Puducherry NEET-MDS 2026 Draft Merit List: Objections Due 20 Aug

The Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC) of Puducherry has published the draft merit list for MDS (Master of Dental Surgery) postgraduate courses for the 2026-27 academic year on 18 August 2026. This list is based on NEET-MDS 2026 cutoff marks and includes seats under Government, Management, Management (Telugu Minority), and NRI quotas, as well as special category reservations for Puducherry candidates (sports persons, persons with disabilities, freedom fighters, and ex-servicemen). Candidates now have a critical window to verify their eligibility, upload any missing certificates or objections, and most importantly, set their course preferences — failure to do any of these by 20 August 5 PM will result in rejection from the allotment process.

What is the draft merit list and why does it matter?

The draft merit list is a preliminary ranking of all candidates who have applied for MDS courses in Puducherry, arranged by their NEET-MDS 2026 scores. It is not final — it is called 'draft' because candidates can still object to their placement, submit missing documents, or correct errors before the list is finalized.

This list determines the order in which you will be offered seats during Round 1 allotment. If your name appears on the draft merit list, you are eligible to receive a seat, provided you complete all remaining steps (uploading objections/certificates and setting course preferences) by the deadline. If your name does not appear, or if you fail to complete these steps, you will not be allotted a seat in this round.

Which quotas and categories are included?

The draft merit list covers MDS seats across four quota categories: Government (seats run by the state), Management (private colleges), Management (Telugu Minority) (private colleges with Telugu minority status), and NRI (seats for Non-Resident Indians). Each quota has its own merit list and seat availability.

Additionally, separate merit lists have been published for Puducherry candidates in special categories: Meritorious Sports Persons, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Freedom Fighters, and Ex-Servicemen. If you belong to any of these categories and are a Puducherry resident, you will appear on both the general merit list and the special category list, and you can be considered under whichever gives you a better rank.

• Government quota — state-funded seats
• Management quota — private college seats
• Management (Telugu Minority) quota — private colleges with Telugu minority recognition
• NRI quota — seats reserved for Non-Resident Indians
• Special categories (Puducherry residents only): Sports Person, PwD, Freedom Fighter, Ex-Serviceman

How to check your verification status and what it means

When you log into your candidate dashboard on the CENTAC website (www.centacpuducherry.in), you will see a 'Verification Status' for your application. This status tells you whether your submitted documents have been accepted, rejected, or require additional information. Read this status carefully — it will tell you exactly what you need to do next.

If your status shows 'Accepted', your application is complete and you are on the merit list. If it shows 'Rejected' or 'Pending', you must take action immediately. Common reasons for rejection include missing certificates, incorrect certificate types, or documents that do not meet the requirements. The dashboard will specify what is missing.

• Log in to www.centacpuducherry.in with your credentials
• Check the 'Verification Status' shown on your dashboard
• Read the reason if your status is not 'Accepted'
• Note exactly which documents or information are missing or incorrect

Critical deadline: Upload objections and certificates by 20 August 5 PM

This is the most important deadline in this notice. You have until 20 August 2026 at 5:00 PM to upload any objections to your placement on the merit list, or to submit certificates that were rejected or are missing. After 5 PM on 20 August, the portal will close and no further uploads will be accepted.

If your application was rejected because you did not submit a recently renewed Revenue Certificate (a document proving your domicile or residence status in Puducherry), you must upload the correct certificate before this deadline. Similarly, if you have any other missing or incorrect documents, upload them now. After the deadline, CENTAC will review all objections and resubmitted certificates and publish a revised draft merit list.

Candidates whose claims were rejected due to missing Revenue Certificates are specifically warned: submit the proper, recently renewed certificate before 20 August 5 PM, or your candidature will remain rejected.

• Deadline: 20 August 2026, 5:00 PM (no extensions)
• Upload via the 'OBJECTIONS' link in your dashboard
• Include any missing or corrected certificates
• If rejected for missing Revenue Certificate, resubmit the renewed version
• After deadline, portal closes — no late submissions accepted

Setting your course preferences — do not leave this blank

CENTAC has published a Seat Matrix showing all available MDS courses (specialties) and the number of seats in each at Government, Management, and NRI colleges. You must now log into your dashboard and select which courses you wish to be considered for, in order of preference. This is called 'setting course preferences'.

This step is mandatory. If you do not set any course preferences, you will not be considered for allotment in Round 1, even if your name is on the merit list. The system will not automatically assign you a course — you must actively choose. You can update your preferences if you change your mind, but you must have at least one preference selected before the allotment process begins.

The Seat Matrix is available on the CENTAC website. Review it carefully to understand which courses are available, how many seats each has, and at which colleges. Then log in and rank your preferred courses in order.

• Visit www.centacpuducherry.in and download the Seat Matrix for MDS courses
• Log into your candidate dashboard
• Navigate to the course preferences section
• Select and rank your preferred MDS specialties in order
• Save your preferences
• Empty preferences = no allotment (you will be rejected)

What happens if you submit duplicate applications or false information?

CENTAC has a strict policy on fraudulent or duplicate submissions. If you have submitted more than one application for the same course or quota, both applications have been rejected and your candidature has been cancelled. You cannot appeal this decision — the rule is automatic.

Similarly, if any false information is found in your application (incorrect marks, fake certificates, wrong category claim, false domicile status, etc.), your application will be rejected and your admission will be cancelled, even if you have already been allotted a seat. This can happen at any stage, including after you have joined the college.

The most serious consequence is submitting forged documents. If you submit a forged certificate, your candidature will be cancelled immediately, legal action will be initiated against you, and you may face criminal charges. Physical verification of all documents will occur before final admission, so any forgery will be detected.

• Duplicate applications = both rejected, candidature cancelled
• False information = application rejected, admission cancelled
• Forged documents = candidature cancelled, legal action initiated
• Physical verification of all documents is mandatory before final admission

Important: Physical verification of documents is mandatory

Even if you are allotted a seat, your admission is not final until your documents have been physically verified by CENTAC or the college. This means you will be required to attend an in-person verification appointment with original copies of all your certificates, mark sheets, identity proof, domicile certificate, category certificate (if applicable), and any other documents you submitted online.

During this verification, CENTAC will check that every document is genuine, matches your online submission, and meets the eligibility requirements. If any discrepancy is found — for example, if a certificate is forged, if dates do not match, or if information is false — your candidature will be cancelled and you will lose your seat. This can happen even after you have been allotted and have started attending classes.

• Physical verification is mandatory for all allotted candidates
• Bring original copies of all submitted documents
• Verification happens before final admission confirmation
• Any forged or false document discovered = candidature cancelled

What happens after 20 August: the revised merit list

After the 20 August 5 PM deadline, CENTAC will review all objections and newly submitted certificates. Based on this review, some candidates may be added to the merit list (if their objections are upheld or if they submit missing documents), and some may be removed (if their objections are rejected or if false information is found). The number of candidates on the final merit list may therefore be different from the draft list.

CENTAC will then publish a revised draft merit list, which will be the basis for Round 1 allotment. This revised list will reflect all corrections and will be the official ranking used to assign seats. Candidates will be notified via SMS and email when the revised list is published.

• CENTAC reviews all objections and resubmitted certificates after 20 August
• Revised draft merit list will be published (date to be announced)
• Revised list is used for Round 1 allotment
• Candidates notified via SMS and email

How to contact CENTAC if you have questions or problems

If you have any questions about the draft merit list, your verification status, or the next steps, you have several options to get help. The primary contact method is the CENTAC website (www.centacpuducherry.in), where you can submit queries through the 'Grievances' option in your login dashboard. This is the fastest way to get a response, as your query will be linked to your application.

You can also call the CENTAC Helpline at 0413-2655570 during business hours. SMS notifications are also being sent to all candidates with important updates, so check your phone regularly. For detailed information about the admission process, seat matrix, and course details, visit the website directly.

• Website: www.centacpuducherry.in
• Submit queries via 'Grievances' option in your dashboard (fastest method)
• Helpline: 0413-2655570
• Check SMS notifications regularly for updates
• Visit website for Seat Matrix and course details

Key dates and timeline at a glance

Here is a summary of the critical dates you must remember for the next phase of the Puducherry MDS admission process.

Frequently asked questions

Your next action is urgent: log into www.centacpuducherry.in, check your verification status, and by 20 August 2026 at 5:00 PM, (1) upload any objections or missing certificates (especially renewed Revenue Certificates if your claim was rejected), and (2) set your course preferences using the Seat Matrix. If you do not complete both steps by the deadline, you will not be considered for Round 1 allotment. If you have any questions, contact CENTAC Helpline at 0413-2655570 or submit a query through the Grievances option in your dashboard.