UP NEET PG 2026 Round 1 Counselling: Registration Deadline October 26

The Directorate General of Medical Education and Training (DGME), Uttar Pradesh, has announced the counselling schedule for the first round of NEET PG 2026 admissions to postgraduate medical courses across the state. Eligible NEET PG 2026 qualified candidates seeking MD, MS, Diploma, or DNB seats in government and private medical institutions in Uttar Pradesh must register during a five-day window beginning October 21. This is a critical timeline for state quota seat allocation, and missing any deadline can result in forfeiture of your counselling opportunity.

Registration and Fee Payment Window: What You Need to Know

Online registration for UP NEET PG 2026 Round 1 opens on October 21, 2026, at 2:00 PM and closes on October 26, 2026, at 11:00 AM. This five-day window is your only opportunity to register for the first round of counselling. The registration portal will remain open continuously during this period, but you must complete your registration before the 11 AM cutoff on October 26.

Alongside registration, the fee payment window also opens on October 21 at 2:00 PM. However, the fee payment deadline is extended to 2:00 PM on October 26—giving you an additional three hours after registration closes to deposit your registration fee and security deposit. This staggered deadline is important: you can register until 11 AM, but you have until 2 PM to pay. Do not assume registration closure means payment closure.

The security deposit will not be adjusted against your tuition fee under any circumstances. This is a separate financial commitment required to participate in counselling. Ensure you have the funds ready before the payment window opens, as delays in payment can result in your registration being invalidated.

• Registration opens: October 21, 2026, 2:00 PM
• Registration closes: October 26, 2026, 11:00 AM
• Fee payment window: October 21, 2026, 2:00 PM to October 26, 2026, 2:00 PM
• Security deposit is non-adjustable against tuition fees

Merit List Declaration and Choice-Filling Timeline

After the registration and fee payment deadline, DGME Uttar Pradesh will declare the Round 1 merit list on October 26, 2026. This merit list will rank all eligible candidates based on their NEET PG 2026 scores and applicable weightage (such as in-service status for certain candidates). Your position on this list determines your priority in seat allotment.

The online choice-filling process begins the same day—October 26 at 5:00 PM—and continues until October 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM. During this four-day window, you must log in to the counselling portal and select your preferred colleges, courses (MD, MS, Diploma, or DNB), and specialties in order of preference. There is no limit on the number of choices you can fill, so you are encouraged to list all colleges and courses you would accept.

A critical instruction: after filling your choices online, you must lock them before the deadline. Failure to lock your choices will automatically exclude you from the seat allotment process, and you will lose your counselling opportunity for this round. The responsibility for locking choices rests entirely with you; DGME will not send reminders or extend deadlines for this step.

• Merit list declared: October 26, 2026
• Choice-filling window: October 26, 2026, 5:00 PM to October 30, 2026, 5:00 PM
• Unlimited choices allowed; list all acceptable colleges and courses
• Mandatory to lock choices before deadline; failure to lock = automatic exclusion from allotment

Seat Allotment and Admission Process Dates

The Round 1 seat allotment result will be declared on November 2, 2026. On this date, DGME will publish the list of candidates who have been allotted seats, along with the specific college, course, and specialization assigned to each candidate. You must check the official portal on or after this date to confirm your allotment status.

Candidates who receive seat allotments will be able to download their allotment letters and begin the admission process during two designated periods: November 3 to November 7, 2026, and November 12 to November 13, 2026. The allotment letter will specify which period applies to you and will indicate the nodal centre (for private college admissions) or the medical college/institute/university (for government admissions) where you must report.

The admission process includes medical examination by a constituted medical board at the college or nodal centre level, verification of original educational documents, and completion of admission formalities. All original certificates and documents must be submitted at the time of admission. If original documents are unavailable or found to be incorrect during verification, your allotment and admission will be cancelled, and your security deposit will be forfeited.

• Seat allotment result declared: November 2, 2026
• Admission period 1: November 3–7, 2026
• Admission period 2: November 12–13, 2026
• Medical examination and document verification required at admission
• Missing original documents or document discrepancies result in cancellation and forfeiture of security deposit

Eligibility Criteria and Reservation Certificate Requirements

Only candidates who have been declared successful in the NEET PG 2026 examination are eligible to participate in UP NEET PG 2026 counselling for MD, MS, Diploma, and DNB courses. Your NEET PG 2026 scorecard is your proof of eligibility; ensure you have it ready before registration.

For DNB state quota seats, only in-service candidates of Uttar Pradesh state are eligible. DGME has published the official list of eligible in-service candidates on October 16, 2026. If you are applying for DNB seats, verify that your name appears on this list before registering.

For MD and MS state quota seats, only candidates working in the PMHS (Pradeshik Medical and Health Services) cadre are eligible for weightage. The official list of PMHS-cadre candidates was released on October 16, 2026. If you are a PMHS employee, check this list to confirm your eligibility for weightage, which may improve your merit rank.

Reservation certificates (Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Economically Weaker Section) must be issued by the competent authority of Uttar Pradesh on the format prescribed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh. Certificates dated April 1, 2026, or later are valid. Certificates issued by other states or in non-prescribed formats will not be accepted. Disability certificates must be issued from designated centres on the format prescribed by the Medical Counselling Committee and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

• NEET PG 2026 qualification is mandatory for counselling eligibility
• DNB state quota: only in-service UP state candidates eligible (list published October 16, 2026)
• MD/MS state quota: PMHS-cadre candidates eligible for weightage (list published October 16, 2026)
• Reservation certificates must be issued by UP competent authority on prescribed format
• OBC/EWS certificates dated April 1, 2026, or later are valid
• Disability certificates must be from designated centres on MCC/DGHS prescribed format

Choice-Filling Strategy: Government vs. Private Colleges and Course Selection

During the choice-filling window (October 26–30), you will select your preferred colleges, courses, and specializations. There is no limit on the number of choices, so you should list all colleges and courses you would accept. Your choices should reflect your genuine preferences, ranked in order of priority, because the allotment algorithm will attempt to match you to the highest-ranked choice available based on your merit position.

For candidates allotted seats in private medical colleges, the admission process will be conducted at a nodal centre designated by the government. Your allotment letter will specify the nodal centre where you must report. For government sector MD, MS, and Diploma seats, admission will be completed at the concerned medical college, institute, or university. For government sector DNB seats, admission will be completed at the concerned medical college or district hospital.

An important rule: if you are allotted both MD/MS/Diploma and DNB seats, you can take admission in only one course. You must choose which course to pursue before completing admission. This decision should be made carefully during choice-filling, as you cannot hold multiple seats simultaneously.

• No limit on number of choices; list all acceptable colleges and courses
• Rank choices in order of genuine preference
• Private college admissions conducted at government-designated nodal centres
• Government sector admissions at the allotted college/institute/university
• If allotted multiple courses, you can pursue only one; choose before admission

Document Verification and Consequences of Incorrect or Forged Documents

At the time of admission, you must submit all original educational documents to the relevant government medical college or nodal centre. These documents will be verified by a medical board. If your original documents are not available at the time of admission or are found to be incorrect or incomplete during verification, your allotment and admission will be cancelled immediately, and your security deposit will be forfeited as per rules.

If any document, certificate, or information is found to be forged during verification at the time of admission or after admission, your admission will be cancelled and legal action will be initiated against you. You will be held fully responsible for any fraudulent documentation. This is a serious consequence that can affect your medical career and legal standing.

To avoid these outcomes, ensure that all your educational certificates, NEET PG scorecard, reservation certificates (if applicable), disability certificate (if applicable), and any other required documents are original, valid, and in your possession before the admission period begins. If you have any doubts about document validity or format, contact DGME or your allotted college in advance.

• All original educational documents must be submitted at admission
• Missing or incorrect documents result in cancellation of allotment and forfeiture of security deposit
• Forged documents result in cancellation of admission and legal action
• Verify all documents are original and valid before admission period begins

Complete UP NEET PG 2026 Round 1 Counselling Schedule at a Glance

Below is the complete timeline for UP NEET PG 2026 Round 1 counselling. Mark these dates in your calendar and set reminders for each deadline to ensure you do not miss any critical step.

What Happens If You Miss a Deadline or Fail to Lock Choices

If you do not register by 11:00 AM on October 26, you will be unable to participate in Round 1 counselling. There is no grace period or extension for registration. You will have to wait for Round 2 counselling (if announced) or may lose your opportunity for admission in this cycle.

If you register but do not pay your registration and security fees by 2:00 PM on October 26, your registration will be invalidated, and you will not be eligible for seat allotment. Payment is as critical as registration.

If you fill your choices but fail to lock them before the October 30 (5:00 PM) deadline, you will be automatically excluded from the seat allotment process. DGME will not send reminders or allow manual locking after the deadline. This is a procedural safeguard, and the responsibility is entirely yours.

If you do not download your allotment letter and report for admission during the specified periods (November 3–7 or November 12–13), your seat will be considered forfeited, and it may be offered to the next candidate on the merit list.

• Missing registration deadline = no Round 1 participation
• Missing fee payment deadline = registration invalidated
• Failing to lock choices = automatic exclusion from allotment
• Missing admission reporting period = seat forfeiture

Frequently asked questions

Mark all dates on your calendar starting with registration on October 21 at 2 PM. The most critical steps are registering and paying fees by October 26 (2 PM), filling and locking choices by October 30 (5 PM), and reporting for admission during November 3–7 or November 12–13. Missing any deadline will result in loss of your counselling opportunity, so set reminders and plan ahead.