The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has released the complete schedule for Round 2, Round 3 and the Online Stray Vacancy Round of NEET UG Counselling 2026, giving MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing aspirants a clear timeline through to late October. The schedule covers the 15% All India Quota (AIQ), Deemed and Central Universities, AFMC, AIIMS institutions and JIPMER Puducherry and Karaikal, alongside the parallel timeline followed by state counselling authorities for the 85% state quota seats.

NEET UG 2026 Counselling: Round-wise Schedule at a Glance

As per the schedule released by MCC, Round 2 AIQ counselling ran from September 3 to September 11, 2026, with September 18 as the last date of joining. Round 3 AIQ counselling is scheduled from September 22 to September 30, 2026, with a joining deadline of October 9. The Online Stray Vacancy Round follows from October 12 to October 17, with October 26 set as the final date of joining across both AIQ and state counselling for this cycle.

StageAIQ / Deemed / Central UniversitiesState Counselling
Round 2 Counselling3-11 September 20267-11 September 2026
Round 2 Last Date of Joining18 September 202619 September 2026
Round 3 Counselling22-30 September 202628 September-9 October 2026
Round 3 Last Date of Joining9 October 202614 October 2026
Stray Vacancy Round12-17 October 202617-21 October 2026
Stray Round Last Date of Joining26 October 202626 October 2026

NEET UG 2026 Round 2: Confirmed Dates

Round 2 AIQ registration and fee payment were open from September 3 to September 8, 2026, with choice filling running from September 3 to September 9. Choice locking was available from 4 PM on September 8 until 10 AM on September 9. Seat allotment was processed on September 9 and 10, and the Round 2 result was declared on September 11, 2026. Candidates allotted a seat had to report between September 12 and September 18, 2026, with MCC verifying joined candidates' data on September 19.

NEET UG 2026 Round 3: Complete Dates and Process

Candidates who did not secure a preferred seat, or any seat at all, in Round 2 get another opportunity in Round 3, which begins on September 22, 2026. The Round 3 seat matrix verification is scheduled for September 21, followed by registration and payment from September 22 to September 27, 2026, with registration closing at 3 PM and the payment facility remaining open until 6 PM on September 27.

Choice filling for Round 3 runs from September 23 to September 28, with submissions permitted until 12 noon on September 28. Choice locking is available from 7 PM on September 27 until 12 noon on September 28. Seat allotment processing takes place on September 28 and 29, and the Round 3 result will be declared on September 30, 2026. Successful candidates then get a nine-day reporting window, from October 1 to October 9, 2026, with MCC verifying and sharing joined candidates' data on October 10.

ActivityRound 2Round 3Stray Vacancy Round
Seat Matrix Verification1-2 Sept 202621 Sept 2026-
Registration / Payment3-8 Sept (reg till 3 PM, payment till 6 PM on 8 Sept)22-27 Sept (reg till 3 PM, payment till 6 PM on 27 Sept)12-14 Oct (reg till 3 PM, payment till 6 PM on 14 Oct)
Choice Filling3-9 Sept, till 10 AM on 9 Sept23-28 Sept, till 12 noon on 28 Sept12-15 Oct, till 10 AM on 15 Oct
Choice Locking4 PM 8 Sept - 10 AM 9 Sept7 PM 27 Sept - 12 noon 28 Sept4 PM 14 Oct - 10 AM 15 Oct
Seat Allotment Processing9-10 Sept 202628-29 Sept 202615-16 Oct 2026
Result11 Sept 202630 Sept 202617 Oct 2026
Reporting12-18 Sept 20261-9 Oct 202619-26 Oct 2026
Verification of Joined Candidates19 Sept 202610 Oct 2026-

NEET UG 2026 Online Stray Vacancy Round: Dates

The Online Stray Vacancy Round is the final opportunity within MCC's standard AIQ counselling calendar for this cycle. Registration for this round opens on October 12 and continues until October 14, closing at 3 PM on the final day, with payments accepted until 6 PM the same day. Choice filling runs from October 12 to October 15, with submissions allowed until 10 AM on October 15, while choice locking is available from 4 PM on October 14 until 10 AM the following day.

Seat allotment for the Stray Vacancy Round will be processed on October 15 and 16, with the result scheduled for October 17, 2026. Candidates allotted a seat at this stage must report between October 19 and October 26, 2026. At the broader AIQ and state level, October 26 has been fixed as the final date of joining after the Stray Vacancy Round, bringing this counselling cycle closer to completion.

State Counselling Timeline: How It Runs Alongside AIQ

State counselling authorities run their own separate calendar for the 85% state quota seats, using the same NEET UG rank but each state's own merit list and domicile rules. As per the consolidated schedule, state Round 2 counselling was held from September 7 to September 11, 2026, with September 19 as the last date of joining and verification on September 20.

State Round 3 counselling is scheduled from September 28 to October 9, 2026, with state candidates permitted to join their allotted colleges until October 14. The state-level stray/final round runs from October 17 to October 21, with October 26 set as the final date of joining, aligning with the closing date of the AIQ Stray Vacancy Round. Candidates participating in both processes should track the AIQ and their specific state's schedule separately, since exact dates and reporting rules can differ from state to state.

Why the 2026 Counselling Calendar Runs Later Than Usual

This year's counselling timeline has been running later than in previous cycles because the NEET UG 2026 exam itself did not proceed on the original schedule. The exam held on May 3, 2026, was cancelled by NTA following confirmed allegations of a coordinated question paper leak. A Re-NEET UG 2026 exam was subsequently conducted on June 21, 2026, for the affected candidates, with the result declared on July 16, 2026, roughly two and a half months later than a typical NEET UG result. Every counselling round since has followed a comparatively compressed calendar, which is part of why Round 2, Round 3 and Stray Round dates have been finalised and announced closer to each round rather than published far in advance this year.

Who Can Participate in Round 3 and the Stray Vacancy Round?

  • Candidates who registered for Round 1 or Round 2 but were not allotted a seat are carried forward automatically and only need to resubmit choices
  • Candidates who did not register in Round 1 or Round 2 can complete fresh registration for Round 3 or the Stray Vacancy Round
  • Candidates allotted a seat in Round 2 who wish to upgrade can opt in for Round 3 while holding their current seat, subject to MCC's applicable rules
  • Seats allotted in Round 3 and the Stray Vacancy Round generally cannot be resigned once joined, and the security deposit is forfeited if a candidate fails to join after allotment

What Candidates Should Do Now

  • Check your current allotment status and reporting requirement for the round you are already in
  • If unallotted after Round 2, prepare your Round 3 choice list in advance of the September 23-28 window
  • Keep your NEET UG documents, category certificate and photographs ready for verification at every stage
  • Confirm your specific state's Round 3 and stray round dates directly on that state's counselling website
  • Do not miss the choice-locking deadline for any round, since unlocked or unsubmitted choices can affect allotment
  • Rely only on mcc.nic.in and official state counselling portals; schedules can be revised with short notice

Related NEET UG Counselling Resources

Official Sources

Cadera Edu will keep updating this article if MCC or any state counselling authority revises these dates. Keep checking Cadera Edu for verified NEET UG counselling schedules, seat allotment results and reporting updates.