NEET PG counselling 2026 Round 1 registration open, Maharashtra streamlines admissions

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has commenced the NEET PG counselling 2026 Round 1 registration and fee payment, with the window open from October 12, 2026, to October 21, 2026. Aspiring candidates for postgraduate medical courses can complete their registration and fee payment online through the official MCC website. Choice filling and locking for this round are scheduled from October 13, 2026, to October 22, 2026.

This year’s counselling process integrates new regulations, particularly in Maharashtra, aimed at enhancing transparency in admissions. The NEET PG exam 2026 was conducted on August 30, 2026, and its results were released on September 24, 2026. The internship cut-off date for NEET PG 2026 is on or before September 30, 2026.

MCC NEET PG Counselling Schedule and Fees

The MCC is responsible for conducting online counselling for 50% All India Quota (AIQ) postgraduate medical seats, as well as admissions to participating central universities, deemed universities, and ESIC institutes. The registration deadline for Round 1 is October 21, 2026, at 12 Noon, with the fee payment facility available until 3:00 PM on the same day. The Round 1 seat allotment result is scheduled for October 24, 2026, and candidates allotted seats can report to their respective institutes from October 26, 2026, to November 2, 2026.

The fee structure for MCC NEET PG 2026 counselling varies by category and institution type. Unreserved aspirants for AIQ and Central University seats are required to pay a non-refundable registration fee of ₹1,000, while SC, ST, OBC, and PwD aspirants pay ₹500. For Deemed University aspirants, the non-refundable registration fee is ₹5,000. Refundable security amounts also differ, with ₹25,000 for AIQ General, ₹10,000 for AIQ Reserved, and ₹2,00,000 for Deemed Universities.

Maharashtra’s Centralised Admission Process

The Maharashtra government, through the State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell Maharashtra), notified new rules on October 5, 2026, discontinuing the institutional-level admission round for PG medical and dental courses. This change means all admissions in Maharashtra, including institutional and NRI quota seats, will now be conducted through a centralised online process. Previously, private medical and dental colleges in Maharashtra conducted their own admission rounds for institutional quota seats after the state-level counselling concluded. This practice had drawn criticism for alleged lack of transparency, with parent representative Shenoy stating 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.” A senior official also noted that “repeated concerns raised during earlier admission cycles led to discussions on whether the institutional round should continue at all.”

Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif commented on these changes, stating, “these changes are intended to make the admission process more transparent and quality-based.” The new regulations align with directions previously issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which had mandated centralised admission processes for all medical seats. The online registration fee for Maharashtra PG Counselling 2026 is ₹3,000 for all candidates. Security deposits for Maharashtra PG Counselling 2026 range from ₹25,000 for government college seats (General category) to ₹1,00,000 for private college seats. For reserved category candidates in government colleges, the security deposit is ₹12,500. A significant policy change includes a two-year admission ban for candidates failing to join an allotted seat in the final CAP round in Maharashtra, a policy already in effect for NEET UG undergraduate admissions in the state.

Overall NEET PG 2026 Counselling Timeline

The NEET PG 2026 counselling process is structured into multiple rounds for both All India Quota (AIQ) and State Quota seats. Following the MCC’s AIQ Round 1, the State Counselling Round 1 is scheduled from October 21, 2026, to November 2, 2026, with the last date for college joining being November 10, 2026. Subsequent rounds for both AIQ and State counselling will follow, extending until the end of December 2026.

The procedural framework of the counselling process reflects directives issued by the Supreme Court, which mandated the elimination of domicile reservations across postgraduate state quota seats, ensured transparency through disclosure of question papers and answer keys, and required the stray vacancy round to be conducted strictly online by the MCC. The total PG seats available for NEET PG counselling in 2025 were 49,907, covering MD, MS, and PG Diploma programmes across various specialisations.

Further reading

• Tamil Nadu NEET PG merit list out: download PDF for 4,654+ MD/MS/Diploma seats
• Jharkhand NEET PG 2026 round 1 counselling schedule released: apply by October 25
• NEET PG cutoff: previous closing ranks and marks Next step
• INI CET November 2027 form correction window opens: rectify rejected details by October 19
• NEET UG Stray Round 2026 registration opens for Haryana MBBS, BDS seats; apply by October 19 Applications open
• NEET PG: 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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