NEET MBBS counselling 2026 is how you turn your NEET UG rank into an MBBS seat. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) fills All India Quota (AIQ) seats and other central seats. Each state’s counselling authority fills its own state quota seats.
You must register separately for MCC and for each state process you want to join. So first check which seats you are eligible for and who fills them. Then follow the MCC counselling guide or your state’s guide below for dates and steps.
Status, 22 October 2026: MCC published the final result of its stray vacancy round on 21 October. Allotted candidates must report by 26 October. Several states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, are running their last rounds this week. Open your state’s guide below for its dates.
Who runs NEET MBBS counselling?
Your seat type decides the counselling process, not the college’s location. In fact, one college can have seats in two processes.
| Seat type | Counselling authority |
| 15% All India Quota seats in participating government colleges | MCC |
| AIIMS, JIPMER, deemed universities and other notified central seats | MCC |
| State quota seats in government colleges | State counselling authority |
| Private, management or NRI seats that a state fills | State counselling authority |
The 15% AIQ and 85% state quota split is the general rule for participating government colleges. However, it does not apply the same way to every institution.
Also, an MCC registration does not register you for any state. Each process sets its own fees, eligibility rules and reporting steps.
State-wise NEET MBBS counselling and college guides
Select your state to open its MBBS college list and counselling guide. Check the current official notice for application dates and available seats; approved annual intake is not the same as a round’s vacancies.
This table covers states. For union territories, see our Chandigarh (GMCH) MBBS counselling and Puducherry MBBS counselling guides. Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir use their own routes, so check the right authority’s notice before you apply.
Who is eligible for NEET MBBS counselling 2026?
First, you must qualify NEET UG 2026. The 2026 qualifying scores were:
| Category | Qualifying percentile | Minimum score |
| General / EWS | 50th | 213 |
| General / EWS with PwBD | 45th | 194 |
| SC / ST / OBC, including their PwBD candidates | 40th | 177 |
These are qualifying scores, not admission cutoffs. Your seat depends on your rank, category, quota, choices and the seats left in each round.
Next, you must meet the rules for the seat you want:
- AIQ seats: ordinary 15% AIQ seats do not need state domicile. However, some central institutions have their own internal quotas.
- State quota seats: these usually need domicile or local status. Each state defines it in its own way.
- Private seats: some states open certain private or management seats to students from other states.
So read the current prospectus for your quota before you pay any fee. Eligibility in one state does not make you eligible in another.
How NEET MBBS counselling works
The steps differ a little, but most processes follow this order:
- Choose your route. Decide whether you need MCC, your home state, or eligible seats in another state.
- Register and pay. Apply on each official portal. Then pay the registration fee and the security deposit, if one applies.
- Complete document verification. Upload documents, or attend verification as your authority tells you.
- Fill and lock choices. Check the seat matrix first. Then list colleges and seat types in your true order of preference.
- Check the allotment result. Rely on the final result, not only a provisional list.
- Report and join. Follow the online or physical reporting steps for your round. Carry the fee and original documents when asked.
- Plan your next round. Before you upgrade, resign or skip reporting, check the exit rules and penalties.
Keep copies of your locked choices, payment receipts, allotment letter and reporting proof.
MCC rounds, free exit and seat upgrades
MCC runs Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and a stray vacancy round. Each round brings stricter rules.
| MCC round | What you need to know |
| Round 1 | Free exit applies. You can leave the seat without losing your deposit and still join Round 2. |
| Round 2 | If you join and then resign, MCC forfeits your security deposit. |
| Round 3 | You cannot resign after joining. If you do not join, MCC forfeits your deposit and you cannot take part in later rounds. |
| Stray vacancy | Joining is compulsory. So fill only seats you will surely join. |
Freeze and Float: In Rounds 1 and 2, you can choose Freeze or Float. Freeze means you keep your seat and stop trying for a better one. Float means you keep your seat but stay in the race for an upgrade. If MCC gives you an upgrade, it cancels your earlier seat automatically.
Read our MCC counselling rounds guide before you keep, upgrade or give up a seat. Also, if MCC issues a new notice, follow it over any older one.
MCC registration fees and security deposit in 2026
| Seat group and category | Registration fee | Security deposit |
| AIQ and central seats: General or EWS | ₹1,000 | ₹10,000 |
| AIQ and central seats: SC, ST, OBC or PwD | ₹500 | ₹5,000 |
| Deemed universities: all categories | ₹5,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
MCC does not refund the registration fee. On the other hand, it refunds the security deposit if you follow the rules. If you apply for both AIQ and deemed seats, you pay only the higher deemed amount.
These payments do not cover college tuition or hostel fees. Our MCC security deposit guide explains the refund rules.
Can MCC and state counselling affect each other?
Yes. You can usually register for MCC and one or more states at the same time. However, a seat you join in one process can block you in another.
Example. Riya holds a state quota seat from her state’s second round. Then she gets an AIQ seat in MCC Round 3 and joins it. Many states remove such candidates from their later rounds. As a result, Riya can no longer try for a better seat in her home state.
So decide which seat you truly prefer before the late rounds. Also, read your state’s guide for its exact rule, because each state sets its own.
Check fees, bonds and the seat matrix before filling choices
A college can charge different fees under government, management and NRI quotas. So make sure you can pay for the exact quota in your choice list.
Before you lock choices, check:
- tuition, hostel, mess and other compulsory charges for your quota;
- security deposits, admission deposits and refundable amounts;
- service bonds, discontinuation bonds and penalties for leaving the course;
- the seat matrix for your round, with its category and quota codes;
- whether a vacancy is clear or virtual. A virtual vacancy opens only if a current seat holder moves.
Our MBBS bond checklist, deemed vs private college comparison and seat matrix guide explain these in detail.
If you already hold a seat
Before you try for an upgrade or another process, answer four questions:
- What round am I in, and what is my seat status?
- What happens to my fee, deposit and bond if I leave or do not report?
- Will joining another seat remove me from a later round elsewhere?
- Which reporting steps and original documents do I need?
Also, keep all MCC and state deadlines on one sheet. Track registration, choice locking, allotment, reporting and any resignation window for each process. Our seat reporting checklist helps you prepare after allotment.
Step-by-step counselling guides
Use these guides in the order you will need them:
| Step | Guide |
|---|---|
| Check you can apply for state quota | NEET domicile rules |
| Get your papers ready | NEET counselling documents checklist |
| Disability (PwBD) certificate | NEET PwBD certificate centres |
| Read the seat matrix | Clear vs virtual vacancies |
| Use past cutoffs safely | How to read NEET closing ranks |
| Work out what you can afford | MBBS total cost and budget |
| Fill and lock choices | NEET choice filling guide |
| Understand rounds, upgrades and exit | Counselling rounds and exit rules |
| Know the late rounds | What is the mop-up round? |
| Check bonds before you join | MBBS bond checklist |
| Report and join | Seat allotted: reporting checklist |
Common questions about NEET MBBS counselling
Yes, if you meet the rules of both. You apply separately to each. However, joining a seat in one process can affect your later rounds in the other.
Usually not for government state quota seats, because they need local status. Still, some private seat types accept students from other states. So check that state’s prospectus.
Free exit means you can leave a Round 1 seat without losing your MCC security deposit. You also stay eligible for Round 2. The same rule does not apply to later rounds or to state counselling.
Read the final allotment letter and reporting notice. Then complete the steps for your round before the deadline. Our seat reporting checklist lists the documents you need.
No. Past closing ranks help you build a shortlist, but they cannot promise a seat. Your result depends on this year’s rank, quota, category, round and seats. You can compare past ranks with our NEET college predictor.
Official information
For MCC notices, schedules and results, check the official MCC website. For state quota, use the official portal named in your state’s guide.
How we prepared this: We checked MCC’s 2026 information bulletin and notices against this guide. Last reviewed: 22 October 2026.