NEET PG 2026 Counselling Schedule has been released by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for postgraduate medical admissions. According to the tentative schedule, Round 1 registration will begin on October 12, 2026, while the Round 1 seat allotment result is scheduled for October 24, 2026. The Indian Express

The counselling will cover MD, MS, DNB and PG Diploma admissions under the categories handled by MCC, including 50% All India Quota seats and other participating institutions as notified. Careers360

NEET PG 2026 Round 1 Important Dates

These dates are part of MCC’s tentative 2026 schedule currently being reported by multiple education sources. Careers360

NEET PG 2026 Full Counselling Schedule

MCC has planned multiple rounds: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and Stray Vacancy Round.

Round 2

• Seat matrix verification: November 6–7
• Registration/payment: November 6–11
• Choice filling: November 7–12
• Seat allotment result: November 14
• Reporting/joining: November 16–23
• Joined candidate verification: November 24 Careers360

Round 3

• Seat matrix verification: November 25–26
• Registration/payment: November 26–December 1
• Choice filling: November 27–December 2
• Seat allotment result: December 4
• Reporting/joining: December 5–12
• Joined candidate verification: December 14 Careers360

Stray Vacancy Round

• Seat matrix verification: December 15
• Registration/payment: December 16–21
• Choice filling: December 16–21
• Seat allotment processing: December 22–23
• Result: December 24
• Reporting/joining: December 24–31 Careers360

Who Can Participate in NEET PG 2026 Counselling?

Candidates who have qualified NEET PG 2026 and satisfy the applicable counselling eligibility conditions can participate in MCC counselling for postgraduate medical admission.

The MCC process includes admissions to programmes such as:

• MD
• MS
• DNB
• PG Diploma

Candidates must also satisfy category, registration and institutional eligibility requirements applicable to the seats they select. Careers360

Which Seats Are Covered by MCC?

MCC conducts counselling for major central postgraduate medical seat pools.

Current 2026 counselling coverage includes applicable seats such as:

• 50% All India Quota seats
• 50% BHU seats
• 50% AMU seats
• 50% AIQ seats of DU/Central Institutes
• 100% DNB seats
• 100% Deemed University seats Careers360

Candidates should separately check their eligibility for state-quota counselling conducted by individual states.

How to Register for MCC NEET PG 2026 Counselling

Once Round 1 registration opens on October 12, candidates should visit the official MCC counselling portal.

The broad process is:

Step 1: Visit MCC

Go to the official MCC website and open the PG Medical Counselling section.

Step 2: Click New Registration

Open the NEET PG 2026 counselling registration link and select New Registration.

Step 3: Enter NEET PG Details

Candidates may be required to enter details such as:

• Name
• Date of birth
• NEET PG roll number
• Application number
• Category
• Contact information

Step 4: Create/Login to Counselling Account

After verification, candidates will generate or use counselling login credentials.

Step 5: Complete the Application Form

Enter personal, academic and counselling-related details carefully.

Step 6: Pay the Registration Fee and Security Deposit

Candidates must pay the applicable counselling fee and refundable security deposit based on the type of seats they wish to consider.

Step 7: Save the Confirmation

After payment and final submission, download or save the confirmation page. Careers360

Registration Fee: Verify the 2026 Bulletin

Candidates should not blindly use previous-year fee figures.

Some current reports are still quoting last year’s registration amounts as reference values, so the 2026 MCC Information Bulletin should be treated as the final authority for registration fee and refundable security-deposit amounts. Careers360

This is particularly important for candidates targeting Deemed Universities because the applicable security deposit is usually much higher than for standard AIQ participation.

NEET PG 2026 Choice Filling Starts October 13

Round 1 choice filling is scheduled to open on October 13, 2026 and continue until October 22 at 10:00 AM.

Choice locking is scheduled from October 21 at 4:00 PM to October 22 at 10:00 AM. Careers360

Choice filling is one of the most important stages of NEET PG counselling because final allotment depends not just on rank but also on the order in which candidates submit their preferences.

A practical choice list should be based on:

Rank + Branch Preference + College Preference + Category + Quota + Fees + Stipend + Bond + Location

Do Not Fill Choices Only According to Cutoff

Previous-year closing ranks are useful, but candidates should not arrange their preference list from “most likely to get” to “least likely to get.”

Instead, options should be placed in genuine preference order.

If College A is preferred over College B and you would definitely join College A if available, College A should be placed above College B even if its previous closing rank was more competitive.

Dream–Target–Backup Strategy

A simple way to structure the Round 1 choice list is:

Dream Options

Highly preferred branches/colleges that may be difficult at your current AIR.

Target Options

Branches and colleges where previous closing trends suggest a more realistic possibility.

Backup Options

Options that you would genuinely accept if your higher preferences are unavailable.

Do not add a college or branch simply because you think it may be allotted. If you would not join it, placing it in the list can create problems later.

Seat Allotment Result on October 24

After choice filling closes, MCC is scheduled to process Round 1 allotment on October 22–23, with the result scheduled for October 24, 2026. The Times of India

Allotment will depend on factors including:

• NEET PG rank
• Category
• Eligibility
• Seat availability
• Choices submitted
• Preference order

Candidates who receive a seat should carefully read the Round 1 allotment and exit/upgrade rules before taking action.

Reporting and Joining: October 26 to November 2

Candidates allotted seats in Round 1 are scheduled to report between October 26 and November 2, 2026. Careers360

Reporting generally involves:

• Downloading the allotment letter
• Physical reporting to the college
• Original-document verification
• Fee payment
• Admission formalities
• Completion of college-specific requirements

Do not wait until the last day to report.

Some colleges may require additional documents, fees, bonds or medical fitness formalities.

Documents to Keep Ready

Candidates should prepare their documents before registration begins.

A commonly required set includes:

• NEET PG 2026 scorecard/rank details
• NEET PG admit card
• MBBS degree or provisional degree
• MBBS marksheets
• Internship completion certificate
• Permanent/provisional medical registration certificate
• Valid government photo ID
• Date-of-birth proof
• Passport-size photographs
• Category certificate, if applicable
• PwBD certificate, if applicable
• NRI documents, if applicable
• Other documents required by MCC or the allotted institution Careers360

Exact document requirements should always be matched against the current MCC Information Bulletin.

Important Change: Freeze and Float Options

One notable reported change for NEET PG 2026 counselling is the introduction of Freeze and Float options, along with online document verification and online NRI-quota processing. Shiksha

This is important because candidates may now need to actively indicate whether they want to retain an allotted seat or remain eligible for a better preference in a subsequent round.

Candidates should read MCC’s official 2026 counselling instructions carefully before selecting Freeze, Float or any similar option.

Do not rely on older counselling rules from previous years.

PwD Candidates: Assessment Update

The PwD medical assessment process for PG Round 1 has already been underway.

MCC’s primary medical assessment board window was notified for October 1–9, 2026. Medical Dialogues

PwD candidates intending to claim reservation benefits should ensure that their assessment and eligibility certification requirements are completed according to official instructions.

How Candidates Should Prepare Before October 12

Candidates should use the remaining time to prepare a final counselling strategy.

Before Round 1 registration opens, keep these details ready:

NEET PG AIR
Category
Domicile
Preferred Branch
Alternative Branches
Maximum Budget
Preferred States
Government / Private / Deemed preference

Then compare colleges using:

Cutoff + Fees + Stipend + Bond + Patient Load + Department Strength + Location

Compare Department, Not Just College Name

For postgraduate medical training, the quality of a particular department can matter more than the overall brand of the college.

For clinical branches, compare:

• Patient volume
• Emergency exposure
• Procedures
• Faculty strength
• Stipend
• Duty pattern
• Bond
• Hostel
• Academic environment

A less famous institution with a stronger department can sometimes offer better practical training than a higher-profile college with weaker clinical exposure in that specialty.

Private and Deemed University Candidates: Budget Comes First

Before entering high-fee colleges, calculate the full course financial liability.

Check:

• Annual tuition
• Total tuition over the course duration
• Hostel fee
• Security deposit
• Miscellaneous charges
• Stipend
• Bond
• Discontinuation penalty

Do not add a Deemed or private medical college to your choice list unless your family is genuinely prepared for the total cost.

MCC vs State Counselling

NEET PG candidates may be eligible for both MCC counselling and their respective state counselling.

These are separate counselling systems.

Therefore, candidates should prepare two parallel strategies:

MCC AIQ / Deemed / DNB strategy
and
State-quota strategy

Eligibility, fees, reservation rules and bond conditions can differ significantly between the two.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will NEET PG 2026 Round 1 registration start?

Round 1 registration is scheduled to start on October 12, 2026. The Indian Express

What is the last date for Round 1 registration?

The current tentative schedule gives October 21, 2026 at 12 Noon as the registration deadline, with payment available until 3:00 PM. Careers360

When will choice filling begin?

Round 1 choice filling is scheduled from October 13 to October 22, 2026. Careers360

When will the Round 1 result be declared?

The current schedule lists October 24, 2026 for the Round 1 seat allotment result. The Times of India

When will candidates have to report?

Round 1 reporting/joining is scheduled from October 26 to November 2, 2026. Careers360

Is this the final schedule?

MCC has released it as a tentative counselling schedule, so candidates should continue checking the official MCC portal for any revision. The Indian Express

Final Takeaway

The release of the NEET PG 2026 Counselling Schedule gives candidates a clear timeline for Round 1.

The most important dates are:

October 12: Registration begins
October 13: Choice filling begins
October 21: Registration closes
October 22: Choice filling closes
October 24: Round 1 result
October 26: Reporting begins

Candidates should now stop waiting for dates and start preparing their actual counselling strategy.

The next few days should be used to build a rank-based college and branch list, calculate the maximum affordable fee, understand state eligibility and verify documentation.

PIERS EDU NEET PG 2026 Counselling Support

PIERS EDU helps NEET PG candidates compare suitable MD/MS/DNB options using:

• NEET PG AIR
• Category
• Domicile
• Preferred Branch
• Alternative Branches
• Maximum Budget
• Previous closing ranks
• College fees
• Stipend
• Bond
• State eligibility

Share:

NEET PG AIR + Category + Domicile + Preferred Branch + Alternative Branches + Maximum Budget

for personalised counselling and choice-filling analysis.

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Disclaimer: The counselling schedule is tentative and may be modified by MCC. Fees, seat matrices, eligibility, counselling rules and institutional requirements may also change. Candidates should verify the latest information on the official MCC, NMC, NBEMS and relevant State Counselling Authority websites before making any admission or payment decision.