NEET PG 2026 Counselling Dates: MCC Round 1, 2, 3 and Stray Round Schedule
MCC's counselling schedule for 50% All India Quota seats and 100% Deemed and Central university seats, from MCC's notice of 7 Oct 2026. Dates are tentative and may change. mcc.nic.in is the final word. Last updated 7 Oct 2026.
Quick answer
- Round 1 registration: Mon 12 Oct to Wed 21 Oct, 12 noon
- Round 1 result: Sat 24 Oct
- PG session starts: 20 Nov 2026
Round 1
The first round.
| Step | Date / time |
|---|---|
| Colleges check their seat list | Sat 10 Oct to Mon 12 Oct |
| Registration | Mon 12 Oct to Wed 21 Oct, 12 noon |
| Payment | Mon 12 Oct to Wed 21 Oct, 3 PM |
| Choice filling | Tue 13 Oct to Thu 22 Oct, 10 AM |
| Choice locking | Wed 21 Oct, 4 PM to Thu 22 Oct, 10 AM |
| Seat allotment processing | Thu 22 Oct to Fri 23 Oct |
| Result | Sat 24 Oct |
| Reporting / joining | Mon 26 Oct to Mon 2 Nov |
| Colleges confirm who joined | Tue 3 Nov |
Round 2
Fills seats left over from Round 1. If you already joined a seat, read the rules on mcc.nic.in before registering again.
| Step | Date / time |
|---|---|
| Colleges check their seat list | Fri 6 Nov to Sat 7 Nov, 1 PM |
| Registration | Fri 6 Nov to Wed 11 Nov, 12 noon |
| Payment | Fri 6 Nov to Wed 11 Nov, 3 PM |
| Choice filling | Sat 7 Nov to Thu 12 Nov, 10 AM |
| Choice locking | Wed 11 Nov, 4 PM to Thu 12 Nov, 10 AM |
| Seat allotment processing | Thu 12 Nov to Fri 13 Nov |
| Result | Sat 14 Nov |
| Reporting / joining | Mon 16 Nov to Mon 23 Nov |
| Colleges confirm who joined | Tue 24 Nov |
Round 3
Fills seats left over from Round 2.
| Step | Date / time |
|---|---|
| Registration | Thu 26 Nov to Tue 1 Dec, 12 noon |
| Payment | Thu 26 Nov to Tue 1 Dec, 3 PM |
| Choice filling | Fri 27 Nov to Wed 2 Dec, 10 AM |
| Choice locking | Tue 1 Dec, 4 PM to Wed 2 Dec, 10 AM |
| Result | Fri 4 Dec |
| Reporting / joining | Sat 5 Dec to Sat 12 Dec |
Online stray vacancy round
After Round 3, some seats may still be empty. The stray round offers these last seats. It is the last chance this year.
| Step | Date / time |
|---|---|
| Registration | Wed 16 Dec to Mon 21 Dec, 12 noon |
| Payment | Wed 16 Dec to Mon 21 Dec, 3 PM |
| Choice filling | Wed 16 Dec to Mon 21 Dec, 11:55 PM |
| Choice locking | Mon 21 Dec, 4 PM to Mon 21 Dec, 11:55 PM |
| Result | Thu 24 Dec |
| Reporting / joining | Thu 24 Dec to Thu 31 Dec |
The last day, in order
On the last day of each round, things happen in this order:
Round 1, last day: Wed 21 Oct
- Registration closes at 12 noon
- Pay by 3 PM
- Choice locking starts at 4 PM
- Choice locking ends Thu 22 Oct, 10 AM
Round 2, last day: Wed 11 Nov
- Registration closes at 12 noon
- Pay by 3 PM
- Choice locking starts at 4 PM
- Choice locking ends Thu 12 Nov, 10 AM
Round 3, last day: Tue 1 Dec
- Registration closes at 12 noon
- Pay by 3 PM
- Choice locking starts at 4 PM
- Choice locking ends Wed 2 Dec, 10 AM
Online stray vacancy round, last day: Mon 21 Dec
- Registration closes at 12 noon
- Pay by 3 PM
- Choice locking starts at 4 PM
- Choice locking ends Mon 21 Dec, 11:55 PM
What each step means
Here is counselling, step by step, like a senior explaining it to a junior.
Registration. You sign up for this round and pay the fees MCC asks for. This just tells MCC "I want a seat in this round". It does not promise you a seat.
Payment. You pay the fees MCC asks for, online. Do this early, not in the last hour.
Choice filling. You make a list of colleges and courses you want, in the order you want them most. Put your most-wanted choice first. You can add, remove or reorder choices until you lock the list.
Choice locking. You lock your list so it cannot be changed. After locking, MCC uses exactly this list to decide your seat. Lock only when you are sure.
Seat allotment / result. MCC's computer looks at your rank and your locked list, and gives you the best seat on your list that is still available for your rank. Then the result is published and you can check it.
Reporting / joining. If you got a seat, you go to that college in person with your documents and join. If you do not join, you can lose the seat.
Why colleges check the seat list. Before each round, colleges tell MCC which seats they are giving. You do not do anything in this step.
What a stray round is. After Round 3, some seats may still be empty. The stray round offers these last seats. It is the last chance this year.
Keep ready
- NEET PG scorecard
- MBBS degree certificate and marksheets
- Internship completion certificate
- NMC or State Medical Council registration certificate
- A photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, etc.)
- Category certificate, if you are using a reservation
- Passport-size photos
The exact list is on MCC's website.
NEET PG 2026 Round 1 closing ranks · NEET PG 2025 closing ranks by branch · mcc.nic.in (official MCC site)
Questions students ask
When does NEET PG 2026 Round 1 registration start and end?
Round 1 registration runs Mon 12 Oct to Wed 21 Oct, 12 noon.
What is the last date to pay for Round 1?
Pay by 3 PM on the day registration closes (Wed 21 Oct).
When does choice locking open and close for Round 1?
Choice locking runs from 4 PM to Thu 22 Oct, 10 AM.
When is the NEET PG 2026 Round 1 result?
The Round 1 result is expected Sat 24 Oct.
What are the Round 1 reporting / joining dates?
Reporting and joining for Round 1 runs Mon 26 Oct to Mon 2 Nov.
What is choice locking?
You lock your final choice list so it cannot be changed. After locking, MCC uses exactly this list to decide your seat for that round. Lock only when you are sure of the order.
When are the stray round dates?
The online stray vacancy round is the last chance of the season. Registration runs Wed 16 Dec to Mon 21 Dec, 12 noon, and the result is on Thu 24 Dec.
When does the NEET PG 2026 academic session start?
The PG session is set to start 20 Nov 2026. That is before Round 3 and the stray round, so check each round's joining dates above.
Do I have to pay to see this page?
No.
Are these dates final?
No. MCC calls this schedule tentative, so dates may change. Last checked 7 Oct 2026 against MCC's own notice. Check mcc.nic.in for updates. These dates are for 50% All India Quota seats and 100% Deemed and Central university seats. For AFMS (Armed Forces), only registration is done here.
These dates are for 50% All India Quota seats and 100% Deemed and Central university seats. For AFMS (Armed Forces), only registration is done here. Tentative: dates may change. Check mcc.nic.in for updates. Dates are in India time (IST). Last checked 7 Oct 2026.