CENTAC, the Centralised Admission Committee of the Government of Puducherry, runs MBBS counselling for Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI) and three private medical colleges. All four colleges have government quota seats for Puducherry residents. MCC fills the 15% All India Quota seats at IGMCRI, and all JIPMER and deemed university seats.
Status, 22 October 2026: CENTAC published the seats left after Round 3 on 17 October and opened stray round registration the same day. It extended the registration deadline on 20 October. Stray round allotment and joining dates will come in a later notice on centacpuducherry.in.
Who runs MBBS counselling in Puducherry
| Seats | Who fills them |
|---|---|
| Government quota seats at IGMCRI, PIMS, SMVMCH and SVMCH&RC (Puducherry residents only) | CENTAC |
| Management quota seats at PIMS and SMVMCH (open to all Indian candidates) | CENTAC |
| Telugu minority management quota at SVMCH&RC | CENTAC |
| NRI quota seats at all four colleges | CENTAC |
| 15% All India Quota seats at IGMCRI | MCC |
| JIPMER and deemed universities | MCC |
For JIPMER and deemed seats, use our MCC counselling guide and deemed university list.
MBBS colleges and seats in CENTAC counselling
| College | Type | Seats filled by CENTAC | Total MBBS seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI) | Government | 153 | 180 (27 All India Quota, filled by MCC) |
| Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) | Private | 250 | 250 |
| Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital (SMVMCH) | Private | 250 | 250 |
| Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (SVMCH&RC) | Private | 250 | 250 |
CENTAC fills 903 of the 930 MBBS seats in these colleges. The split of each college’s seats between quotas and categories is in the seat matrix that CENTAC publishes each year.
Puducherry MBBS counselling 2026 dates
| Event | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Information brochure | 30 July |
| Seat matrix | 14 August |
| Final merit list | 1 September |
| Round 1 provisional allotment | 3 September |
| Round 2 provisional allotment | 13 September |
| Round 3 eligible list and revised vacancies | 8 October |
| Round 3 provisional allotment | 12 October |
| Vacancies after Round 3; stray round registration opens | 17 October |
| Stray round registration deadline extended | 20 October |
| Stray round allotment and joining | To be notified |
In each round, CENTAC first publishes a draft allotment and then the provisional allotment. Check the provisional list, not only the draft.
Who counts as a Puducherry resident
Government quota seats are only for residents of the U.T. of Puducherry. You count as a resident if you are an Indian national and meet at least one of these conditions:
- You, or a parent (or guardian, if both parents have died), have lived in the U.T. of Puducherry continuously for at least 5 years before you apply.
- You studied the 5 classes up to and including your qualifying exam in a recognised school in the U.T., while living there for those 5 years. Living in a hostel does not count.
- Your parents are natives of the U.T. who declared a place in Puducherry as their home town, certified by their head of office.
- Your parent was a Defence member killed or disabled in action, or a government or PSU employee who died in service in the U.T.
- You are a French national covered by the Treaty of Cession and living in the U.T.
- Your parent is a Central or State government, Defence, paramilitary or PSU employee posted in the U.T. for at least 3 continuous years before the last date to apply, and you studied both years of Class 11 and 12 in a school in the U.T.
One home state only (dual nativity)
If you qualify as a resident of Puducherry and of another state, you can claim government quota seats in only one of them. Your parent or guardian must sign an affidavit on ₹20 e-stamp paper saying you have not claimed residence benefits elsewhere. A false claim leads to cancellation of admission, legal action and a ban from CENTAC counselling.
Other states, NRI and OCI candidates
- Candidates from other states can apply for management quota seats at PIMS and SMVMCH.
- NRI quota is open to NRIs, children of NRIs, NRI- or OCI-sponsored candidates, OCIs and foreign nationals.
- OCI cardholders whose card was issued before 4 March 2021 can also compete for general seats. Those with cards issued later can apply only for NRI seats.
- Telugu minority quota needs Puducherry residence and proof that your mother tongue is Telugu, such as your transfer certificate.
Reservation for government quota seats
| Category | Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam | Mahe |
|---|---|---|
| Unreserved | 50% | 50% |
| OBC | 11% | 16% |
| Most Backward Classes (MBC) | 18% | 7% |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 16% | 16% |
| Backward Class Muslims (BCM) | 2% | 10% |
| Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) | 2% | None |
| Backward Tribes (BT) | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 0.5% | 0.5% |
On top of these, CENTAC applies horizontal reservations: Government School Students 10% (studied Class 1 to 12 in Puducherry government schools), Persons with Disabilities 5%, Freedom Fighters’ wards 4%, Ex-Servicemen’s wards 1% and Meritorious Sports Persons 1%. In government colleges, government quota seats are also split by region: Puducherry 75%, Karaikal 18%, Mahe 4% and Yanam 3%. A regional claim needs 5 years’ residence and 3 years of schooling in that region.
For disability seats, you need a permanent UDID card, and a Medical Assessment Board set up by Puducherry’s Directorate of Health checks your claim. For MCC disability seats, see the NEET PwBD certificate centres list.
Application fees
| Quota | Application fee |
|---|---|
| Government quota: SC, ST, PwD (Puducherry residents) | ₹500 |
| Government quota: others (Puducherry residents) | ₹1,000 |
| Management quota | ₹2,000 |
| NRI quota | ₹5,000 |
If you apply under more than one quota, pay the highest fee that applies. The fee is not refunded.
Round fees and what you lose if you leave a seat
Round 1 is free. From Round 2, you pay a registration fee to take part, and you lose it if you do not join the seat you get.
| Round | Fee to take part (MBBS) | If you do not join the allotted seat |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Nil | Nothing is forfeited |
| Round 2 | Government quota ₹10,000 (₹5,000 for SC, ST and GSS); management or NRI quota ₹2,00,000 | The round fee is forfeited |
| Round 3 | Government quota ₹1,00,000 (₹25,000 for SC, ST and GSS); management or NRI quota ₹2,00,000 | The round fee is forfeited |
| Stray round | Full tuition fee (₹50,000 for Puducherry SC, ST and GSS candidates on government quota) | Full tuition fee (or the ₹50,000) is forfeited, and you are barred from CENTAC counselling this year and next year |
- You must give fresh course preferences in every round. Choices from earlier rounds do not carry over.
- You can slide to a better seat only in Rounds 2 and 3. A new seat cancels your earlier one; you cannot keep both.
- Before Round 2, a Round 1 seat can be resigned without loss by CENTAC’s deadline. Before Round 3, a Round 1 or 2 seat can be resigned with forfeiture. After that, admitted seats cannot be resigned.
- You cannot join the stray round if you were admitted in CENTAC Rounds 1 to 3, admitted in Round 3 of MCC or another state, or allotted a seat in MCC’s stray round.
Important: joining an MCC seat matters here. CENTAC removes MCC-admitted candidates before its Round 3, and JIPMER domicile quota allottees must pay a ₹1,00,000 cautionary deposit to stay in CENTAC counselling.
Tuition fees and refunds
CENTAC publishes the tuition for each college and quota on its website, and you pay tuition to CENTAC online. Ask the private colleges about any extra fees before you fill choices. Refunds are made only after the whole admission process ends, take about 3 months, and go only to the bank account in your application. Our seat and cost comparison helps you add up the full cost.
Documents to keep ready
- NEET UG 2026 scorecard
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets, and your transfer certificate
- Residence certificate and the residence affidavit, for government quota
- Community, EWS, regional or special category certificates, if claimed
- Telugu minority, NRI or OCI proof, if claimed
- Passport photo and signature
Certificates must be recent and issued by the right Puducherry office. Check the issue dates required in the brochure before you upload them.
Nearby options
Puducherry students often also apply in Tamil Nadu. Compare with our Tamil Nadu MBBS counselling guide, and see every state in our state-wise MBBS counselling guide.
After allotment
Download your allotment order, pay any balance tuition to CENTAC and report in person to the college with your originals. Use our seat reporting checklist to track each step. CENTAC’s NEET UG helpline is 0413-2655570 or 0413-2655571.
Common questions
903: 153 at IGMCRI and 250 at each of the three private colleges. MCC fills IGMCRI’s 27 All India Quota seats.
Yes, for management quota seats at PIMS and SMVMCH, and for NRI seats if they qualify. Government quota seats are only for Puducherry residents.
You lose the full tuition fee you paid (or ₹50,000 for SC, ST and GSS government quota candidates), and you are barred from CENTAC counselling for the rest of this year and next year.
No. JIPMER and deemed university seats are filled through MCC counselling.
Last checked: 22 October 2026, against CENTAC’s 2026–27 information brochure and its 2026 notices.
