Odisha NEET UG 2026 Counselling: Registration, Documents & Admission Process

The Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) Board has released the complete guidelines for counselling and admission to MBBS and BDS courses for the 2026–27 academic session. This is the official roadmap for all NEET UG 2026 qualified candidates seeking admission to government and private medical and dental colleges in Odisha. The process is entirely online, conducted through www.ojee.nic.in, and involves registration, document verification, choice filling, and three rounds of seat allotment. Counselling covers 85% of seats in government colleges and all seats in private colleges; deemed universities are handled separately by DGHS. Every candidate must understand the eligibility rules, document requirements, reservation categories, fees, and the strict timeline—no extensions are granted.

Who is eligible to register for Odisha NEET UG 2026 counselling?

To register for counselling, you must have qualified in NEET UG 2026 and meet the following criteria:

You must be at least 17 years old as on 31 December 2026, with no upper age limit. You must be a permanent native of Odisha OR a child of an All India Civil Service officer serving in Odisha. You must have passed Class 12 (or equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English (even as an additional subject) from a board recognised by the government.

Additionally, you must meet the minimum NEET UG score for your category: General (GE) and EWS need 50th percentile; Physically Challenged (PwBD) in General category need 45th percentile; SC/ST need 40th percentile; SEBC needs 50th percentile; and PwBD candidates in SC/ST/SEBC categories need 40th percentile. These percentiles are subject to any changes notified by the National Medical Commission (NMC) or Government of India.

• Age: minimum 17 years as on 31.12.2026; no upper limit
• Domicile: permanent native of Odisha OR child of All India Civil Service officer in Odisha cadre
• Qualification: Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English from recognised board
• NEET UG 2026 qualification with minimum percentile as per category

Special eligibility rules for NRI candidates

If you are an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) candidate, you are eligible for NRI quota seats in Odisha colleges regardless of whether you are domiciled in Odisha or outside. However, you must meet strict eligibility criteria set by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India (W.P. No. 13393 of 2007).

You qualify as an NRI candidate if: (1) your mother or father is an NRI ordinarily residing abroad; (2) your first-degree relative (brother, sister, or first-degree relation) is an NRI ordinarily residing abroad; or (3) your guardian (Palya) is an NRI who is your nearest blood relation (uncle, aunt, grandparent, or first-degree cousin), ordinarily residing abroad, and has legally looked after you as per the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890.

Critically, if you claim NRI status through a guardian, you must produce an affidavit and legal evidence (such as guardianship documents) proving that the sponsor is your bonafide legal guardian as per the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890. You must also upload a certificate from the Indian Diplomatic Mission in your country of residence confirming your NRI/OCI status. Without these documents, your NRI claim will be rejected and you will be considered in the general category.

• Parent is NRI ordinarily residing abroad
• First-degree relative (sibling, first-degree relation) is NRI ordinarily residing abroad
• Guardian (nearest blood relation: uncle, aunt, grandparent, first-degree cousin) is NRI ordinarily residing abroad and has legally looked after you
• Must produce affidavit and guardianship proof if claiming through guardian
• Must upload certificate from Indian Diplomatic Mission confirming NRI/OCI status

Reservation categories and how to claim them

Odisha follows a detailed reservation policy. The breakdown is: Scheduled Tribe (ST) – 22.5%, Scheduled Caste (SC) – 16.25%, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) – 11.25%, Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) – 5% of each category, Ex-Servicemen (ES) – 3%, Green Card Holders (GC) – 5%, State Government Schools (SGS) – 15% (horizontal, covering all vertical reservations and unreserved seats), and EWS – 10% (when seats are increased to accommodate this quota). If seats in a reserved category remain unfilled, they are filled by unreserved (UR) candidates.

To claim any reserved category seat (ST/SC/SEBC/EWS) or sub-category (ES/PwBD/GC/SGS), you must be a native of Odisha and produce a Resident/Nativity Certificate issued online by the appropriate Odisha state authority. You must also produce the original category certificate (ST/SC/SEBC/EWS) issued online by the Odisha Government authority. For EWS, the certificate must be an Income & Asset Certificate from the Tahsildar or Additional Tahsildar, and it must be for the financial year 2025–26 (the last financial year). Certificates from other states are not accepted.

For Ex-Serviceman (ES) category, you must apply directly to the Rajya Sainik Board office in Bhubaneswar, mentioning your NEET roll number and details. After verification, the Board will send a list of qualified candidates to OJEE. Only candidates on that list are valid ES candidates. If your parents are still in active defence service, you are not eligible for ES reservation. For Green Card holders, you must produce the original green card issued by the Government of Odisha; the date of birth and name on the card must match exactly with your HSC certificate. Any mismatch disqualifies you from Green Card reservation, and you will be considered in the General category only—no affidavit will be accepted. Tampered or mutilated cards are not acceptable.

For State Government Schools (SGS) reservation, you must have passed Class 10 under the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha from a Government or Government-Aided High School, and Class 12 under the Council of Higher Secondary Education, Odisha from a Government or Government-Aided Higher Secondary School or Government Junior College. For Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), you must undergo a medical assessment by the Medical Assessment Board at SCB MCH, Cuttack as per notice no. OJEE/0383, dated 04-08-2026. The Board's decision is final and binding.

• ST/SC/SEBC: must be Odisha native; produce online Resident/Nativity Certificate and category certificate from Odisha authority
• EWS: must be Odisha native; produce Income & Asset Certificate from Tahsildar/Additional Tahsildar for 2025–26 financial year
• ES (Ex-Serviceman): apply to Rajya Sainik Board, Bhubaneswar; only candidates on verified list are eligible; parents must not be in active defence service
• GC (Green Card): must be Odisha native; produce original green card issued by Odisha Government; date of birth and name must match HSC certificate exactly; no affidavit accepted for mismatches
• SGS (State Government Schools): Class 10 from Odisha Government/Aided High School; Class 12 from Odisha Government/Aided Higher Secondary School or Government Junior College
• PwBD: must undergo medical assessment at SCB MCH, Cuttack; Board's decision is final

Complete list of documents required for registration

You must upload scanned PDF copies of all the following documents during the online registration process. All PDFs must be clearly scanned from the original, and file names must not contain any special characters. The file size limits will be specified on the portal.

The mandatory documents are: (1) Class 10 Certificate (for date of birth verification); (2) Class 12 Marksheet; (3) Class 12 Certificate; (4) NEET 2026 Rank Card; (5) Photograph (passport-size or as specified); (6) Nativity Certificate or Residence Certificate proving you are a native of Odisha; (7) Category certificate if claiming reservation (SC/ST/SEBC/GC/EWS)—note that candidates claiming PwBD or ES reservation do not need to upload documents; they must report to their respective boards instead; and (8) Bond, prepared and signed in proper format on non-judicial stamp paper of Rs. 21 (format available on OJEE website).

Critical warning: If you provide false information, a false certificate, or withhold or conceal any information, your application will be rejected, your admission will be cancelled, disciplinary or legal action will be initiated against you, and you will be barred from participating in the admission process for the next three academic years. During document verification, the verifying officer may raise queries. You must respond to any query within 24 hours. If you fail to comply, your document verification will be cancelled and you will not appear in the State Merit List, making you ineligible for counselling.

• Class 10 Certificate (for DOB verification)
• Class 12 Marksheet
• Class 12 Certificate
• NEET 2026 Rank Card
• Photograph
• Nativity/Residence Certificate (proof of Odisha native status)
• Category certificate if claiming reservation (SC/ST/SEBC/GC/EWS)
• Bond on non-judicial stamp paper of Rs. 21 (format from OJEE website)
• All PDFs must be clearly scanned, file names without special characters
• Respond to any verification query within 24 hours or lose eligibility

Step-by-step online registration process

Registration is the first step and must be completed before you can proceed to choice filling. Registration means creating a username and password to access the online counselling portal. Do not share your credentials with anyone.

Here are the exact steps: (1) Go to https://ojee.nic.in and click on 'Counselling for MBBS and BDS Courses'. (2) Select 'New Candidate Registration'. (3) Read the instructions carefully and click 'I Agree'. (4) Enter your personal details exactly as they appear on your NEET rank card: NEET-UG Application number, Candidate Name, Date of Birth (DOB), Gender, and the Security Pin displayed on screen. (5) Click Submit. Your details will be authenticated. If correct, your candidate profile page will appear with prefilled information. (6) Fill in your mobile number and email ID, choose a password, enter the security pin again, and click 'Final Submit for Registration'. (7) After successful registration, log in again using your application number as the user ID and your password. (8) On the left side of the screen, you will see 'Available Services'. Follow each step in order: View Registration Form, Application Form, Qualification Details, Contact Detail, Upload Documents/Images, and Preview & Final Submit. (9) After completing all steps and final submission, a payment option will appear. Pay Rs. 1,000 as the non-refundable registration fee through the online gateway. (10) Once payment is successful, your registration is complete.

Before you start, gather all soft copies of your documents and have them ready for uploading. Keep checking the website www.ojee.nic.in and www.odishajee.com for updates. The entire process is online; no direct communication will be sent to you. You are responsible for staying informed.

• Visit https://ojee.nic.in → Counselling for MBBS and BDS Courses → New Candidate Registration
• Read instructions and click 'I Agree'
• Enter NEET Application number, Name, DOB, Gender, and Security Pin from screen
• Click Submit; verify your prefilled profile
• Add mobile number, email, password, re-enter security pin, click Final Submit
• Log in with application number and password
• Follow Available Services steps: Registration Form → Application Form → Qualification Details → Contact Detail → Upload Documents → Preview & Final Submit
• Pay Rs. 1,000 non-refundable registration fee online
• Registration complete after successful payment

Document upload and verification: what happens next

After registration, you must upload scanned PDF copies of all required documents in the 'Upload Documents/Images' section. All documents must be in PDF format only, clearly scanned from originals, and file names must not contain special characters. The portal will specify the maximum file size for each document.

Once you upload your documents, the verifying officer will review them. Depending on their observations, they may raise queries about your documents. You must check your portal and email regularly during the counselling period. If a query is raised, you have exactly 24 hours to respond and provide clarification or additional documents. If you fail to comply within 24 hours, your document verification will be cancelled, and you will not be placed in the State Merit List. This means you cannot participate in counselling or admission.

Only after successful verification of all your documents will you become eligible and your name will appear in the State Merit List. The State Merit List is prepared based on your NEET UG 2026 rank and is used for all subsequent counselling and allotment processes. If your documents are not properly uploaded or if you do not respond to queries in time, you will be excluded from the merit list and cannot proceed further.

• Upload all documents as PDF in 'Upload Documents/Images' section
• All PDFs must be clearly scanned, file names without special characters
• Verifying officer may raise queries based on document review
• Check portal and email regularly for any queries
• Respond to queries within 24 hours or lose eligibility
• Only successful verification makes you eligible for State Merit List
• State Merit List is based on NEET UG 2026 rank
• Failure to upload proper documents or respond to queries = exclusion from merit list

Choice filling and seat allotment across three rounds

After your name appears in the State Merit List, you must submit your choice of course (MBBS or BDS) and college in order of preference. You do this by logging into https://ojee.nic.in with your credentials and filling your choices within the notified deadline. You can modify your choices as many times as you wish until you lock them. Once you lock your choices, they cannot be changed. If you do not lock your choices before the deadline, they will be locked automatically when the time expires.

Counselling happens in three rounds. In Round 1, all registered and verified candidates fill and lock their choices. Seats are then allotted based on your rank and the choices you locked. You will receive an Allotment Letter that you can download from the portal. If you are allotted a seat in Round 1, you must report in person at the OJEE office at Gandamunda, Bhubaneswar on the notified date and time with all original certificates, marksheets, documents, and a properly prepared bond. You must pay the admission fee (amount depends on the college type) either online or by demand draft. You will also choose to 'Freeze' or 'Float' your seat. If you Freeze, you keep that seat and do not participate in further rounds. If you Float, you can be upgraded in Round 2 or 3 if a better seat becomes available. You must deposit your original College Leaving Certificate or School Leaving Certificate and will receive a Provisional Admission Letter.

If you do not report at the OJEE office after Round 1 allotment, your seat is treated as vacant and goes to the next candidate. You can then participate in Round 2 by filling fresh choices. In Round 2, newly registered candidates, candidates who did not report in Round 1, and candidates who were allotted but did not report can fill fresh choices. Candidates who reported in Round 1 and chose 'Freeze' do not need to fill choices again; they keep their Round 1 seat. Candidates who chose 'Float' may be upgraded or retain their Round 1 seat depending on availability. If upgraded, they must relieve from their Round 1 college and join the new college. Round 3 follows the same process. After Round 3, if you have joined a seat, you cannot upgrade or resign. If vacancies still exist, the authority may conduct a Stray Vacancy Round for candidates who were not allotted in any of the three rounds. Physical presence is mandatory for Stray Round counselling.

• Log in to https://ojee.nic.in and fill course (MBBS/BDS) and college choices in order of preference
• Modify choices as many times as needed before locking
• Lock choices before deadline; automatic lock at deadline expiry
• Round 1: all registered candidates fill choices → seats allotted → download Allotment Letter
• Report in person at OJEE office, Gandamunda, Bhubaneswar with original documents and bond
• Pay admission fee online or by demand draft
• Choose Freeze (keep seat, no further rounds) or Float (eligible for upgrade in later rounds)
• Deposit original College/School Leaving Certificate; receive Provisional Admission Letter
• Round 2: new candidates, non-reporters, and floaters fill fresh choices; freezers keep their seat
• Round 3: similar process; once joined, cannot upgrade or resign
• Stray Round: for candidates not allotted in any round; physical presence mandatory

Seat allotment sequence and how your rank determines your college

Seats are allotted strictly based on the State Merit List (prepared from your NEET UG 2026 rank) and the choices you locked. The allotment follows a specific sequence to ensure fair distribution across categories and sub-categories.

The sequence is: If you are in the General (OP) category with no sub-category, allotment follows OP → OP-SGS → OP-GC → OP-PwBD → OP-ES. If you are in a reserved category (EWS, SEBC, SC, or ST) with a sub-category, allotment follows: OP → OP-SGS → OP-GC → OP-PwBD → OP-ES → Category → Category-SGS → Category-GC → Category-PwBD → Category-ES. This means if a seat in your exact category-subcategory combination is not available, it may be filled from a higher category or a different sub-category as per the sequence.

Important: If you are allotted a seat as per your 1st choice and take admission, you cannot participate in subsequent rounds. If your allotment is not your 1st choice, you can decide whether to accept it and stay, or participate in the next round for a better option (by choosing Float). If you choose Freeze, you keep your current seat. If you choose Float and are upgraded, you must accept the new seat; your previous seat is automatically cancelled and given to another candidate. You cannot claim your old seat back. In Round 3, if you are allotted a seat for the first time, you cannot upgrade or resign—you must accept it.

• Allotment based on State Merit List (NEET UG 2026 rank) and locked choices
• General category sequence: OP → OP-SGS → OP-GC → OP-PwBD → OP-ES
• Reserved category sequence: OP → OP-SGS → OP-GC → OP-PwBD → OP-ES → Category → Category-SGS → Category-GC → Category-PwBD → Category-ES
• Allotted as 1st choice + take admission = cannot participate in further rounds
• Allotted but not 1st choice = can choose Freeze (keep seat) or Float (eligible for upgrade)
• Float and upgraded = must accept new seat; old seat automatically cancelled
• Round 3 first-time allotment = cannot upgrade or resign

Admission fees and financial obligations

The admission fees vary by college type and are non-refundable unless you resign before the designated withdrawal date. For Government Medical/Dental Colleges, the annual fee is Rs. 37,950. Hostel and additional fees as prescribed by the concerned university or college may be collected at the institutional level and vary from college to college.

For Private Medical Colleges offering MBBS: Hi-Tech MCH Bhubaneswar charges Rs. 11,56,000 per annum; Hi-Tech MCH Rourkela charges Rs. 8,54,000 per annum; DRIEMS Institute of Health Sciences & Hospital charges Rs. 9,08,000 per annum. For Private Dental Colleges (Hi-Tech), the fee is Rs. 3,00,000 per annum. NRI candidates in private colleges must pay four times the above fees. All admitted candidates must also pay a University Registration fee of Rs. 3,500.

If you resign after admission but on or before the designated withdrawal date notified by the authority, you will receive 90% of your admission fees back, and 10% will be deducted as processing fees. However, if you resign after the withdrawal date, no fees will be refunded and you will be liable for a financial penalty as decided by the State Government. Additionally, you must execute a bond on non-judicial stamp paper of Rs. 21 as per the format specified in the Government of Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department Order (copy available on OJEE website). This bond is mandatory for all candidates reporting after allotment.

• Government Medical/Dental Colleges: Rs. 37,950 per annum + hostel/additional fees at institutional level
• Private MBBS (Hi-Tech Bhubaneswar): Rs. 11,56,000 per annum
• Private MBBS (Hi-Tech Rourkela): Rs. 8,54,000 per annum
• Private MBBS (DRIEMS): Rs. 9,08,000 per annum
• Private Dental (Hi-Tech): Rs. 3,00,000 per annum
• NRI candidates in private colleges: 4× the above fees
• University Registration fee: Rs. 3,500 (all admitted candidates)
• Resign before withdrawal date: 90% refund, 10% processing fee deducted
• Resign after withdrawal date: no refund, liable for penalty as per State Government order
• Bond on non-judicial stamp paper of Rs. 21 mandatory at reporting

Critical traps and common mistakes that get applications rejected

False or incomplete information is the most dangerous trap. If you provide false information, a false certificate, or withhold or conceal any information, your application will be rejected, your admission will be cancelled, legal action will be initiated against you, and you will be barred from the admission process for the next three academic years. This is a severe penalty. Always provide truthful information.

Category certificate mismatches are a major cause of rejection. For Green Card holders, the date of birth and name on the card must match exactly with your HSC certificate. Any mismatch disqualifies you from Green Card reservation, and you will be considered in the General category only—no affidavit will be accepted. Tampered or mutilated cards are not acceptable. For EWS, your certificate must be for the financial year 2025–26 (the last financial year); certificates from previous years are not accepted. For ST/SC/SEBC, the certificate must be issued online by the Odisha Government authority; certificates from other states are not accepted.

Document upload failures are another trap. All documents must be uploaded as PDF, clearly scanned from originals, and file names must not contain special characters. If your documents are not clearly readable or file names have special characters, they may be rejected. During verification, if the officer raises a query, you have exactly 24 hours to respond. If you miss this deadline by even one minute, your document verification is cancelled and you are excluded from the merit list. There are no extensions.

Missing the choice-locking deadline is fatal. If you do not lock your choices before the deadline, they will be locked automatically. However, if you have not filled any choices, you will not be allotted a seat in that round. Similarly, if you do not report at the OJEE office after allotment, your seat is treated as vacant and you must participate in the next round by filling fresh choices. If you do not report in Round 3, you exit with 'forfeiture and elimination'—you cannot participate in any further rounds.

Misunderstanding Freeze vs. Float is costly. If you choose Freeze after Round 1, you keep that seat and do not participate in further rounds. If you choose Float and are upgraded in Round 2, you must accept the new seat; your Round 1 seat is automatically cancelled. You cannot claim it back. If you are upgraded and do not join the new college, you exit with forfeiture and elimination. In Round 3, if you are allotted a seat for the first time, you cannot upgrade or resign—you must accept it.

• ⚠️ False information = application rejected, admission cancelled, legal action, barred for 3 years
• ⚠️ Green Card: DOB and name must match HSC exactly; any mismatch = General category only, no affidavit accepted
• ⚠️ EWS certificate must be for 2025–26 financial year; older certificates not accepted
• ⚠️ ST/SC/SEBC certificates must be from Odisha Government; other states' certificates not accepted
• ⚠️ Documents must be PDF, clearly scanned, file names without special characters
• ⚠️ Query response deadline is 24 hours; miss it = document verification cancelled, excluded from merit list
• ⚠️ Choice-locking deadline is strict; no extensions; auto-lock at deadline
• ⚠️ No report after allotment = seat vacant; must fill fresh choices in next round
• ⚠️ Float and upgraded = must accept new seat; old seat automatically cancelled, cannot reclaim
• ⚠️ Round 3 first-time allotment = cannot upgrade or resign; must accept

Important dates and timeline (check website for exact dates)

The guidelines do not specify exact dates for registration, choice filling, allotment, or reporting. The notice states that all dates will be notified by the Chairman, OJEE, and candidates must check the website www.ojee.nic.in and www.odishajee.com regularly for updates. The entire process is online and no direct communication will be sent to candidates. You are responsible for staying informed.

What we know from the guidelines: Counselling will be conducted in three rounds, with a possible Stray Vacancy Round if seats remain unfilled. After the final round, documents will be preserved by the committee until 31 December 2026 only. The process is strict and follows a timeline with no exceptions. Candidates are strongly advised to keep all documents ready, arrange for payments in advance, and be vigilant about checking the website for updates and any queries raised during document verification.

• Exact dates not specified in guidelines; check www.ojee.nic.in and www.odishajee.com regularly
• Three rounds of counselling planned; Stray Round if vacancies remain
• Documents preserved by committee until 31 December 2026 only
• No extensions granted for any activity
• Check website daily for updates, queries, and allotment results
• No direct communication sent to candidates; online portal is sole source of information

Frequently asked questions

Register immediately on www.ojee.nic.in by the notified deadline. Gather all required documents (Class 10 and 12 certificates, NEET rank card, nativity certificate, category certificate if applicable, and bond format) and upload them as clear PDF scans with file names free of special characters. Respond to any verification query within 24 hours. Once your name appears in the State Merit List, log in and lock your college and course choices before the deadline. After each round allotment, report in person at OJEE office, Gandamunda, Bhubaneswar with original documents and pay the admission fee. Choose Freeze or Float carefully. Check www.ojee.nic.in and www.odishajee.com daily for updates, allotment results, and any queries—no direct communication will be sent to you. Missing any deadline or step will disqualify you from that round.