The Directorate General of Medical Education & Training (DGME), Uttar Pradesh has released official instructions for candidates who want to join Round 1 of UP NEET UG 2026 online counselling. This is not a new exam or a result — it is a rulebook that every candidate must follow before and during registration on the counselling portal upneet.gov.in. It covers how to register, what documents to upload, how much security money (a refundable deposit) you must pay before you can fill choices, and strict rules about reservation certificates and choice locking. Getting any of these wrong can get you disqualified from choice filling or lose you a seat, so read carefully before you start.
Only candidates who cleared NEET UG 2026 can register for UP counselling on upneet.gov.in, and they must pay a Rs 2,000 registration fee plus category-wise security money before they are allowed to fill choices — with no changes possible once choices are locked.
Who Can Register, and How
Only candidates who have been declared successful (qualified) in the NEET UG 2026 entrance exam are eligible to take part in UP NEET UG 2026 counselling.
Every eligible candidate must log in and register on the DGME's official counselling website, https://upneet.gov.in. Registration must be done using the candidate's own mobile number and email ID — the notice specifically warns that all official communication during counselling will be sent only to the mobile number and email you provide at registration, so do not use a friend's or agent's contact details.
Registration Fee
Every candidate participating in the online counselling must pay a registration fee of Rs 2,000 through the online payment process on the portal.
This fee is non-refundable under any circumstances — even if you later withdraw, do not get allotted a seat, or opt out of counselling.
Choosing a Nodal Centre and Documents to Upload
At the time of registration, every candidate must select one nodal centre (a designated verification centre) on upneet.gov.in for online verification of their documents.
The following documents must be uploaded on the portal for this verification:
- High School mark sheet / certificate
- Intermediate (12th) mark sheet
- Reservation-related certificate — for OBC, SC, ST, EWS, Ex-Servicemen, NCC, Freedom Fighter, or PwD (Divyang) candidates, if applicable
- Domicile certificate, if applicable
Security Money: How Much You Must Deposit
Before you can fill choices, you must deposit a security money (a refundable caution deposit) online, based on the type of seats you want to be considered for. Candidates who do not deposit this security money are not eligible for choice filling at all.
If you want to be considered for BOTH government and private medical and dental seats together, you must deposit Rs 2,00,000. If you want both government and private dental college seats, you must deposit Rs 1,00,000.
This security money can never be adjusted against your tuition fee — it is a separate deposit, not part of your college fees.
| Sl. No. | Category of Seats | Security Money Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government sector medical/dental college seats | Rs 30,000 |
| 2 | Private sector medical college seats | Rs 2,00,000 |
| 3 | Private sector dental college seats | Rs 1,00,000 |
Refunds and the Free Exit Facility
Use your own bank account when depositing the security money. The notice specifically advises this because, once all rounds of counselling are over, the security money of candidates who were not allotted a seat, or who were allotted but did not take admission, is refunded back to the same bank account it was paid from — as per the rules.
For both government and private medical/dental colleges, candidates allotted or admitted through the Round 1 counselling get a Free Exit facility. This means that if, after Round 1 allotment, a candidate decides not to take admission, their security money will be refunded.
A candidate who uses this Free Exit option after Round 1 is allowed to participate again in Round 2 or Round 3 counselling.
Reservation Certificate Rules — Read This Carefully
This section carries the biggest risk of rejection, so pay close attention. All certificates related to reservation (OBC, SC, ST, EWS) will be accepted ONLY if they are issued on the format prescribed by the UP State Government and issued by a competent authority of Uttar Pradesh.
OBC and EWS certificates must be issued on or after 1 April 2026 — an OBC or EWS certificate dated before this will not be accepted.
SC/ST candidates are advised to get their certificates on the updated prescribed format, so that online verification of the certificate goes through smoothly.
A certificate issued for reservation purposes in Central Government job recruitment is NOT valid for this counselling — you need a certificate specifically on the UP counselling format.
Candidates from states other than Uttar Pradesh who belong to a reserved category will be treated as UNRESERVED (General category) for this counselling. They will not get any reservation benefit here, even if they hold a valid reservation certificate from their home state.
- PwD (Divyang) certificate: valid only if issued from a centre designated by DGHS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi
- Freedom Fighter dependents: certificate must be on the UP Government's prescribed format, issued by a competent authority of UP
- Ex-servicemen's children (war-disabled / retired / martyred): certificate must be on the prescribed format, issued by a competent authority
Choice Filling and Choice Locking — No Second Chances
When filling your choices for government or private medical/dental college seats, list them strictly in order of your own priority, and choose only those colleges you are actually willing to join.
After filling choices, locking your choices is compulsory. If you do not lock your choices, you will automatically be excluded from the seat allotment process for that round.
Once you lock your choices, no modification or change is allowed under any circumstances — and the Directorate will not even consider any application requesting a change after locking. So double-check everything before you hit lock.
What Happens After Allotment
If you are allotted a seat in a government sector medical or dental college, your admission process will be completed at the allotted college itself.
If you are allotted a seat in a private sector medical or dental college, your admission process will be completed at the nodal centre designated by the government — not at the college directly.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Who is eligible to register for UP NEET UG 2026 counselling?
Only candidates who have been declared qualified (successful) in the NEET UG 2026 entrance exam are eligible to register for UP NEET UG 2026 counselling.
Where do I register, and what fee do I pay?
Register on https://upneet.gov.in using your own mobile number and email. You must pay a non-refundable registration fee of Rs 2,000 online.
How much security money do I need to deposit, and can I get it back?
It depends on which seats you want: Rs 30,000 for government seats, Rs 2,00,000 for private medical seats, Rs 1,00,000 for private dental seats (higher amounts apply if choosing both government and private together). If you get Free Exit after Round 1 allotment, or are not allotted at all, this money is refunded to the bank account you paid from, after all rounds finish.
What is the 'Free Exit' facility mentioned in the notice?
If you are allotted or admitted in Round 1 to a government or private medical/dental college but decide not to take admission, you can exit without losing your security money, and you can still participate in Round 2 or Round 3 counselling.
My OBC certificate is dated before 1 April 2026 — will it work?
No. The notice clearly states that OBC and EWS certificates must be issued on or after 1 April 2026 to be considered valid for UP NEET UG 2026 counselling.
I have a reservation certificate from another state. Will I get reservation benefit in UP counselling?
No. Candidates from states other than Uttar Pradesh who belong to a reserved category are treated as Unreserved/General category in this counselling — no reservation benefit is given, regardless of their home-state certificate.
Can I change my choices after locking them?
No. Once choices are locked, no modification is allowed under any circumstances, and the Directorate will not consider any request for changes after locking.
What happens if I forget to lock my choices?
If you fill choices but do not lock them, you will automatically be excluded from the seat allotment process for that round.
Is a reservation certificate issued for Central Government job recruitment valid here?
No. The notice specifically states that a reservation certificate on the format used for Central Government job recruitment will not be accepted for UP NEET UG 2026 counselling.
If you qualified NEET UG 2026 and plan to join UP counselling, start by registering on upneet.gov.in with your own mobile number and email, keep your reservation certificates on the correct UP-prescribed format ready in advance, and arrange the required security money before choice filling opens. Double-check every choice before locking, since the Directorate will not entertain any request to change locked choices.
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