If you've qualified NEET UG 2026 and registered for central counselling, this is the week that decides which colleges you're even in the running for. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), which conducts admissions to All India Quota seats, deemed universities, central institutions and a few other categories, has opened the choice-filling window for Round 1 of NEET UG counselling 2026. Candidates now need to log in at mcc.nic.in, arrange their preferred courses and colleges in order, and lock those choices before the window closes on August 13, 2026. Getting this step right matters more than most aspirants realise — your final seat allotment depends entirely on the order in which you list your choices, matched against your rank and the seats actually available.
Your MBBS/BDS seat in Round 1 depends on the order you rank your choices, so fill and lock them at mcc.nic.in before August 13, 2026, using the official seat matrix as your guide.
What exactly opened, and what's the deadline
MCC has opened choice filling for Round 1 of NEET UG counselling 2026. This is separate from registration — candidates must first register on the MCC portal with their NEET roll number, then proceed to the choice-filling section to select courses (MBBS, BDS, or others under MCC's ambit) and colleges in order of preference.
The window to save, edit and lock choices stays open until August 13, 2026. Once you lock your choices, they cannot be changed for that round, so this isn't a step to rush through at the last minute.
Where does the seat matrix fit in
MCC releases a seat matrix for each round — a list of every participating college, the courses on offer, and how many seats exist per category (General, EWS, OBC, SC, ST, PwBD) at that college. This matrix is due to be published on the official website shortly, and it is the single most useful document for deciding your choice order.
Without checking the seat matrix, students often list colleges that have zero seats in their category for that round, which wastes preference slots that could have gone to realistic options. After every round, the matrix is revised based on how many seats got filled, so what you see for Round 1 will not be identical in Round 2.
How to fill and lock your choices — step by step
The process itself is straightforward, but each step needs care since allotment is irreversible once a seat is accepted.
- Log in at mcc.nic.in with your NEET UG roll number and password
- Complete or confirm your registration and application details
- Open the choice-filling link and review the seat matrix before selecting anything
- Add courses and colleges in the order you would actually prefer them — not just the 'best' colleges on paper
- Save your choices as you go; you can usually revisit and reorder before locking
- Lock your final choice list once you're confident in the order
- Save and submit the locked list to complete the process
How to order your preferences sensibly
A common mistake is listing only 'dream' colleges at the top and ignoring realistic backups, which can leave a student without any allotment in Round 1. Since allotment works strictly by rank, category and seat availability, it helps to build a preference list with a mix of ambitious, realistic and safe options rather than a narrow one.
Remember that MCC counselling covers All India Quota seats in government colleges, deemed and central universities, ESIC and AFMC-linked seats among others — state quota seats are handled separately by respective state counselling authorities, so your MCC choices should only include colleges actually under MCC's purview.
What happens after locking
Once the choice-filling window closes on August 13, MCC will process the Round 1 seat allotment based on rank, category reservation and the choices every candidate has locked. Allotted candidates will then need to report to the allotted college within the reporting deadline that MCC announces, and will have to decide whether to accept the seat, move to a later round, or exercise other available options as per counselling rules.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Can I change my choices after locking them?
No. Once you lock your preference list for Round 1, it becomes final for that round and cannot be edited, so review the order carefully before locking.
Do I need to fill choices even if I've already registered for MCC counselling?
Yes. Registration and choice filling are two separate steps. Registering alone does not enter you into the seat allotment — you must also select and lock your course and college preferences.
Where can I check how many seats are available in a college before I add it to my list?
Check the official Round 1 seat matrix on the MCC website, which lists category-wise seat availability for every participating college and is expected to be published shortly.
Does MCC counselling cover state quota MBBS/BDS seats too?
No. MCC handles All India Quota seats, deemed universities, central institutions and a few specific quotas. State quota seats are allotted through separate state-level counselling authorities.
What if I don't get any college allotted in Round 1?
Candidates who aren't allotted a seat, or who wish to try for a better option, generally remain eligible to participate in subsequent rounds of counselling, subject to MCC's rules for that year.
Should I list colleges I'm not sure I'll accept?
It's generally advisable to include a realistic spread of choices rather than only top-preference colleges, since a narrow list increases the risk of no allotment at all in a given round.
If you're registered for NEET UG counselling 2026, don't leave choice filling for the last day — check the seat matrix, build a realistic and well-ordered list, and lock it well before August 13. Keep an eye on the MCC website for the exact Round 1 allotment and reporting dates once they're announced.
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