidates.
What is the last date to register for the stray vacancy round?
Registration and fee payment must be completed by midnight on October 14, 2026. Today, October 13, is the second-to-last day. Do not delay — register immediately to avoid missing the deadline.
When do I need to lock my college choices, and what happens if I do not lock them?
Your choices must be locked between 4 PM on October 14 and 10 AM on October 15, 2026. If you do not manually lock your choices by 10 AM on October 15, the system will automatically lock them for you. It is best to lock your choices well before the deadline to avoid any last-minute issues.
Will there be a mock allotment in the stray round?
No. Unlike earlier rounds, the stray vacancy round does not include a mock allotment. This means you cannot test your choices before final submission. Review the seat matrix and your preferences carefully before filling and locking your choices.
When will the stray round allotment result be released?
The seat allotment result will be published on October 17, 2026, on the MCC portal at mcc.nic.in. You can log in with your NEET UG 2026 roll number to check your allotment status.
What colleges and courses are available in the stray vacancy round?
The stray round covers vacant MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing seats in central universities, deemed universities, AIIMS institutes, JIPMER, and ESIC medical colleges. The exact seats available will be listed in the seat matrix released by the MCC before choice filling begins.
What happens to unfilled seats after the stray round ends?
Any seats that remain unfilled after the stray round are returned to individual state counselling systems. This means you will no longer be able to access these all-India quota institutions through the national MCC process — they will be available only through state-level counselling.
When do I need to report to my allotted college?
If you are allotted a seat, you must report to the college between October 19 and October 26, 2026. Bring all original documents, certificates, and identity proofs as required by the college. Failure to report within this window may result in forfeiture of your seat.
Register at mcc.nic.in immediately — do not wait until the last hour. Review the seat matrix, finalize your college preferences, and lock your choices by 10 AM on October 15. This is your final opportunity to secure an all-India quota medical seat for 2026–27.
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