NEET-UG 2026: Counselling from August 4, Academic Session Begins September 8
New Delhi: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has announced the schedule for NEET-UG 2026 counselling. The first round under the All India Quota (AIQ) for admission to MBBS and other undergraduate medical courses will begin on August 4. The academic session for the 2026-27 batch will commence on September 8, according to the committee.
As per the counselling schedule released by the MCC, the first round of AIQ counselling for deemed and central universities will be held from August 4 to August 17. Candidates allotted seats in this round must join by August 22. The second round of AIQ counselling is scheduled from August 24 to September 2, followed by the third round from September 10 to September 18.
The stray vacancy round for AIQ seats will take place from September 28 to October 3. The last date for joining after this round is October 10.
For state quota seats, the first round of counselling will be conducted from August 13 to August 22, with candidates required to join by August 28. The second round will be held from August 31 to September 8, and the third round from September 16 to September 26. The stray vacancy round for state quota seats is scheduled from October 3 to October 5.
The schedule also provides timelines for verification of joined candidates by the MCC and state counselling authorities after each round, facilitating seat processing and subsequent allotments.
The MCC has directed all participating institutions, state counselling authorities, and designated agencies to strictly adhere to the schedule. It has also asked institutions to treat Saturdays, Sundays, and gazetted holidays as working days to ensure timely completion of the counselling process.
The MCC, which functions under the Union Health Ministry, has introduced several improvements in the NEET-UG 2026 counselling process. These include doing away with mandatory physical reporting for candidates opting for a seat upgrade and allowing online resignation from allotted seats. The committee stated that these steps are aimed at making the admission process more transparent and student-friendly.
Among the major changes, candidates who have been allotted a seat and have opted for an upgrade in subsequent rounds will no longer have to physically report to the allotted college merely to complete admission formalities. Their admission shall remain valid in the counselling system while participating in subsequent rounds, subject to applicable counselling rules.
The MCC has also introduced an online resignation facility. Candidates may now submit resignation from their allotted seat through the MCC counselling portal, wherever permissible under the counselling rules and within the prescribed timelines, without the need for physical submission at the allotted institution.
Additionally, candidates seeking NRI reservation in deemed universities will be able to upload their documents online on the counselling portal.
