NEET PG Counselling 2026: Schedule and New Rules

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will conduct NEET PG Counselling 2026 for candidates who qualified in the NEET PG examination conducted by NBEMS. The process is intended for eligible candidates seeking postgraduate medical seats covered by MCC, including 50% All India Quota seats and seats in central and deemed universities.

Round 1 registration is scheduled to open on October 12, 2026, with registration closing on October 21. Candidates will apply online through the MCC portal and take part in registration, choice filling, seat allotment and the applicable joining or upgradation process. The schedule includes three regular rounds and an online stray vacancy round; candidates should check MCC notices for any revisions.

Important Dates

These are the dates stated in the counselling schedule. MCC may publish revised dates or additional instructions, so candidates should confirm deadlines on the official portal before acting.

Vacancy Details

The source notice does not state a total seat count or a category-wise vacancy breakup. MCC counselling covers 50% All India Quota seats, central universities, deemed universities and other seats administered through MCC. The number and distribution of available seats should be checked in the seat matrix issued for the relevant round.

Eligibility Criteria

Educational Qualification

Candidates must have qualified in the NEET PG examination conducted by NBEMS to participate in this MCC counselling process. The notice also states that the internship completion deadline for the 2026 academic year has been extended to September 30, 2026; candidates should check the applicable internship eligibility rules before registering. No further qualification details are provided in the source notice.

Candidates seeking an NRI-category seat must select the NRI quota and the relevant sub-category, from I to IV, during MCC registration and upload supporting documents through the portal. The MCC NRI Document Verification Committee will examine documents online. If a document needs correction, MCC will send an SMS or email alert and allow the candidate an opportunity to correct it. NRI-category conversion is provisional, and original documents remain subject to checks at admission. Candidates who do not complete the NRI process in Round 1 may try again in Round 2.

For PwD candidates, the 2026 counselling materials include a separate chapter covering NMC guidelines and the medical assessment process. MCC lists 65 assessment boards, increased from 16 centres in the previous process, and includes appellate boards.

Age Limit

The source notice does not specify an age limit or age relaxation for NEET PG Counselling 2026. Candidates should consult the official counselling information and applicable eligibility rules for any requirements relevant to them.

Application Fee

The notice provides dates for fee payment but does not state the counselling fee amount or any category-wise fee structure. Check the MCC portal during registration for the applicable charges and payment instructions.

How to Apply

1. Open the official MCC PG Medical Counselling portal and review the current 2026 notices, eligibility rules and seat information.
2. Register online during the relevant round’s registration window. Round 1 registration is scheduled from October 12 to October 21, 2026; registration closes at 12 noon on October 21.
3. Complete the fee payment by the stated deadline. For Round 1, payment closes at 3 PM on October 21, 2026.
4. Enter and arrange your course and seat choices during the choice-filling window, then lock them within the announced choice-locking period. Round 1 choice filling runs from October 13 to October 22, and locking is scheduled from October 21 at 4 PM to October 22 at 10 AM.
5. Check the seat allotment result and follow the instructions for the allotted seat. The Round 1 result is scheduled for October 24, followed by reporting from October 26 to November 2.
6. After allotment, choose the option that matches your decision. With Freeze, accept the seat and physically join the institute, where original documents are checked and admission fees are paid. With Float, indicate online that you wish to retain the seat while seeking an upgrade; upload documents on the MCC portal for online review, without physically reporting at that stage.
7. If you are applying under the NRI quota, choose the relevant NRI sub-category during registration and upload the requested documents. Monitor SMS, email and the portal for verification updates or correction requests.
8. If you are a Float candidate who decides to give up the allotted seat, log in through Candidate Login, select Resignation or Surrender and submit the request within the deadline specified by MCC.
9. For later rounds, follow the relevant registration, payment, choice-filling, result and reporting dates in the official schedule.

Float candidates’ documents are checked online by the allotted institute’s nodal officer. If an uploaded document is unclear or incorrect, the candidate may be asked to upload it again. If a Float candidate receives an upgraded seat, the relieving letter is generated online.

Selection Process

This is a seat-allocation counselling process, not a separate recruitment examination. Eligible NEET PG candidates register and pay the applicable fee, fill and lock their choices, and are considered for seat allotment in the relevant round. After an allotment, candidates follow the applicable seat decision and verification steps. Freeze means accepting the seat without seeking a further upgrade: the candidate must physically join, present original documents for institute verification and pay the institute’s admission fees. The seat is finalised after document checks; admission may be cancelled if a problem is found. Float allows a candidate to retain the allotted seat while seeking an upgrade in a later round, with document upload and verification handled online at that stage.

MCC has also moved NRI document submission from email to the counselling portal. The 2025 process used 16 PwD assessment centres, while the 2026 notice lists 65 boards and appellate boards. The internship cut-off has shifted from July 31 in the earlier process to September 30, 2026. The MCC help desk is listed as available 24 hours a day, seven days a week; the earlier call-centre hours were 9 AM to 8:30 PM, with Sundays closed. The new email address given for the 2026 process is mcc2026@gov.in.

Eligible candidates should complete registration and choices within the deadline for their chosen round, keep their documents ready and monitor MCC updates throughout counselling.