NEET MDS 2026 stray vacancy round registration begins today; apply by 26 October

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has initiated the registration process for the NEET MDS 2026 Stray Vacancy Round counselling today, October 23, 2026. This round is for admission to postgraduate dental courses (MDS) under the 50% All India Quota (AIQ), Deemed Universities, Central Universities, and AFMS seats. Concurrently, the Directorate General of Medical Education and Training (DGME), Uttar Pradesh, is conducting its Round 3 counselling for state quota seats.

The NEET MDS 2026 examination was conducted on May 2, 2026, with results expected by June 2, 2026. The counselling process, which began in August 2026, aims to fill remaining seats in government colleges, deemed universities, central institutions, and private dental colleges based on NEET MDS rank, category, reservation rules, and candidate choices.

MCC NEET MDS 2026 Stray Vacancy Round Schedule and Fees

Registration and payment for the MCC NEET MDS 2026 Stray Vacancy Round commenced on October 22, 2026, and will conclude on October 26, 2026, by 3:00 PM, with payment facility available until 6:00 PM on the same day. Choice filling for this round is open from October 23 to October 27, 2026, with choice locking from 4:00 PM on October 26, 2026, until 10:00 AM on October 27, 2026. The results for the Stray Vacancy Round are scheduled for October 29, 2026, and candidates must report to their allotted institutes between October 30 and November 5, 2026.

Candidates participating in the counselling must pay a non-refundable registration fee and a refundable security deposit. For unreserved and EWS candidates applying for All India Quota seats, the registration fee is Rs. 1,000 and the security deposit is Rs. 25,000. Reserved category candidates (ST/SC/OBC/PwD) for AIQ seats pay a registration fee of Rs. 500 and a security deposit of Rs. 10,000. For Deemed Universities, the registration fee is Rs. 5,000 for all categories, with a security deposit of Rs. 2,00,000.

Uttar Pradesh NEET MDS Round 3 Counselling Details

For candidates seeking admission to state quota seats in Uttar Pradesh, the Directorate General of Medical Education and Training (DGME) commenced online registration for UP NEET MDS Round 3 on October 6, 2026, at 11:00 AM. The registration deadline was October 8, 2026, at 11:00 AM, with fee payment closing at 2:00 PM on the same day. The merit list for UP NEET MDS Round 3 was declared on October 8, 2026.

Online choice filling for UP NEET MDS Round 3 was available from October 8, 2026, at 5:00 PM, until October 12, 2026, at 11:00 AM. The seat allotment result for this round was declared on October 12, 2026. Candidates who have been allotted seats are required to download their allotment letters and complete the admission process between October 13 and October 17, 2026.

Eligibility and Previous Counselling Rounds

To be eligible for NEET MDS 2026 counselling, candidates must have completed their BDS from a recognized dental college, possess a provisional or permanent registration certificate from the State Dental Council or DCI, and have completed a compulsory rotatory internship before May 31, 2026. The counselling process involves several stages including registration, fee payment, choice filling, choice locking, seat allotment, and reporting to the allotted institute.

The MCC had previously conducted Round 1 and Round 2 of NEET MDS 2026 counselling. Round 2 registration and payment took place from September 15 to September 19, 2026, with choice filling and locking from September 16 to September 20, 2026. The Round 2 result was declared on September 23, 2026, and reporting was from September 24 to September 30, 2026. Round 3 registration and payment were from October 3 to October 7, 2026, with choice filling until October 8, 2026. The Round 3 result was declared between October 10 and October 11, 2026, and reporting concluded on October 19, 2026.

Further reading

• HP NEET MDS 2026 round 3 revised merit list out, choice filling begins October 19
• NEET MDS 2026 counselling: Tamil Nadu invites applications after cut-off lowered, apply by October 19
• INI CET November 2027 registration status verification closes today, admit cards out October 26
• NEET UG 2026: Apply for vacant MBBS seats by Oct 14, 5 PM Applications open
• PGIMER application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply
• NEET MDS: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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