NEET UG 2026 Counselling Process: Check Registration Dates, Eligibility and MCC Steps

NEET UG 2026 Counselling Process: Check Registration Dates, Eligibility and MCC Steps

After the declaration of the NEET UG 2026 results, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will begin the counselling process for All India Quota (AIQ) seats, while the respective state counselling authorities will conduct counselling for State Quota seats. The counselling includes registration, payment of the counselling fee, choice filling, seat allotment, document verification, and reporting to the allotted college.

In MCC counselling, there will be 4 rounds, and the seat allotment will be based on NEET rank, category, reservation policies, seat availability, and candidates’ preferences. In this article, you will learn through every step, from registration and choice filling to NEET UG seat allotment and reporting to the college.

NEET UG 2026 AIQ vs State Quota Counselling

The NEET UG Counselling 2026 is an admission process through which eligible candidates may secure a seat in MBBS, BDS, AYUSH (by AACCC), Nursing, and other medical courses across India. The seat allocation is purely based on NEET All India Rank, category, state domicile, and the candidate’s preference. There are two types of counselling as mentioned below.

01. All India Quota (AIQ) Counselling: It is open for all candidates from all states and covers 15% AIQ seats in government medical colleges such as AIIMS, JIPMER, Central Universities, and Deemed Universities.

02. State Quota Counselling: It requires domicile eligibility, conducted by the state’s counselling authority. It covers 85% state quota government seats as well as private colleges in that state.

Who Is Eligible for NEET UG 2026 Counselling?

The following are the main eligibility requirements for the NEET UG Counselling process. Candidates who wish to attend the MCC counselling for the NEET Undergraduate course must satisfy the basic eligibility criteria set by MCC and the respective state counselling authorities.

CriteriaEligibility for NEET UG 2026 Counselling
Exam QualificationMust qualify NEET UG 2026
Minimum PercentileGeneral/EWS: 50th percentile
SC/ST/OBC: 40th percentile
General – PwD: 45th percentile
SC/ ST/ OBC – PwD: 40th percentile
Educational QualificationMust pass Class 12 (10+2) with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English
Minimum Age17 years on or before 31 December 2026
Upper Age LimitNot mentioned
Eligible NationalitiesIndian Citizens, NRIs, OCIs, PIOs, and Foreign Nationals
Counselling RegistrationSeparate registration required for AIQ and State counselling
AIQ EligibilityAny NEET-qualified candidate can apply for 15% All India Quota seats
State Quota EligibilityUsually requires domicile/residency as per state rules
Counselling Conducting BodiesMedical Counselling Committee for AIQ; respective state authorities for state quota
Seat Allotment Depends OnNEET rank, category, reservation, choices filled, and seat availability

NEET UG 2026 Counselling Dates and Schedule

The NEET UG Re-Exam 2026 will be conducted on June 21, 2026, and the results are expected to be announced in July 2026. The tentative dates for MCC counselling for NEET UG 2026 are provided below and will be updated once an official announcement is made. Students preparing for Re-NEET exam can read more if NEET Re-Exam 2026 Be Tough or not.

EventsTentative Dates
NEET UG Re-Exam 2026June 21, 2026 (Will be reconducted due to paper leak news)
NEET 2026 Result DateJuly 2026 (expected)
MCC Counselling Dates for Round 1 (for all NEET qualified candidates)
Seat MatrixJuly 2026
Registration & PaymentAugust 2026
Choice Filling/lockingAugust 2026
Seat Allotment ProcessingAugust 2026
Seat Allotment Final ResultAugust 2026
Reporting to the allotted collegeAugust 2026
MCC Counselling Dates for Round 2 (Only candidates not allotted a seat or opting for upgrade)
Registration & PaymentSeptember 2026
Choice Filling/lockingSeptember 2026
Seat Allotment Final ResultSeptember 2026
Reporting to the allotted collegeSeptember 2026
NEET UG 2026 mop-up round (Only for candidates who are still without a seat) (Round 3)
Registration & PaymentOctober 2026
Choice Filling/lockingOctober 2026
Seat Allotment Final ResultOctober 2026
Reporting to the allotted collegeOctober 2026
Document VerificationOctober 2026
NEET UG 2026 Counselling – Stray Vacancy Round (Only for candidates not holding any seat)
Registration & PaymentOctober 2026
Choice Filling/lockingOctober 2026
Seat Allotment Final ResultOctober 2026
Reporting to the allotted collegeNovember 2026

NOTE: A Special Stray vacancy round will be conducted only if seats remain vacant.  

NEET UG 2026 Counselling Process

The NEET UG Counselling is an online process conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) after the announcement of the NEET Result. This year, the MCC Counselling for NEET UG will take place in July 2026. However, no official dates for the counselling have been released, but they will be updated soon. To prevent any confusion, check out the complete counselling process for NEET UG 2026 below.

  • 01. Check Your NEET Result & Scorecard
    First and foremost, check your NEET 2026 result, which is typically released in the form of the NEET Scorecard, NEET AIR, NEET Category-wise Rank, and NEET Qualifying Cutoff, as only qualifying candidates are eligible to participate in the counselling process.
  • 02. Visit the official website
    Visit the official website for counselling registration as follows
    For AIQ, visit the MCC website, i.e. mcc.nic.in
    For State Quota, visit the state counselling website (your state DME portal).
  • 03. Click on “New Registration” & enter your NEET 2026 details
    After this, click on the link available for “UG Medical Counselling”. You have to register yourself with your NEET UG 2026 details, such as exam roll number, application number, date of birth, and security pin.
  • 04. Create Login Credentials
    Once registered, create your username and password. Also, register your mobile number and email address for OTP verification.
  • 05. Log in to the MCC Dashboard
    Use your login credentials, such as your username and password, to log in. Your profile will be generated automatically once logged in.
  • 06. Fill Personal Details
    Fill in basic personal details like name, category, domicile, etc. Your NEET 2026 score and rank will be automatically populated from NTA records.
  • 07. Registration Fee Payment
    Pay the registration fee using UPI/ Net Banking/ Credit or Debit card, which is not refundable once paid. The security deposit is refundable if no seat is allotted; conditions apply as per MCC guidelines.
  • 08. Confirmation Slip
    Once registration is completed, download the confirmation page and keep it safe until the counselling is completed.

NEET UG Counselling 2026 Choice Filling and Locking Process

Once the NEET UG 2026 counselling registration is completed, follow the steps below for the NEET UG 2026 choice filling and locking process. You should make a NEET 2026 choice filling strategy and give priority to the most preferred medical college. 

01. Log in to the MCC portal

Once logged into the MCC dashboard, navigate to the ‘Choice Filling & Locking’ section

02. Go to the Choice Filling Section

Once logged in to the dashboard, click on the “Choice Filling & Locking” section, where the MBBS/ BDS course option will appear. There are no limits, so fill in as many choices as possible.

03. Select College & Course

Browse available colleges and click on “Add” or the “+ button” to select government/ private/ deemed universities (if applicable). There are no limits, so fill in as many choices as possible.

04. Arrange Preferences

It is very important to drag and arrange choices in priority order, like the top government MBBS college, then other government colleges, and then private colleges. Your most preferred college should always appear first, regardless of whether it is a reach option.

05. Review Your List

Carefully review the college name, order of preference and enough backup options. You can edit the details at any time before locking. The system will not finalise until you lock.

06. Choice Locking

It is the final step to lock in your preferred choice. After locking, choices become final, and no editing is allowed.

07. Download Locked Choices

For reference, you can download, save, or print the final list.

Documents Required for NEET UG 2026 Counselling

The following documents are compulsory at the time of MCC counselling registration. The documents should be original and uploaded in the proper format and size as per the MCC and NTA guidelines.

Compulsory Documents for Indian Students

  • NTA-issued NEET 2026 exam admit card (hard copy)
  • NEET 2026 exam result certificate
  • 8 passport-size photographs (similar to the NEET application form)
  • Provisional allotment letter generated online for NEET counselling.
  • 10th and 12th class mark sheets (10th mark sheet is mainly for DOB proof). Additionally, you can also carry
  • A valid identity proof (Aadhaar card/ driving licence/ passport/ voter ID card, PAN card)
  • Category certificate (if applicable) for EWS/SC/ST/OBC candidates
  • PwD certificate, if applicable
  • Domicile certificate (for students who want to appear in state-quota counselling)

Compulsory Documents for Foreign Students

  • A hard copy of the official passport.
  • Sponsorship affidavit
  • Relationship affidavit
  • Other documents required for Indian students will also be the same for foreign students.

NEET UG 2026 Counselling Fees and Security Deposit Details

Both the NEET UG MCC counselling fee and security deposit are mandatory for students to finalise their MCC counselling registration for further seat allotment. The counselling registration fee will be non-refundable, while the security deposit will be refunded under certain conditions as mentioned below.

Category-wise Registration & Security Deposit

CategoryRegistration FeeSecurity Deposit
General (AIQ/Central Univ.)₹1,000₹10,000
SC/ST/OBC/PwD₹500₹5,000
Deemed Universities (All Categories)₹5,000₹2,00,000

Refund Status of Security Deposit

Seat TypeRefund Status
No Seat AllottedFully (100%) Refundable
Seat Allotted & JoinedAdjusted against the admission fee or carried forward to the next round.
Seat Allotted & Not JoinedForfeited by MCC

NEET UG 2026 Reservation Criteria for MBBS and BDS Admission

The category-wise reservation criteria, as mentioned in the table below, will be implemented during NEET UG 2026 counselling.

CategoryReservation
OBC (NCL)27%
SC15%
ST7.5%
EWS10%
PwD5% (horizontal)
General (UR)Remaining seats

Common Mistakes to Avoid During NEET UG 2026 Counselling

For a smooth NEET UG Counselling Process, you should avoid the following mistakes.

  • Filling in incorrect personal details.
  • Upload documents with blurry or incorrect format and size.
  • Wrong category selection.
  • Using invalid payment methods.
  • Waiting until the last minute or missing the deadlines.
  • Poor choice of filling and locking.
  • Using incorrect contact info, such as a wrong email ID or mobile number.

How to Check NEET UG 2026 Seat Allotment Result Online?

The NEET UG 2026 seat allotment result will be available online. You can use the following steps to download the results once released.

  • Visit the official MCC portal, i.e. mcc.nic.in.
  • Select the ‘UG Medical Counselling’ tab.
  • Click on the link for ‘NEET 2026 Round 1/2/3 Seat Allotment Result’.
  • Now enter your login credentials.
  • The NEET UG 2026 seat allotment result will be displayed on the screen.
  • Download and take a printout of the ‘Provisional Seat Allotment Letter’ for further reporting.

Conclusion

The NEET UG 2026 counselling will start after the result announcement. The expected date to begin the counselling will be notified by MCC further on its official website. Before the counselling starts, you should understand every step involved and prepare all the documents, registration fee, and existing rules. Understanding the difference between AIQ and state quota counselling is equally important for securing a medical seat in government or private colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NEET UG 2026 counselling?

It is a mandatory online process conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee for admission into UG medical and dental courses in India based on NEET UG 2026.

Where to apply for MCC Counselling for NEET 2026?

The MCC portal will be available for NEET UG 2026 counselling registration after the NEET UG Result 2026 is released.

How many rounds are there in MCC counselling process?

The counselling will be conducted with Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 (Mop-up Round), and Round 4 (stray vacancy round).

When will MCC Counselling start for NEET 2026?

The NEET 2026 counselling by MCC will start in July 2026. However, no official dates have been announced yet.

Who will be eligible for NEET UG 2026 counselling?

Only NEET UG 2026 qualified candidates will participate in the MCC counselling for further seat allotment.

Where can I check the NEET UG 2026 Seat Allotment Result?

The MCC seat allotment result after counselling can be checked from the MCC official portal, i.e. www.mcc.nic.in.

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