Odisha NEET UG 2026 Choice Filling Extended to 22 August 5 PM

The Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Board (OJEE) has extended the choice filling (preference submission) window for registered MBBS and BDS candidates in the 2026 counselling round. Choice filling is the process where you tell the counselling authority which colleges and courses you are interested in, ranked in your order of preference. This extension gives you extra time to carefully select and rank your choices before the final deadline of 22 August 2026 at 5:00 PM. If you have already registered for Odisha's 85% state-quota counselling, you must submit your preferences by this deadline or risk losing your seat opportunity.

What is choice filling and why does it matter?

Choice filling is the step in counselling where you tell OJEE which medical colleges and courses you want to study, and in what order of preference. You are not applying to one college — you are creating a ranked list of all the colleges and courses you would accept. The counselling system then uses this list, combined with your NEET rank and the available seats, to decide which college and course you are offered.

This is a critical step. If you do not fill your choices, you cannot be allotted a seat, even if you are eligible and have registered. The order you rank your choices matters: the system will try to give you your first choice, then your second, and so on. Colleges you do not list will never be offered to you, no matter how many seats are available.

Who must fill choices?

You must fill choices if you have already registered for Odisha's MBBS/BDS counselling (the 85% state-quota round). Registration is a separate step that happens before choice filling — if you have not registered yet, you cannot fill choices. Only candidates who have completed registration and received a registration confirmation are eligible to fill choices.

This applies to all NEET UG 2026 candidates who are eligible for Odisha state-quota seats in MBBS or BDS courses and have registered with OJEE.

Important dates: choice filling deadline

The choice filling window has been extended. The final deadline to submit your preferences is 22 August 2026 at 5:00 PM (17:00 hours). After this time, the portal will close and no further choices can be submitted or edited. This is a hard deadline — late submissions will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Mark this date and time clearly in your calendar. It is your responsibility to submit before the deadline. Do not wait until the last moment, as internet delays or technical issues are not grounds for extension.

• Choice filling deadline: 22 August 2026, 5:00 PM
• No extensions will be granted after this time

How to fill your choices: step-by-step process

To fill your choices, you must log into the OJEE counselling portal using your registration number and password. Once logged in, you will see a list of all available MBBS and BDS colleges in Odisha (both government and private institutions participating in state-quota counselling). You will also see the number of seats available in each college for each course.

You then select the colleges and courses you are interested in and arrange them in your order of preference. You can add as many choices as you wish — there is no limit. The system will process your list in order: if you get a seat in your first choice, you will be offered that; if not, it will try your second choice, and so on. After you have ranked all your choices, you must save and submit your list. Once submitted, you can still edit your choices until the deadline, but after 5:00 PM on 22 August, no changes are allowed.

Important: do not leave this to the last day. Technical issues, internet problems, or a sudden surge in traffic on the portal can cause delays. Submit your choices at least 1–2 days before the deadline to avoid any risk.

• Log in to the OJEE counselling portal with your registration number and password
• View all available MBBS and BDS colleges and seats
• Select colleges and courses you are interested in
• Rank them in your order of preference (1st choice, 2nd choice, etc.)
• Save and submit your choice list
• You can edit your choices anytime until 22 August 5:00 PM
• After the deadline, no changes are allowed

Which colleges and courses can you choose from?

You can choose from all MBBS and BDS colleges in Odisha that are participating in the state-quota (85%) counselling round. This includes government medical colleges, government dental colleges, and private medical and dental colleges that have been recognized and allocated seats for state-quota admission. The OJEE portal will display the full list of colleges, the number of seats available in each, and the courses offered (MBBS or BDS).

When you log in, the portal will show you only the colleges and seats you are eligible for based on your category (General, OBC, SC, ST) and your NEET rank. You should carefully review all available options before ranking them. Remember: you can only be offered a seat in a college you have listed in your choices.

What happens after you submit your choices?

After the choice filling deadline (22 August 5:00 PM), OJEE will process all submitted choice lists. The counselling system will use your NEET rank, your category, the number of available seats, and your ranked preferences to generate a merit list and allot seats. This process typically takes a few days.

Once allotments are made, OJEE will publish a seat allotment list showing which college and course each candidate has been offered. You will be notified of your allotment through the portal and, usually, via email or SMS. You will then have a specified time window to accept your allotted seat, pay the admission fee, and report to the college. If you do not accept within the given time, your seat may be cancelled and offered to the next candidate on the waiting list.

Common mistakes that get your application rejected

The most common mistake is not filling choices at all. Many candidates register but forget to fill their preferences, thinking registration alone is enough. It is not — you must actively submit your choices, or you will not be considered for any seat.

Another frequent error is submitting choices too late or after the deadline. The portal closes at exactly 5:00 PM on 22 August. If you try to submit after that time, the system will reject your submission. Do not rely on the last few hours; submit well in advance.

Some candidates also make poor ranking decisions — for example, listing only one college, or ranking colleges in the wrong order (putting a college they are unlikely to get into as their first choice, and a college they could easily get into as their last choice). Remember: the system will try to give you your first choice first. If you rank unrealistic choices too high, you may end up with a lower-ranked choice or no seat at all.

Finally, ensure you are logged into the correct portal and using the correct registration credentials. Using someone else's login or accessing the wrong counselling portal (e.g., a national-level portal instead of the Odisha state portal) will result in your choices not being recorded.

• ⚠️ Not filling choices at all — registration alone is not enough
• ⚠️ Submitting choices after 22 August 5:00 PM — the portal will close
• ⚠️ Poor ranking strategy — rank colleges realistically based on your rank and category
• ⚠️ Using the wrong portal or login credentials — ensure you are on the OJEE portal

Can you change your choices after submitting?

Yes, you can edit and resubmit your choices as many times as you wish until the deadline of 22 August 2026 at 5:00 PM. Each time you log in, you can modify your ranked list — add new colleges, remove colleges, or change the order of your preferences. The system will save your most recent submission.

However, once the deadline passes, the portal will close and no further edits are allowed. Your final submitted choice list at 5:00 PM on 22 August is what will be used for seat allotment. This is why it is important to finalize your choices well before the deadline and not leave it to the last moment.

What if you have not registered yet?

If you have not registered for Odisha state-quota counselling yet, you must do so before you can fill choices. Registration is a separate, earlier step. Check the OJEE website or contact OJEE directly to find out if the registration window is still open. If registration has closed, you may not be able to participate in this round of counselling.

Do not delay — if registration is still open, complete it immediately so you can then fill your choices before the 22 August deadline.

Technical support and help

If you face any technical issues while filling choices — such as the portal not loading, your login not working, or an error message when you try to submit — contact OJEE's technical support team immediately. Do not wait until the last day to report issues. The OJEE website (ojee.nic.in) should have a helpline number and email address for technical queries.

Keep your registration number, password, and any confirmation emails or documents handy when you contact support. The earlier you report a problem, the more time the support team has to resolve it before the deadline.

Frequently asked questions

If you have registered for Odisha MBBS/BDS counselling, log into the OJEE portal immediately and fill your college and course preferences in your order of choice. Do not wait — submit your choices well before 22 August 2026 at 5:00 PM to avoid any last-minute technical issues or delays. After the deadline, the portal will close and no further submissions or edits will be allowed. Your future seat depends on this step.