-1785646218992.png)
MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has announced several important changes to the NEET UG 2026 counselling process, making one of the biggest overhauls to the admission system in recent years. The new measures aim to make counselling more transparent, student-friendly and less time-consuming by reducing repeated college visits and shifting several processes online. MCC has released the counselling schedule and information bulletin for NEET UG counselling on its official website mcc.nic.in.
As per the official schedule, registrations for NEET UG 2026 counselling under the 15 per cent All India Quota (AIQ), 100 per cent seats in Deemed Universities, Central Universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, and B.Sc Nursing will begin on August 4, with the Round 1 seat allotment result to be declared on August 17. Counselling for 85 per cent state quota seats will commence from August 13, and the academic session is scheduled to begin on September 8, 2026.
MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling: Key Changes Introduced This Year
1. One-Time Physical Reporting, Document Verification and Admission Fee Payment
One of the biggest reforms this year is the introduction of a single physical reporting system. Candidates who join a college after seat allotment will now have to physically report only once during the counselling process. Similarly, original documents will be verified only once, and admission fees will also be paid only once.
If a candidate receives an upgraded seat in later rounds, there will no longer be a need to revisit the previously allotted college for document collection or verification, significantly reducing travel and administrative hassles.
2. Freeze and Float Options
The counselling process will continue to offer Freeze and Float (Upgrade) options.
Freeze: Candidates satisfied with their allotted seat can choose to retain it and exit further counselling rounds.
Float/Upgrade: Candidates who wish to participate in subsequent rounds for a better seat can opt for an upgrade without losing their admission benefits under the revised reporting process.
The new system ensures that students seeking upgrades are not required to complete repeated reporting formalities at every stage.
3. Online Seat Resignation
Candidates can now resign from their allotted seats online through the MCC counselling portal instead of physically visiting the allotted institution. This change is expected to make the counselling process faster, reduce unnecessary travel, and improve transparency in seat surrender and vacancy generation for subsequent rounds.
4. Expanded Facilities for PwBD Candidates
The counselling process has been made more accessible for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). The number of designated disability assessment centres has been increased from 16 to 61 across the country, enabling candidates to complete disability assessment closer to their location and reducing travel difficulties.
5. New ‘Eligibility Certificate’ Under Revised NMC Guidelines
Following revised National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines, the disability assessment document will now be issued as an “Eligibility Certificate” instead of the earlier format.
The revised framework aims to ensure a uniform, evidence-based assessment process across the country. Additionally, an Appellate Disability Assessment Board has been established to hear appeals from candidates who wish to challenge disability assessment decisions.
MCC NEET UG 2026 AIQ, State Counselling Schedule PDF
6. Training and Cybersecurity Strengthened
To ensure smooth implementation of the new counselling system, the MCC has organised training programmes for disability assessment boards, medical college nodal officers and document verification officers. The committee has also reviewed and strengthened cybersecurity arrangements in coordination with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to safeguard candidate data and ensure secure online counselling.
7. Online Upload of NRI Documents
Candidates applying under the NRI quota can now upload their supporting documents online through the counselling portal. Earlier, document submission often involved physical verification and additional paperwork. The new online facility is expected to simplify verification and speed up admissions for eligible NRI candidates.
MCC NEET UG 2026 Information Bulletin PDF
Open (Domicile-Free) Seats Covered Under MCC Counselling
The following seats are available under the domicile-free counselling conducted by MCC:
- 15% All India Quota (AIQ) MBBS/BDS seats of participating states.
- 100% MBBS/BDS seats of Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
- 100% MBBS seats of AIIMS across India.
- 100% MBBS seats of JIPMER (Puducherry and Karaikal).
- 100% seats of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
- 15% AIQ seats of Delhi University and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University institutions (including VMMC, ABVIMS and ESIC Dental).
- Open seats in the Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia.
- 15% IP Quota seats of ESIC institutions.
NEET UG 2026: All India Quota Reservation Policy
The Central Government reserves seats for 15% All India Quota (AIQ) for different categories as follows:
- Scheduled Castes (SC): 15%
- Scheduled Tribes (ST): 7.5%
- Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL): 27%
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS): 10%
- Persons with Disabilities (PwD): 5% horizontal reservation, as per NMC norms.
