Maharashtra NEET PG counselling 2026: Institutional round scrapped for transparent online admissions

In short

The Maharashtra government notified new rules on October 5, 2026, discontinuing the institutional-level admission round for PG medical and dental courses.
All admissions, including institutional and NRI quota seats, will now be conducted through a centralised online process managed by the State CET Cell.
Candidates failing to join an allotted seat in the final CAP round will face a two-year admission ban.
The online registration fee for Maharashtra PG Counselling 2026 is ₹3,000, with security deposits ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1,00,000.
The state CAP cycle is expected to begin in late October to early November 2026, following the NEET PG 2026 result in mid-September.

The Maharashtra government has announced the discontinuation of the institutional-level admission round for postgraduate medical and dental courses, effective from the NEET PG Counselling 2026 cycle. A notification issued on October 5, 2026, outlined that all admissions, including those for institutional and NRI quota seats, will now be conducted through a centralised online admission process managed by the State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell.

cetcell.mahacet.org homepage — Official website: cetcell.mahacet.org

This change, formalised under the Maharashtra Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission) Rules, 2026, aims to enhance transparency and quality in the admission process. Previously, private medical and dental colleges in Maharashtra conducted their own admission rounds for institutional quota seats after the state-level counselling concluded, a practice that had drawn criticism for alleged lack of transparency.

Centralised Online Process and Eligibility Criteria

Under the new regulations, the State CET Cell will manage the entire centralised online admission process, including stray vacancy rounds to fill any remaining seats. This move aligns Maharashtra with directions previously issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which had mandated centralised admission processes for all medical seats, both undergraduate and postgraduate.

Eligibility for institutional quota seats now extends to candidates holding a Maharashtra domicile certificate, even if their qualifying degree was obtained from an institution outside the state. Candidates from outside Maharashtra and foreign medical degree holders are also eligible to apply for institutional quota seats in private colleges. The last date of registration will serve as the cut-off date for determining eligibility; candidates not meeting the criteria by this deadline will be ineligible for admission in that academic year.

The Maharashtra PG Counselling 2026 requires a non-refundable online registration fee of ₹3,000 for all candidates. Also, a security deposit is mandatory for those opting for private medical colleges, typically ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1,00,000, with specific amounts for different categories.

Fee Type	Amount (₹)	Applicable To	Remarks
Application / Registration Fee	₹3,000	All candidates	Non-refundable; payable during online registration
Security Deposit – Government College	₹25,000	General category candidates	Refundable after completion of admission formalities
Security Deposit – Private College	₹1,00,000	Allotted private college candidates	Refundable as per counselling rules
Security Deposit – Reserved Category (Govt. College)	₹12,500	SC/ST/OBC/EWS candidates	Refundable after the admission process

Consequences for Non-Reporting and Reservation Policy

A significant rule introduced for the 2026 cycle is a two-year ban for candidates who fail to report to or join their allotted seat in the final Centralised Admission Process (CAP) round, resulting in the seat remaining vacant. This policy is already in effect for NEET UG undergraduate admissions in Maharashtra, according to officials.

Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif stated that these changes are intended to make the admission process more transparent and quality-based. A senior official noted that “repeated concerns raised during earlier admission cycles led to discussions on whether the institutional round should continue at all.” Parent representative Shenoy highlighted that “every year, private colleges move court and obtain permission to conduct an institutional round. Critics argue that while colleges publish merit lists, the final allotments often deviate from merit considerations.”

Maharashtra’s reservation policy for PG medical admissions includes 13% for SC, 7% for ST, 3% for VJ/DT-A, 2.5% for NT-B, 3.5% for NT-C, 2% for NT-D, 19% for OBC, and 10% for EWS. A 5% horizontal reservation is provided for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) across all categories.

Category	Reservation Percentage / Details
Scheduled Castes (SC)	13%
Scheduled Tribes (ST)	7%
De-notified Tribes (VJ / DT – A)	3%
Nomadic Tribes (NT – B)	2.5%
Nomadic Tribes (NT – C)	3.5%
Nomadic Tribes (NT – D)	2%
Other Backward Classes (OBC)	19%
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)	10%
Persons with Disabilities (PwD)	5% (Horizontal reservation across all categories)
In-Service Candidates	Reserved seats in specific broad specialties for medical officers serving in state health services

Key Dates and Expected Counselling Schedule

The NEET PG exam 2026 was scheduled for August 30, 2026, with results expected by mid-September 2026. The internship cut-off date is on or before September 30, 2026. The Maharashtra state CAP cycle is realistically expected to commence in late October to early November 2026.

In 2025, Maharashtra offered a total of 2,510 MD/MS seats (1,522 government and 988 private) and 16 PG Diploma seats. The CET Cell regulates counselling for 50% state quota seats in government and corporation medical colleges, and for all seats in private and minority colleges. The remaining government college seats are allocated under the All India Quota (AIQ), administered by the Medical Counselling Committee.

Event / Counselling Stage	Expected Timeline	Action Required by Candidate
Release of Official Notification & Brochure	October 2026	Download and read information brochure carefully.
Online Registration & Document Upload	Late October – Early November 2026	Submit personal details, NEET score, upload documents, pay fee.
Publication of Provisional State Merit List (SML)	Mid-November 2026	Check SML Rank and verify category/reservation details.
CAP Round 1: Seat Matrix & Choice Filling	Mid – Late November 2026	Fill and lock college/course preferences online.
CAP Round 1: Allotment Result Declaration	Late November 2026	View seat allotment status online.
Physical Joining & Status Retention (Round 1)	Late November – Early December 2026	Submit original documents, pay tuition fee, decide on Status Retention.
CAP Round 2: Seat Matrix & Option Form Filling	Early December 2026	Submit fresh choices if eligible for upgrade/new entry.
CAP Round 2: Allotment & Reporting	Mid – Late December 2026	Mandatory reporting to newly allotted college.
CAP Round 3 (Mop-Up Round): Matrix & Choice Filling	January 2027	Choice filling for remaining vacant seats.
CAP Round 3: Result & Physical Reporting	Mid-January 2027	Report to college; Security deposit forfeiture rules apply if resigned.
Institutional Stray Vacancy Round	February 2027	Apply directly to private colleges based on merit list published by CET Cell.

Candidates are advised to regularly check the official website of the Maharashtra State CET Cell at cetcell.mahacet.org for the detailed admission schedule, information booklet, and further notifications.