Odisha NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy Round: Reporting Schedule & Admission

The Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) board has released the official reporting schedule for the Stray Vacancy Round of MBBS and BDS counselling for NEET UG 2026. All candidates who received an allotment in this round must report in person at the OJEE office in Bhubaneswar on 22 October 2026 with original documents, certificates, and admission fees. This is a critical step — if you do not report on your scheduled time slot, your allotment will be cancelled permanently and you will be removed from all future counselling rounds. The notice also outlines the fee structure, required documents, and the upgradation process that follows.

What is the Stray Vacancy Round?

The Stray Vacancy Round is the final counselling round in Odisha's NEET UG 2026 admission process. It is conducted to fill any remaining empty seats after the main counselling rounds. If you received an allotment in this round, it means a seat has been reserved for you at one of the participating colleges.

This round is your last opportunity to secure admission in the current season. Unlike earlier rounds, if you do not report for provisional admission in the stray vacancy round, you cannot participate in any further counselling process — your allotment is cancelled and you are out of the system entirely.

Reporting Schedule: Date, Time and Venue

All reporting must happen on a single day — 22 October 2026 — at the OJEE office located at Gandamunda, Bhubaneswar. However, different colleges and categories have different time slots. You must report during the exact time slot assigned to your allotted college. Arriving late or on a different time slot may result in your application being rejected.

The schedule is divided into four time slots on 22 October. MBBS candidates allotted to DRIEMS Medical College & Hospital (Tangi, Cuttack) report from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM. MBBS candidates allotted to HiTech Medical College and Hospital (Bhubaneswar) report from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM. MBBS candidates allotted to HiTech Medical College and Hospital (Rourkela) or SCB Dental College (Cuttack) report from 11:30 AM to 12:00 noon. All NRI category candidates (BDS) report from 12:00 noon to 12:30 PM.

• DRIEMS Medical College & Hospital, Tangi, Cuttack (MBBS, except NRI): 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
• HiTech Medical College and Hospital, Bhubaneswar (MBBS, except NRI): 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
• HiTech Medical College and Hospital, Rourkela (MBBS, except NRI) / SCB Dental College, Cuttack: 11:30 AM – 12:00 noon
• All NRI Candidates (BDS): 12:00 noon – 12:30 PM

Critical Trap: Non-Reporting Means Permanent Cancellation

This is the most important rule to understand. If you are allotted a seat in the stray vacancy round but do not report at the OJEE office during your assigned time slot on 22 October 2026, your allotment will be cancelled immediately. You will be treated as a non-reported candidate and marked as 'not interested for admission.'

Once your allotment is cancelled, you are permanently out of the counselling process. You will NOT be considered for any upgradation, any further counselling round, or any other admission opportunity in this season. There is no second chance. Even if seats become available later, you cannot apply. This is a final, irreversible decision — so if you have received an allotment, you must report on time.

• ⚠️ If you do not report on 22 October 2026 during your time slot, your allotment is cancelled permanently
• ⚠️ You will be removed from all future counselling rounds and cannot participate in upgradation
• ⚠️ No exceptions or late reporting are allowed — the time slot is strict

Documents You Must Bring (Original + Photocopies)

You must bring ALL of the following documents in original form, plus one complete set of photocopies of each. The OJEE office will not accept incomplete documentation. Missing even one document can delay your admission or result in rejection.

The documents required are: (1) All certificates and mark sheets from your 10th and 12th standard or equivalent, (2) Your NEET admit card and NEET result/score card, (3) Nativity Certificate (proof that you are an Odisha resident, if applicable), (4) Community/Caste Certificate (if you are applying under SC/ST/OBC category), (5) CLC (Character and Conduct Certificate) from your school or college, (6) Bond document (if applicable — this is required for certain categories or as per government notification), (7) Any other document specified in the OJEE guidelines or government notification for your category.

On the day of reporting, you will submit these original documents to the OJEE office. Once verified, you will receive a provisional admission letter and an acknowledgement of submitted documents. Keep this acknowledgement safe — it is proof that OJEE has received your documents.

• Certificates and mark sheets (10th and 12th or equivalent)
• NEET admit card and result/score card
• Nativity Certificate (original)
• Community/Caste Certificate (if applicable)
• CLC (Character and Conduct Certificate) in original
• Bond document (as per guidelines/government notification)
• Any other documents as per OJEE guidelines
• One complete set of photocopies of all the above

Freeze or Float Option: What You Must Do Before Reporting

Before you report at the OJEE office on 22 October, you must log into your OJEE portal using your login ID and exercise a 'Freeze or Float' option. This is a mandatory step. Freeze means you are locking in your current allotted seat and do not want to participate in any upgradation. Float means you are willing to be considered for upgradation to a better college or course if seats become available.

Most candidates choose Float because it gives them a chance to upgrade to a better college or course after the reporting round is complete. However, your Freeze or Float choice will only be considered if an upgradation round is conducted. If no upgradation happens, your choice does not matter. You must complete the payment process as part of this step — pay your admission fees online through your login ID or bring a demand draft to the office.

• Log into your OJEE portal before 22 October 2026
• Select either Freeze (lock in your current seat) or Float (be eligible for upgradation)
• Complete the payment process online or prepare a demand draft
• This choice is mandatory and must be done before you report

Admission Fees: How Much and How to Pay

The admission fee you must pay depends on whether your allotted college is a government or private institution. Government colleges charge significantly less than private colleges. Additionally, NRI (Non-Resident Indian) candidates pay four times the fee of Indian nationals in private colleges.

For Government Medical or Dental Colleges, the fee is Rs. 37,950 per annum. Note that some government colleges may collect additional fees at the institutional level, which can vary from college to college — ask your college for details. For Private Medical Colleges, the fees are: HiTech MCH Bhubaneswar — Rs. 11,56,000 per annum; HiTech MCH Rourkela — Rs. 8,54,000 per annum; DRIEMS Institute of Health Sciences & Hospital — Rs. 9,08,000 per annum. For Private Dental Colleges (HiTech), the fee is Rs. 3,00,000 per annum. NRI candidates in private colleges must pay four times these amounts.

You can pay the fee in two ways: (1) Online through your OJEE login ID, or (2) By demand draft. If you choose the demand draft option, the draft must be made in favour of 'OJEE', drawn from any nationalised bank, and payable at Bhubaneswar. Write your name and NEET application number on the back of the draft and submit it at the OJEE office on the day of reporting. Additionally, all admitted candidates must pay Rs. 3,500 towards University Registration fees at their respective colleges during admission.

• Government Medical/Dental Colleges: Rs. 37,950 per annum (plus any additional institutional fees)
• HiTech MCH Bhubaneswar (Private MBBS): Rs. 11,56,000 per annum
• HiTech MCH Rourkela (Private MBBS): Rs. 8,54,000 per annum
• DRIEMS Institute of Health Sciences & Hospital (Private MBBS): Rs. 9,08,000 per annum
• HiTech Private Dental Colleges (BDS): Rs. 3,00,000 per annum
• NRI candidates: Pay 4× the above fees in private colleges
• University Registration fee (at college): Rs. 3,500 (additional, paid at the college)

Step-by-Step Process on Reporting Day (22 October 2026)

On 22 October 2026, arrive at the OJEE office at Gandamunda, Bhubaneswar during your assigned time slot. You can come alone or with only one guardian — no more than two people are allowed. Bring all original documents, photocopies, and your admission fee (either as a demand draft or proof of online payment).

At the office, submit your original documents (certificates, mark sheets, nativity certificate, CLC, bond, and any other required documents) along with one set of photocopies. If paying by demand draft, submit it at this time. The OJEE staff will verify your documents. Once verified and your fee is received, you will be issued a provisional admission letter and an acknowledgement of submitted documents. This acknowledgement is proof that OJEE has received your documents — keep it safe.

After receiving your provisional admission letter, your admission to the college is provisional. You are not yet fully admitted. If an upgradation round is conducted and you are upgraded to a different college or course, you will need to download a fresh admission letter from your login ID and report to your new college on the date and time specified in that letter.

• Arrive at OJEE office, Gandamunda, Bhubaneswar during your time slot on 22 October 2026
• Come alone or with only one guardian
• Bring all original documents, photocopies, and admission fee
• Submit documents and fee to OJEE staff
• Receive provisional admission letter and acknowledgement
• Keep the acknowledgement as proof of document submission

What Happens After Reporting: Upgradation Round

After all candidates have reported on 22 October 2026, OJEE will conduct an upgradation process. This upgradation considers two groups: (1) all candidates who reported for provisional admission in the stray vacancy round, and (2) candidates who filled choices in the stray vacancy round but were not allotted any seat. If any seats remain vacant after the initial allotment, these seats are offered to candidates in the upgradation round.

If you are upgraded to a different college or course during this process, you will receive a notification. You must download a fresh admission letter from your OJEE login ID and report to your new allotted college on the date and time specified in that letter. If you do not report to your upgraded college, your upgraded allotment will also be cancelled.

If seats still remain vacant after the upgradation round, OJEE may conduct a physical spot round counselling on 24 October 2026 (note: the document shows '24-20-2026', which appears to be a typographical error, but the intended date is likely 24 October 2026). Details of this spot round will be notified separately if it is conducted. However, most candidates will not need to participate in this round.

• Upgradation considers all reported candidates and candidates who filled choices but were not allotted
• If upgraded, download your fresh admission letter from your login ID
• Report to your new college on the date and time in the fresh letter
• If you do not report to your upgraded college, that allotment is also cancelled
• A physical spot round may be conducted on 24 October 2026 if seats remain vacant

Important Rules: Withdrawal, Refunds, and No Second Chances

Once you report for provisional admission in the stray vacancy round, no withdrawal or resignation is allowed. This means you cannot change your mind and back out after reporting. You are committed to the admission process. If you are upgraded to a different college or course, you must accept and report to that college — you cannot refuse an upgrade.

Refunds of admission fees are only processed after final admission dates and only in specific cases — when a student shifts from a private college to a government college in different rounds. Refunds are processed by OJEE and paid to the candidate as per government procedure, which can take time. Do not expect immediate refunds.

The stray vacancy round is the final round. If you do not report, your allotment is cancelled and you are out of the system. There are no further chances, no appeals, and no exceptions. This is why reporting on time with all documents is absolutely critical.

• ⚠️ No withdrawal or resignation allowed after stray vacancy round provisional admission
• ⚠️ You must accept any upgrade and report to the upgraded college
• ⚠️ Refunds are only for students shifting from private to government colleges, processed after final admission
• ⚠️ The stray vacancy round is the final round — no further chances if you do not report

Who Can Report: Eligibility and Category Notes

Only candidates who have received an allotment in the stray vacancy round can report. If you did not receive an allotment, you cannot report. Check your OJEE login to confirm whether you have been allotted a seat.

The reporting schedule distinguishes between NRI and non-NRI candidates. NRI candidates (all BDS allotments in this round) have a separate time slot from 12:00 noon to 12:30 PM. Non-NRI candidates report during the time slot assigned to their college. If you are unsure whether you are classified as NRI, check your OJEE application or contact OJEE directly.

Candidates allotted to government colleges and private colleges report at the same OJEE office but may have different fee structures and additional institutional fees. Confirm your college type and fee with OJEE before reporting.

• Only allotted candidates can report — check your OJEE login
• NRI candidates have a separate time slot (12:00 noon to 12:30 PM)
• Non-NRI candidates report during their college's assigned time slot
• Government and private college candidates report at the same venue but pay different fees

Common Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected

Arriving late or at the wrong time slot: The time slots are strict. If you arrive after your time slot ends, you may not be allowed to report. Arriving at a different college's time slot will also result in rejection. Plan to arrive 15–20 minutes early.

Bringing incomplete documents: Missing even one required document (nativity certificate, CLC, bond, or mark sheets) can result in rejection or delay. Bring originals AND photocopies of everything listed. Do not assume any document is optional.

Not exercising Freeze or Float before reporting: You must log into your OJEE portal and select Freeze or Float before 22 October. If you do not do this, you may not be eligible for upgradation or your application may be rejected.

Paying the wrong fee or not paying at all: Confirm the exact fee for your college type (government vs. private) and pay it in full. If paying by demand draft, ensure it is made in favour of 'OJEE', drawn from a nationalised bank, and payable at Bhubaneswar. Write your name and NEET application number on the back.

Bringing more than one guardian: Only you or you with one guardian are allowed. Bringing two guardians or other family members may result in rejection.

Not keeping the acknowledgement: The acknowledgement of submitted documents is proof that OJEE received your papers. Losing it can cause problems later if there is a dispute.

• ⚠️ Arrive during your exact time slot — late arrivals are rejected
• ⚠️ Bring all original documents and photocopies — missing even one causes rejection
• ⚠️ Exercise Freeze or Float in your OJEE portal before reporting
• ⚠️ Pay the correct fee for your college type — confirm with OJEE
• ⚠️ Come alone or with only one guardian — no more
• ⚠️ Keep your acknowledgement of submitted documents safe

Frequently asked questions

If you have received an allotment in the stray vacancy round, your next and final step is to report at the OJEE office on 22 October 2026 during your college's assigned time slot. Before that date, log into your OJEE portal, exercise your Freeze or Float option, and arrange your admission fee. Bring all original documents, photocopies, and your fee (online payment proof or demand draft) to the office. Reporting on time with complete documents is non-negotiable — if you do not report, your allotment is cancelled permanently and you will be out of the admission process. Check the OJEE website regularly for any updates or changes to the schedule.