Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER) has set a firm deadline for MBBS and BDS aspirants participating in Round 3 counselling to finalize their college choices. If you are a NEET-UG candidate in Tamil Nadu—especially those eligible for the 7.5% special reservation for government school students—you must complete your choice filling and locking before the window closes. Missing this deadline means losing your chance to secure a seat in this round across government medical and dental colleges, ESIC institutions, and private medical colleges. Understanding the rules around choice locking, seat relinquishment, and reporting is critical to avoid costly mistakes.
Complete and lock your Round 3 college choices by October 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM on tnmedicalselection.net, or the system will auto-lock your preferences—and you cannot change them after that.
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Unlock My College ListWhen Does Tamil Nadu Round 3 Choice Filling Close?
The online choice filling and locking window for Tamil Nadu NEET UG Round 3 will shut down on October 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM. This is a hard deadline—no extensions are granted. Candidates can edit and reorder their college preferences as many times as they wish before this time, but once the clock strikes 5:00 PM, the system will automatically lock all filled choices.
If you manually lock your choices before the deadline, no further edits are possible. If you do not lock them manually, the system will lock them automatically at the deadline. Either way, your choices become final and unchangeable after October 9 at 5:00 PM. The Directorate strongly advises candidates not to wait until the last hour, as technical delays or internet issues could prevent timely submission.
Key Dates for Tamil Nadu Round 3 Seat Allotment
After the choice-filling window closes, the allotment process follows a set timeline. The Directorate will process seat allotments on October 10 and 11, 2026. The provisional seat allotment results will be published on October 12, 2026.
Candidates who receive an allotment must download their provisional allotment order between October 12 and October 14 (by 12:00 PM). You must then report to your allotted college by October 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM to confirm your admission. Failure to report by this deadline may result in forfeiture of your seat.
- Choice filling and locking: October 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM
- Seat allotment processing: October 10–11, 2026
- Provisional allotment result release: October 12, 2026
- Download allotment order: October 12–14, 2026 (by 12:00 PM)
- College reporting deadline: October 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM
What Happens If You Get Upgraded or Re-Allotted in Round 3?
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One of the most important rules to understand is seat relinquishment. If you were allotted a seat in Round 1 or Round 2 and then receive a better or upgraded seat in Round 3, you will automatically lose your rights to the earlier seat. That seat will then be offered to other waiting candidates. This is a permanent loss—you cannot go back to your Round 1 or Round 2 seat.
This rule exists to ensure fair distribution of seats across all candidates. Before you participate in Round 3, carefully weigh whether the potential for an upgrade is worth losing your current allotment. If you are satisfied with your Round 2 seat, you may choose not to participate in Round 3 to avoid this risk.
Understanding Virtual Vacancies and Real Vacancies
During the allotment process, you may notice that some seats are listed as 'virtual vacancies.' These are seats currently occupied by candidates who have applied for an upgrade to a better college or course in the same round. Virtual vacancies are not actually available for allotment yet.
A virtual vacancy becomes a 'real vacancy' only if the candidate holding it actually upgrades to a different seat. If the candidate does not upgrade, the virtual vacancy disappears and the seat remains with that candidate. This distinction is important when you are choosing colleges—do not assume a virtual vacancy will be available to you.
What Happens If You Join in Round 3? Can You Participate in Stray Vacancy Round?
If you are allotted a seat in Round 3 and you join the college by the reporting deadline, you will not be eligible to participate in the subsequent Stray Vacancy round. The Stray Vacancy round is the final opportunity to secure a seat if you were not allotted in earlier rounds or if you chose not to join. Once you join in Round 3, your admission is considered final.
This rule is designed to prevent candidates from holding multiple seats or repeatedly changing colleges. If you join a college in Round 3, you are committing to that institution for the academic year. Plan your choices carefully, as this is likely your last chance to secure a seat in Tamil Nadu's MBBS or BDS counselling for this year.
How to Fill and Lock Your Choices: Step-by-Step
Log in to the official Tamil Nadu medical counselling portal at tnmedicalselection.net using your registration credentials. Once logged in, you will see a list of available colleges and courses (MBBS or BDS) for which you are eligible based on your NEET rank and category.
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Rank the colleges in order of your preference. You can add as many colleges as you wish to your preference list. Review your choices carefully, then click 'Lock Choices.' Once locked, you cannot edit them. If you are unsure, you can leave choices unlocked until just before the deadline—the system will auto-lock them at 5:00 PM on October 9. However, it is safer to lock manually well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.
- Visit tnmedicalselection.net and log in with your credentials
- View all colleges and courses you are eligible for
- Rank colleges in order of preference
- Review your list carefully
- Click 'Lock Choices' to finalize (or let the system auto-lock at 5:00 PM)
- Do not wait until the last hour to avoid technical delays
Who Is Eligible for Tamil Nadu Round 3 Counselling?
Round 3 is open to all NEET-UG candidates who have qualified and are eligible for admission to MBBS or BDS courses in Tamil Nadu. This includes candidates from the general category, reserved categories (SC, ST, OBC), and those eligible for the 7.5% special reservation quota for students who studied in Tamil Nadu government schools.
If you did not participate in Round 1 or Round 2, or if you participated but were not allotted a seat, you are eligible for Round 3. Additionally, if you were allotted a seat in an earlier round but wish to try for a better college or course, you can participate in Round 3 with the understanding that you will lose your earlier seat if you upgrade.
Colleges Available in Tamil Nadu Round 3
Round 3 offers seats across multiple categories of institutions: government medical and dental colleges, ESIC (Employees' State Insurance Corporation) medical colleges, and self-financing (private) medical and dental colleges. The exact number of available seats in each college and course varies based on vacancies from earlier rounds and candidates who did not join.
Before filling your choices, review the seat matrix released by the Directorate, which lists the total number of seats available in each college, course, and category. This will help you make informed decisions about which colleges to include in your preference list.
What Should You Do Right Now?
If you are eligible for Tamil Nadu Round 3, do not delay. Log in to tnmedicalselection.net immediately to review the available colleges and seats. Make a list of colleges in order of your preference, considering factors such as location, infrastructure, reputation, and course (MBBS or BDS).
Finalize and lock your choices well before October 9 at 5:00 PM. Waiting until the last moment increases the risk of technical issues or internet problems preventing your submission. Once you lock your choices, they cannot be changed, so be absolutely certain before you finalize.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
What is the last date to fill and lock choices for Tamil Nadu NEET UG Round 3?
The last date to fill and lock choices for Tamil Nadu Round 3 is October 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM. After this deadline, no changes are allowed. If you do not manually lock your choices, the system will automatically lock them at 5:00 PM on October 9.
When will the Round 3 seat allotment results be released?
The provisional seat allotment results for Round 3 will be released on October 12, 2026. Candidates can download their allotment orders between October 12 and October 14 (by 12:00 PM). You must report to your allotted college by October 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
If I get upgraded in Round 3, will I lose my Round 1 or Round 2 seat?
Yes. If you were allotted a seat in Round 1 or Round 2 and you receive an upgraded seat in Round 3, you will automatically lose your rights to the earlier seat. That seat will be offered to other candidates. This loss is permanent—you cannot revert to your earlier allotment.
What are virtual vacancies, and will they be available for me?
Virtual vacancies are seats currently held by candidates who have applied for an upgrade in the same round. These seats are not actually available yet. A virtual vacancy becomes a real vacancy only if the candidate holding it actually upgrades to a different seat. Do not assume virtual vacancies will be available to you.
If I join a college in Round 3, can I participate in the Stray Vacancy round?
No. If you are allotted a seat in Round 3 and you join the college by the reporting deadline, you will not be eligible for the subsequent Stray Vacancy round. Joining in Round 3 is considered final, and you cannot participate in further rounds.
What should I do if I miss the October 9 deadline to lock my choices?
If you miss the October 9 at 5:00 PM deadline, you will not be able to participate in Round 3. The choice-filling window will close permanently, and no further submissions will be accepted. It is critical to complete your choice filling and locking before the deadline.
Can I edit my choices after I lock them?
No. Once you lock your choices, no further modifications are permitted under any circumstances. This is why it is important to review your preferences carefully before locking. If you are unsure, you can leave choices unlocked until just before the deadline, but you must lock them by 5:00 PM on October 9.
Where do I fill my choices for Tamil Nadu Round 3?
You must fill your choices on the official Tamil Nadu medical counselling portal at tnmedicalselection.net. Log in with your registration credentials, review available colleges and courses, rank them in order of preference, and lock your choices before the October 9 deadline.
Mark October 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM as a non-negotiable deadline on your calendar. Log in to tnmedicalselection.net today to review available colleges, finalize your preference list, and lock your choices well before the deadline to avoid technical delays. Remember: once locked, your choices cannot be changed, and if you upgrade in Round 3, you lose your earlier seat permanently.
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