NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 3: Registration, Choice Filling, Seat Allotment & Dates
TanishkaUpdated on 24 Sept 2026, 12:24 PM IST
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The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has released the official schedule for NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 3, covering the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) and 100% seats at deemed/central universities, AFMC, AIIMS and JIPMER (Puducherry and Karaikal) for MBBS, BDS and B.Sc Nursing courses. All dates below are taken directly from the MCC-published Round 2, 3 and 4 counselling schedule and the official mcc.nic.in website, and should be cross-checked on the portal before acting, since MCC can revise timelines.
NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 3: Quick Snapshot
Table
| Stage | Round 3 Dates (2026) |
|---|---|
| Verification of tentative seat matrix by institutes | 21 September 2026 |
| Registration and fee payment | 22 to 27 September 2026 (up to 3:00 PM on 27 Sept; payment facility open till 6:00 PM) |
| Choice filling and locking | 23 to 28 September 2026 (choice filling open till 12:00 noon on 28 Sept; locking from 7:00 PM on 27 Sept to 12:00 noon on 28 Sept) |
| Processing of seat allotment | 28 to 29 September 2026 |
| Seat allotment result | 30 September 2026 |
| Reporting to allotted institute | 1 to 9 October 2026 |
| Verification of joined candidates' data by institutes | 10 October 2026 |
2 columns · 8 rows
All times above are as per MCC server time. Candidates should not wait until the last day for registration, payment or choice locking, since server load typically increases sharply near each deadline.
Who Can Register for Round 3
- Candidates who registered in Round 1 or Round 2 but were not allotted any seat do not need to register again; they are automatically carried forward to Round 3.
- Candidates who registered in Round 1 or Round 2, paid the fee, but did not get an allotment can directly fill fresh choices for Round 3.
- Candidates who did not register in either Round 1 or Round 2 can take fresh registration for Round 3, along with full payment of the registration fee and security deposit.
- Candidates who resigned from an allotted seat or did not report after allotment in earlier rounds should check the applicable re-registration and eligibility rules on mcc.nic.in before proceeding.
- Candidates already admitted and retained in a seat as per MCC's freeze/float and resignation rules should verify their current status on the portal before attempting a fresh registration.
How to Register for MCC NEET UG Round 3
- Visit the official MCC website at mcc.nic.in and open the UG Medical Counselling section.
- Click on the New Registration 2026 link on the Candidate Activity Board (candidates carried forward from earlier rounds should use Registered Candidate Login instead).
- Enter your NEET UG 2026 roll number, application number and other requested details, and verify your registered mobile number/email.
- Fill in personal, academic, category and contact details carefully, and upload the required scanned photograph, signature and documents.
- Pay the applicable non-refundable registration fee and refundable security deposit through the available online payment modes.
- Review the submitted form and download the registration confirmation page for your records.
Registration Fee and Security Deposit
MCC NEET UG counselling fees have two parts: a non-refundable registration/processing fee and a refundable security deposit. Multiple exam-prep portals report the following 2026 fee structure for AIQ and central-institute counselling, consistent with the fee pattern used in recent MCC cycles; candidates should still confirm the exact amount in the official Information Bulletin on mcc.nic.in before paying, since MCC's published bulletin is the final authority.
Table
| Institute Type | Category | Registration Fee | Security Deposit | Total Payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15% AIQ / Central Universities / AFMC / AIIMS / JIPMER | General / EWS | Rs 1,000 | Rs 10,000 (refundable) | Rs 11,000 |
| 15% AIQ / Central Universities / AFMC / AIIMS / JIPMER | SC / ST / OBC / PwBD | Rs 500 | Rs 5,000 (refundable) | Rs 5,500 |
| Deemed Universities | All Categories | Rs 5,000 | Rs 2,00,000 (refundable) | Rs 2,05,000 |
5 columns · 4 rows
Choice Filling and Locking for Round 3
Choice filling for Round 3 is open from 23 to 28 September 2026, with filling available up to 12:00 noon on 28 September. Choice locking is available from 7:00 PM on 27 September until 12:00 noon on 28 September (server time). Candidates should keep the following in mind before locking choices.
- Fill choices based on the updated seat matrix released for Round 3, not on an earlier round's matrix.
- Verify the college name, course, quota, fee structure, location and any bond or service obligation before adding a choice.
- Arrange choices strictly in order of genuine preference, since allotment follows the candidate's rank and choice order.
- If choices are not manually locked before the deadline, the system will auto-lock the last saved order when the window closes.
- Keep a copy of the locked choice list and the confirmation page until admission is fully completed.
Seat Allotment Result and Reporting
The MCC NEET UG Round 3 seat allotment result is scheduled for release on 30 September 2026 on the official portal. Candidates allotted a seat must report to the allotted institute between 1 and 9 October 2026, after which participating institutes verify the data of joined candidates on 10 October 2026. Candidates should carry the allotment letter, NEET UG scorecard and admit card, Class 10 and Class 12 certificates, category/PwD/domicile certificates where applicable, valid ID proof and passport-size photographs at the time of reporting, and should confirm the exact document checklist with the allotted institute in advance.
After Round 3: Online Stray Vacancy Round
Seats that remain vacant after Round 3 are taken up in the Online Stray Vacancy Round, conducted in October 2026 as per the official MCC schedule.
Table
| Stage | Stray Vacancy Round Dates (2026) |
|---|---|
| Registration and fee payment | 12 to 14 October 2026 (up to 3:00 PM on 14 Oct; payment facility till 6:00 PM) |
| Choice filling and locking | 12 to 15 October 2026 (choice filling till 10:00 AM on 15 Oct; locking from 4:00 PM on 14 Oct to 10:00 AM on 15 Oct) |
| Processing of seat allotment | 15 to 16 October 2026 |
| Seat allotment result | 17 October 2026 |
| Reporting to allotted institute | 19 to 26 October 2026 |
2 columns · 6 rows
NEET UG 2026 Round 2: Quick Recap
MCC released the final Round 2 seat allotment result for NEET UG Counselling 2026 on 12 September 2026, listing details of a total of 11,94,233 candidates. Candidates allotted seats in Round 2 were required to report to their allotted institutes between 12 and 18 September 2026, and participating institutes verified the data of joined candidates on 19 September 2026. Round 2 choice filling had earlier run from 3 to 9 September 2026, based on the Clear Vacancy, Virtual Vacancy and Newly Added Seats lists published for that round.
AIQ vs State Quota: What Round 3 Covers
- MCC conducts counselling for the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats plus 100% seats at AIIMS, JIPMER, AFMC, and deemed/central universities at mcc.nic.in.
- The remaining 85% state quota seats in government and private colleges are counselled separately by each state's own medical counselling authority, generally requiring domicile or state eligibility.
- Candidates participating in both AIQ and state counselling should track both schedules independently, since MCC and state authorities can run overlapping but differently timed rounds.
- A seat accepted in one system can affect eligibility or reporting obligations in the other, so candidates should read the freeze/float and resignation rules on the relevant portal before making a choice.
Things to Check Before Locking Your Round 3 Choices
- Confirm the Round 3 seat matrix is the one currently published for Round 3, not a matrix carried over from Round 1 or Round 2.
- Cross-check every deadline and time directly on mcc.nic.in, since schedules can be revised and institutes have been directed to treat Saturdays, Sundays and gazetted holidays as working days for this cycle.
- Do not share your MCC login credentials, OTP or payment details with anyone, and avoid unofficial agents claiming to guarantee a seat.
- Keep copies of the registration confirmation, payment receipt, locked choice list and allotment letter until admission is fully completed.
- If considering the freeze or float option, read MCC's current notice on resignation and float/freeze rules before deciding, since the conditions can change round to round.
Related Resources
Source note: Round 3 and stray vacancy round dates, times and stage names in this article are taken directly from MCC's official 'UG AIQ Counselling Schedule 2026 Round 2, 3 and 4' PDF (dated 14.09.2026, published on mcc.nic.in) and from the MCC UG Medical Counselling homepage (last updated 18.09.2026), including the Round 2 final result figure of 11,94,233 candidates. The registration fee and security deposit figures are reported consistently across multiple exam-prep sources for the 2026 cycle but were not located in a directly fetched MCC fee notification at the time of writing, so candidates must verify the exact amount in MCC's official Information Bulletin before payment.
Official Resources
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does MCC NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 3 registration start and end?
Round 3 registration and fee payment run from 22 to 27 September 2026, up to 3:00 PM on 27 September (payment facility available till 6:00 PM the same day), as per the official MCC schedule.
What are the Round 3 choice filling and locking dates?
Choice filling is open from 23 to 28 September 2026, up to 12:00 noon on 28 September. Choice locking runs from 7:00 PM on 27 September to 12:00 noon on 28 September, as per MCC server time.
When will the NEET UG Round 3 seat allotment result be declared?
MCC is scheduled to release the Round 3 seat allotment result on 30 September 2026 on the official portal, mcc.nic.in.
What are the reporting dates for candidates allotted a seat in Round 3?
Candidates allotted a seat in Round 3 must report to their allotted institute between 1 and 9 October 2026. Institutes verify the data of joined candidates on 10 October 2026.
Can a candidate who skipped Round 1 and Round 2 register for Round 3?
Yes. Candidates who did not register in Round 1 or Round 2 can take fresh registration for Round 3, along with full payment of the registration fee and security deposit.
Do candidates already registered in Round 1 or Round 2 need to register again for Round 3?
No. Candidates who registered in Round 1 or Round 2 and paid the fee but did not receive a seat allotment are automatically carried forward and can directly fill fresh choices for Round 3 without registering again.
What happens to seats left vacant after Round 3?
Remaining vacant seats are taken up in the Online Stray Vacancy Round, with registration from 12 to 14 October 2026, seat allotment result on 17 October 2026, and reporting from 19 to 26 October 2026.