Tamil Nadu NEET UG 2026 Round 2 Counselling: MBBS/BDS Choice Filling

Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DME) has opened Round 2 online counselling for MBBS and BDS courses under Government, Management (including Minority), and NRI quotas for the 2026–27 session. This is the choice-filling stage — the window during which you must log in to the official portal, select your preferred colleges and courses, and rank them in order of preference. Your choices directly determine which seat you are offered in the allotment that follows. This notice confirms that the portal is live and tells you how to proceed.

What is Round 2 Counselling and Why It Matters

Round 2 is the second phase of seat allocation in Tamil Nadu's NEET UG counselling process. In Round 1, candidates who met the cutoff were offered seats; some accepted, some declined or did not report. Round 2 opens up the remaining vacant seats — both from Round 1 rejections and from fresh allocations — to eligible candidates who did not get a seat in Round 1, or who wish to upgrade to a better college or course.

This round covers MBBS and BDS seats across Government colleges, Management (private) colleges, Minority institutions, and NRI quota seats. The choice-filling stage you are in now is critical: the colleges and courses you select and rank here determine your eligibility for allotment. If you do not fill choices, you cannot be allotted a seat in this round.

Who is Eligible for Round 2 Counselling

You are eligible for Round 2 if you meet one or more of these conditions:

• You participated in Round 1 but were not allotted a seat (your rank was below the Round 1 cutoff, or no seat matched your choices). • You were allotted a seat in Round 1 but did not report to the college (did not complete admission formalities by the Round 1 reporting deadline). • You were allotted a seat in Round 1, reported, but later withdrew or cancelled your admission. • You are a fresh candidate who registered for counselling but did not participate in Round 1. • You wish to upgrade — you got a seat in Round 1 but want to try for a better college or course in Round 2.

To participate, you must have a valid NEET UG 2026 score, a completed registration on the Tamil Nadu counselling portal (TN MedSelect), and eligibility for the quota(s) you are applying under (Government, Management, Minority, or NRI).

Important Dates and Deadlines

The notice confirms that Round 2 choice filling is now open, but does NOT explicitly state the closing date or time. This is a critical gap — you must check the official Tamil Nadu counselling portal (counug.tnmedicalonline.co.in) immediately to confirm the exact deadline. Deadlines in counselling are strict; missing it by even one minute will lock you out.

Typically, choice-filling windows remain open for 2–5 days. Do not wait until the last day — portal traffic often causes slowdowns, and technical issues can prevent last-minute submissions. Fill your choices as soon as possible after this notice is published.

• Choice filling: Now open (exact closing date/time — check portal immediately)
• Allotment result: Expected after choice-filling deadline (date to be announced)
• Reporting deadline: Will be announced with allotment result

How to Access the Choice-Filling Portal

The official portal for Tamil Nadu NEET UG counselling is counug.tnmedicalonline.co.in. This is where you will log in to fill your choices. Use your registration number and password (the credentials you created during initial counselling registration) to access your account.

Once logged in, you will see a list of available colleges and courses (MBBS and BDS) that match your eligibility — based on your NEET rank, category, and quota. The portal will show you which seats are vacant in each college and course.

• Portal URL: counug.tnmedicalonline.co.in
• Login: Use your registration number and password
• What you'll see: List of available MBBS and BDS colleges and courses

Step-by-Step: How to Fill Your Choices

Choice filling is a ranking process. You are not applying to one college — you are ranking multiple colleges and courses in order of preference. The allotment algorithm will then match you to the highest-ranked choice for which you are eligible.

Here is the process:

• Log in to the portal with your registration number and password.
• View the list of available colleges and courses (MBBS/BDS) under your quota(s).
• Select the colleges and courses you wish to apply for. You can typically select multiple options.
• Rank them in order of preference — 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, and so on. Rank your most-preferred college/course as 1.
• Review your ranked list carefully. Check college names, course (MBBS or BDS), and quota type.
• Submit your choices. The portal will show a confirmation message.
• Download and save a copy of your submitted choices for your records.
• Do NOT close the browser or navigate away until you see the final confirmation.

Quotas Covered in Round 2

Round 2 includes seats from four quota categories. Your eligibility depends on your category (General, OBC, SC, ST) and your domicile/residency status in Tamil Nadu, as well as any special eligibility (NRI, Minority institution affiliation).

Here is what each quota means:

• Government Quota: MBBS and BDS seats in government medical colleges. Allocated by merit and category (General, OBC, SC, ST). Open to Tamil Nadu domiciled candidates.
• Management Quota: MBBS and BDS seats in private medical colleges, allocated by the college's own merit list. Typically higher fees than government seats.
• Minority Quota: Seats in colleges run by religious or linguistic minorities (e.g., Christian, Muslim, Sikh institutions). May have specific eligibility criteria set by the college.
• NRI Quota: Seats reserved for Non-Resident Indians and their children. Requires proof of NRI status and typically involves higher fees.

Documents You Must Have Ready Before Filling Choices

Before you log in to fill choices, ensure you have the following documents and information ready. You will not need to upload them during choice filling, but you will need them later during reporting (after allotment). Having them ready now prevents delays:

• NEET UG 2026 admit card and score card • 10th and 12th mark sheets and certificates • Category certificate (if applicable — SC, ST, OBC) • Domicile certificate (proof of Tamil Nadu residency, if required for your quota) • NRI certificate (if applying under NRI quota) • Minority institution certificate (if applying under Minority quota) • Passport and visa (if NRI) • Bank account details (for fee payment after allotment) • Email address and mobile number (for allotment notifications)

Common Mistakes That Get Your Application Rejected

Many candidates lose their seats because of preventable errors during choice filling. Watch out for these traps:

• ⚠️ Not submitting choices at all — if you log in but do not click 'Submit', your choices are not saved. The portal will not allot you a seat.
• ⚠️ Submitting after the deadline — the portal closes at a specific time. Late submissions are not accepted, even by one minute.
• ⚠️ Ranking only one choice — if that college has no vacancy or you do not meet its cutoff, you will not be allotted. Always rank multiple colleges.
• ⚠️ Misreading the college name or course — some colleges offer both MBBS and BDS. Selecting the wrong course means you may be allotted to a course you did not want.
• ⚠️ Selecting colleges outside your quota eligibility — if you select a Government quota seat but are not eligible (e.g., you are not Tamil Nadu domiciled), the allotment algorithm will skip that choice.
• ⚠️ Not checking the quota type — ensure the college seat you are selecting is under the quota you are eligible for (Government, Management, Minority, or NRI).
• ⚠️ Forgetting to download your confirmation — after submission, always download and save a PDF or screenshot of your submitted choices. This is proof of your participation.

What Happens After You Submit Your Choices

Once the choice-filling deadline closes, the Tamil Nadu DME will run the allotment algorithm. This algorithm matches each candidate to the highest-ranked choice for which they are eligible, based on their NEET rank and the college's cutoff.

The allotment result will be published on the same portal. You will receive an SMS and email notification with your allotment status. If you are allotted a seat, the notification will tell you the college, course (MBBS or BDS), and the reporting deadline. You must then report to the college in person, submit original documents, and complete admission formalities to confirm your seat. If you do not report by the deadline, your seat will be cancelled and offered to the next candidate.

• Allotment algorithm runs after choice-filling deadline
• Result published on the portal
• SMS and email notification sent to you
• If allotted: you must report to the college by the deadline
• If not allotted: you may be eligible for a subsequent round (if announced)

Fees and Payment

The notice does not specify the fees for Government, Management, Minority, or NRI quota seats in this round. Fees vary significantly by quota and college. Government seats typically have lower fees (₹5,000–₹50,000 per year), while Management and NRI seats are much higher (₹10–₹20 lakhs per year or more).

After you are allotted a seat, the college will inform you of the exact fee structure. You will be required to pay a portion of the fee (often a deposit or first-semester fee) at the time of reporting. Check the college's official website or contact the college directly for current fee details before filling choices, so you know what to expect.

If You Have Technical Issues or Questions

If you cannot log in, forget your password, or encounter a technical error on the portal, contact the Tamil Nadu DME helpline immediately. Do not wait — the choice-filling window is limited. The official portal (counug.tnmedicalonline.co.in) should have a 'Help' or 'Contact Us' section with phone numbers and email addresses.

Common issues include forgotten passwords (use the 'Forgot Password' link on the login page), browser compatibility problems (try a different browser or device), or slow portal access (try during off-peak hours, e.g., early morning or late evening).

Frequently asked questions

Round 2 choice filling is now live on the Tamil Nadu counselling portal (counug.tnmedicalonline.co.in). Log in immediately with your registration number and password, select and rank your preferred MBBS and BDS colleges and courses, and submit before the deadline closes. Do not delay — the window is limited, and missing the deadline will disqualify you from this round. After submission, download your confirmation and wait for the allotment result, which will be published on the portal and sent to you via SMS and email.