Puducherry NEET UG 2026 Round 3: Registration, Fees & Preferences

Puducherry's Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC) has opened Round 3 counselling for MBBS, BDS, BAMS (Ayurveda), and B.V.Sc.&A.H. courses across government and self-financing colleges in the union territory. Registration and course preference submission will run from 24 September to 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM. This is the final opportunity for candidates who did not join in earlier rounds, and also for those already admitted who wish to slide to a different course or college. However, this round comes with a critical rule: if you are allotted a seat in Round 3 and fail to join, you will forfeit your registration fee and become ineligible for any further counselling rounds. Understanding the fees, eligibility, and mandatory joining requirement is essential before you register.

What is Round 3 and who can participate?

Round 3 is the third and final counselling round for NEET UG medical admissions in Puducherry. It is open to all candidates who are registered with CENTAC, regardless of whether they were allotted or joined a seat in Round 1 or Round 2. This means even if you were admitted earlier and joined a course, you can still participate in Round 3 to try for a different course or college—but with important conditions (explained below).

The courses available in Round 3 are MBBS, BDS, BAMS (Ayurveda), and B.V.Sc.&A.H. (National SS) at government and self-financing medical, dental, and Ayurveda colleges in Puducherry. Candidates can apply under Government Quota (GQ), Management Quota (MQ), Management–Telugu Minority Quota (MQT), and NRI Quota.

• All CENTAC-registered candidates are eligible, including those already admitted in Rounds 1 or 2
• Courses: MBBS, BDS, BAMS, B.V.Sc.&A.H.
• Quotas: Government, Management, Management–Telugu Minority, NRI
• Colleges: Government and self-financing institutions in Puducherry

Important dates and deadlines

All actions for Round 3 must be completed by a single deadline: 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM. This includes paying your registration fee, submitting your willingness to participate, filling course preferences, and if you wish to withdraw from a Round 1 or Round 2 seat, submitting your resignation request. There is no separate date for each step—everything closes at the same time. Missing this deadline means you cannot participate in Round 3.

• Registration opens: 24 September 2026
• Registration closes: 5 October 2026, 5:00 PM
• Payment of registration fee deadline: 5 October 2026, 5:00 PM
• Course preference submission deadline: 5 October 2026, 5:00 PM
• Resignation request deadline (for Round 1/2 admitted candidates): 5 October 2026, 5:00 PM

Registration fees: what you must pay

The registration fee depends on your quota, category, and the courses you wish to apply for. Fees range from ₹5,000 to ₹2,00,000. If you are applying for both Government Quota and Management/NRI Quota, you pay only ₹2,00,000 (not both fees separately). Payment must be made through net banking or NEFT/RTGS using the challan generated in your CENTAC dashboard. Pay the exact amount shown on the challan to avoid rejection.

Important: Some candidates do not need to pay the full fee again. If you were already admitted in Round 1 or Round 2 under Government Quota (except EBC/SC/ST/GSS categories), you can participate in Round 3 without paying any registration fee. However, EBC/SC/ST/GSS candidates admitted under Government Quota must pay the prescribed fee (or the balance if they paid in Round 2) to participate in Round 3.

• Government Quota (UT Puducherry candidates only): ₹1,00,000 (GE/EWS/OBC/MBC/BCM/BT for MBBS/BDS/BAMS); ₹25,000 (EBC/SC/ST/GSS for MBBS/BDS/BAMS); ₹10,000 (GE/EWS/OBC/MBC/BCM/BT for BAMS only); ₹5,000 (EBC/SC/ST/GSS for BAMS only)
• Management & NRI Quota: ₹2,00,000
• Both Government and Management/NRI: ₹2,00,000 (single payment)
• Payment method: Net banking, NEFT, or RTGS via CENTAC dashboard
• Already admitted in Round 1/2 (non-GSS categories): No fee required
• Already admitted in Round 1/2 (EBC/SC/ST/GSS under Government Quota): Must pay prescribed fee or balance

The mandatory joining rule: what happens if you don't join?

This is the most critical rule in Round 3. If you are allotted a seat in Round 3 and you fail to join (report to the college), the following consequences apply: (1) Your entire registration fee will be forfeited—you will not get it back. (2) You will become INELIGIBLE for any further rounds of counselling. (3) Your name will be published on the CENTAC website as an ineligible candidate. This rule applies to all candidates, whether they are sliding from a Round 1/2 seat or being allotted for the first time.

Additionally, if you were admitted in Round 1 or Round 2 and you retain your seat in Round 3 (i.e., you do not slide to a new course), you also become ineligible for any further rounds. Similarly, once you join a Round 3 allotted seat, you cannot resign from it later. The message is clear: Round 3 is your last chance, and joining is mandatory if you want to secure a seat.

• If allotted in Round 3 and you fail to join: registration fee is forfeited
• If allotted in Round 3 and you fail to join: you become ineligible for further rounds
• If you retain a Round 1/2 seat in Round 3: you become ineligible for further rounds
• If you join a Round 3 seat: you cannot resign from it later
• Ineligible candidates will be published on the CENTAC website

How to submit course preferences

Course preferences submitted in Round 2 are now null and void. You must submit fresh course preferences for Round 3. This is a critical step: if you do not submit any course preference, you will not be allotted a seat, even if you have paid the registration fee and submitted your willingness. The order in which you list your preferences matters because allotment is based on merit, availability, and your preference order.

Sliding is allowed in Round 3, which means vacancies may appear dynamically in courses at the time of allotment. Therefore, you should submit course preferences even if published vacancy lists show no openings in your preferred courses—new vacancies may arise as other candidates slide or withdraw. If you are allotted a new seat in Round 3 based on your preferences, your previous Round 1 or Round 2 admission will be automatically cancelled. You are solely responsible for filling preferences correctly; no changes will be allowed after the 5 October deadline.

• Round 2 preferences are null and void—submit fresh preferences for Round 3
• Preferences must be submitted in order of your choice
• Sliding is allowed—vacancies may arise dynamically
• Submit preferences even if current vacancy lists appear empty
• If allotted a new seat, your previous Round 1/2 seat is automatically cancelled
• No changes to preferences allowed after 5 October 2026, 5:00 PM
• Empty preference list = no seat allotment

Withdrawing from a Round 1 or Round 2 seat

If you have already joined a seat in Round 1 or Round 2 and now wish to withdraw (resign) from it to participate in Round 3, you must submit a Resignation Request Letter through your CENTAC login dashboard by 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM. The form to use is Annexure–19 in the UG NEET Information Brochure. When you resign, your Round 2 registration fee will be forfeited (you will not get it back). You will then need to pay the Round 3 registration fee to participate in Round 3 counselling.

Important: You can only resign before the Round 3 registration deadline. Once Round 3 allotments are made, you cannot resign from your Round 1/2 seat. If you were admitted in Round 1/2 and you retain your seat in Round 3 (do not slide), you also cannot resign later. The resignation window is only open until 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM.

• Submit Resignation Request Letter via CENTAC login dashboard
• Use Annexure–19 from UG NEET Information Brochure
• Deadline: 5 October 2026, 5:00 PM
• Round 2 registration fee will be forfeited upon resignation
• You must pay Round 3 registration fee to participate in Round 3
• No resignations allowed after Round 3 allotment

Fee refund and forfeiture rules

Understanding when your registration fee is refunded and when it is forfeited is essential for financial planning. If you are NOT allotted a seat in Round 2, your Round 2 registration fee is refunded in full. If you are allotted a seat in Round 3 and you join the course, your registration fee is not refunded as cash; instead, it is adjusted (credited) against the tuition fee you owe to the college. This means you pay the balance tuition fee after deducting the registration fee already paid.

If you are allotted a seat in Round 3 but fail to join, the registration fee is forfeited according to your allotted quota and course. Any balance fee (if the tuition fee is lower than the registration fee) will be refunded. Importantly, all refunds are processed only after the entire UG NEET counselling process is complete—not immediately. If you were allotted in Round 2 but did not join, your Round 2 registration fee has already been forfeited, and you must pay the full Round 3 registration fee again if you wish to participate in Round 3.

• Not allotted in Round 2: registration fee refunded
• Allotted in Round 3 and join: registration fee adjusted against tuition fee (no cash refund)
• Allotted in Round 3 but don't join: registration fee forfeited; balance fee (if any) refunded
• Allotted in Round 2 but didn't join: Round 2 fee already forfeited; must pay full Round 3 fee
• All refunds processed only after entire counselling process ends

Special rules for NRI and Management Quota seats

In Round 3, unfilled NRI seats at IGMCRI, MGPGIDS, and RIVER (Puducherry) will be converted into Self-Supporting (All India Management Quota) seats and filled in Round 3 itself. If these converted seats remain unfilled at IGMCRI and MGPGIDS, they will be further converted into Government Quota seats and allotted in Round 3. This conversion process means that Management Quota course preferences are now enabled in Round 3, even if they were not available in earlier rounds.

For B.V.Sc.&A.H. courses, only NRI/OCI candidates and wards of NRI/OCI parents are eligible for NRI vacant seats. The fee structure for Self-Supporting seats (All India Management seats) at IGMCRI will be set by the Fee Committee for unaided private self-financing institutes in Puducherry. Additionally, the fee structure for Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College and Research Institute is governed by an Interim Court Order dated 8 September 2026 (W.P.No.15159 of 2026), and the dental course fee will follow the MBBS fee prescribed in that order.

• Unfilled NRI seats → converted to Self-Supporting (Management) seats in Round 3
• If Self-Supporting seats unfilled → converted to Government Quota seats
• Telugu Minority Management Quota unfilled seats → converted to All India Management Quota
• Management Quota preferences now enabled in Round 3
• B.V.Sc.&A.H. NRI seats: only NRI/OCI and wards of NRI/OCI parents eligible
• Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College fees: per Interim Court Order dated 8 Sept 2026

Payment method and technical instructions

You must pay the registration fee through your CENTAC login dashboard using one of three methods: net banking, NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer), or RTGS (Real Time Gross Settlement). The dashboard will generate a challan (payment slip) showing the exact amount you must pay. Pay only the amount shown on the challan—if you pay a different amount, it may be rejected and returned. For NEFT/RTGS payments, the challan can be used only once, so do not attempt to use it multiple times.

Before proceeding with payment, read the HELP instructions provided in the dashboard carefully. Transfer the registration fee to the CENTAC account using the payment details on the challan. Ensure you have a valid login and that your dashboard is up to date. If you face any issues, contact the CENTAC helpline at 0413-2655570 or 0413-2655571, or submit a query through the Grievances option in your login dashboard.

• Payment methods: Net banking, NEFT, or RTGS via CENTAC dashboard
• Generate challan from dashboard showing exact amount
• Pay only the amount on the challan
• NEFT/RTGS challan can be used only once
• Read HELP instructions before payment
• Contact helpline: 0413-2655570 / 0413-2655571 for issues
• Use Grievances option in dashboard for queries

Common mistakes that get your application rejected

One of the most common mistakes is submitting an empty course preference list. If you do not fill in any course preferences, you will not be allotted a seat, even if you have paid the registration fee and submitted your willingness. Another critical error is paying the wrong amount. The challan shows the exact amount you must pay; if you pay more or less, the payment may be rejected or returned, and you will miss the deadline.

A third trap is not understanding the mandatory joining rule. Many candidates assume they can be allotted a seat in Round 3 and then decide later whether to join. This is false. If you are allotted and do not join, you forfeit your entire registration fee and become ineligible for any further rounds. There is no grace period or second chance. Additionally, if you were admitted in Round 1 or Round 2 and you do not resign before 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM, you cannot participate in Round 3 at all—your earlier seat will be locked.

A fourth mistake is submitting course preferences after the deadline. The notice clearly states that no changes to course preferences will be entertained after 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM. If you miss this deadline, you cannot participate in Round 3. Finally, some candidates confuse the fee structure for different quotas. If you are applying for both Government and Management/NRI quotas, you pay only ₹2,00,000 total, not ₹2,00,000 plus another amount. Read the fee table carefully and confirm your category and quota before paying.

• Empty course preference list = no seat allotment
• Paying wrong amount = payment rejected; deadline missed
• Assuming you can decide to join later = forfeiture and ineligibility if you don't join
• Not resigning from Round 1/2 seat by 5 Oct = cannot participate in Round 3
• Submitting preferences after 5 Oct 5:00 PM = not accepted
• Confusing fee amounts for different quotas = overpayment or underpayment
• Not reading the fee table for your category = paying wrong amount

Step-by-step process to register for Round 3

Follow these steps in order to successfully register for Round 3. First, log in to your CENTAC dashboard using your credentials. Second, check the Round 2 admitted list and vacancy position on the CENTAC website (www.centacpuducherry.in) to understand which seats are available. Third, if you are currently admitted in Round 1 or Round 2 and wish to withdraw, submit your Resignation Request Letter (Annexure–19) through your dashboard by 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM. Fourth, generate the registration fee challan from your dashboard based on your quota and category. Fifth, pay the exact amount shown on the challan using net banking, NEFT, or RTGS. Sixth, submit your willingness to participate in Round 3. Seventh, fill in your course preferences in order of preference and submit them. Eighth, verify that all information is correct and that your preferences have been saved. Finally, keep a record of your payment confirmation and submission receipt.

Do not wait until the last moment to complete these steps. The deadline is 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM, and the system will close at that exact time. If you have any doubts or face technical issues, contact the helpline immediately. Remember: once you submit your preferences and willingness, you are committed to Round 3. If you are allotted a seat, you must join it, or you will forfeit your fee and lose eligibility for further rounds.

• Log in to CENTAC dashboard
• Check Round 2 admitted list and vacancy position on www.centacpuducherry.in
• If withdrawing from Round 1/2 seat: submit Resignation Request Letter (Annexure–19) by 5 Oct 5:00 PM
• Generate registration fee challan from dashboard
• Pay exact amount via net banking, NEFT, or RTGS
• Submit willingness to participate in Round 3
• Fill course preferences in order and submit
• Verify all information is saved correctly
• Keep payment confirmation and submission receipt
• Do not wait until the last moment—deadline is 5 Oct 5:00 PM

Frequently asked questions

To participate in Round 3, you must complete all steps—pay registration fee, submit willingness, and fill course preferences—by 5 October 2026 at 5:00 PM through your CENTAC login dashboard at www.centacpuducherry.in. Remember: joining an allotted seat is mandatory; if you fail to join, you forfeit your fee and become ineligible for further rounds. If you were admitted in Round 1 or Round 2 and wish to withdraw, submit your Resignation Request Letter by the same deadline. Do not delay—the deadline is firm, and the system will close at 5:00 PM. For help, call the helpline at 0413-2655570 or 0413-2655571.