NEET PG Counselling 2026 seat matrix released: 5,827 more seats this year

The National Medical Commission (NMC) and its Medical Assessment & Rating Board (MARB) released the Postgraduate (PG) Seat Matrix for the academic year 2026–27 on September 29, 2026. This release is for admission to postgraduate medical courses and details the approved intake capacity for colleges and institutions participating in the upcoming counselling.

The total number of MD, MS, and diploma seats has risen to approximately 58,000 for the 2026-27 academic year, marking an increase of 5,827 seats, or 11%, from the 52,173 seats available last year. This expansion affects candidates seeking admission across various medical specialties.

Overview of Seat Distribution and Increase

The newly released seat matrix indicates a significant increase in postgraduate medical seats, with private and deemed universities experiencing a 32% rise in their seat count. Government medical colleges also saw an increase, with their seats rising by 10%. Overall, branches such as anaesthesia, ophthalmology, ENT, pathology, psychiatry, and respiratory medicine recorded an increase in available seats for the current academic year.

Government medical colleges account for 29,447 seats, making up close to 56% of the total seat matrix. Private medical colleges contribute approximately 15,500 seats, while deemed universities offer around 7,000 seats. The NMC document, dated September 29, 2026, is a 197-page PDF containing more than 10,000 individual course/institute entries. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) portal had previously indicated that the seat matrix from NMC and NBEMS was awaited for the commencement of PG Counselling 2026.

The seat matrix is subject to revision based on decisions from the Appeal Committee or any other competent authority. The current matrix does not include seats related to applications for an increase in intake in existing PG courses or for the commencement of new PG courses for the academic year 2026-27. Additional PG seats or courses, if approved after that, will be incorporated into an updated seat matrix and published on the official website of the National Medical Commission. All medical colleges have been directed to ensure that admissions are made only against the approved number of seats.

State-Wise Seat Availability and Reservation Policies

The distribution of government seats varies across states. Maharashtra has approximately 3,576 government seats, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 2,901–2,964 seats, Delhi with 2,889 seats, and Tamil Nadu with 2,765 seats. Karnataka has approximately 1,844 state quota government seats and leads with over 4,500 private PG seats. The Supreme Court ruled in January 2025 that domicile-based reservation for NEET PG state quota seats is unconstitutional.

For All India Quota (AIQ) seats, specific reservations apply: OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) has 27%, SC has 15%, ST has 7.5%, and EWS has 10%. A 5% horizontal reservation is also provided for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) across all categories. The EWS reservation applies to candidates in the General category with a family income under ₹8 lakh and no large residential property or agricultural land. Private and deemed universities primarily allot seats through management and NRI quotas.

Counselling Process and Next Steps

The counselling process for NEET PG 2026 is expected to follow a centralized structure. This system will likely include 50% All India Quota (AIQ) counselling, 50% State quota counselling, Deemed university counselling, Central university counselling, DNB admissions, and Private medical college seat allocation. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is expected to conduct the AIQ counselling. In previous sessions, over 2 lakh candidates participated in PG counselling rounds across India, with AIQ registrations alone crossing 1.5 lakh in certain rounds.

Candidates should regularly monitor official updates through the Medical Counselling Committee portal (mcc.nic.in) and guidelines published under the National Medical Commission framework. Applicants must register online, fill in their preferred colleges and courses, lock their choices, and await seat allotment results. After the seat distribution process, they must download their allotment letter and report to the allotted college for document verification and admission.

Historical Context and Trends

The NEET PG seats in India have expanded consistently over the last decade, from around 31,000 seats in 2013-14 to over 52,000 core MD/MS/Diploma seats today. This growth is attributed to the opening of new medical colleges and existing ones adding PG departments. Government seats remain highly sought after due to lower fees and strong clinical exposure. The government has also steadily expanded Diplomate of National Board (DNB) seats to improve specialist availability. States including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan continue investing in postgraduate infrastructure.

In previous admission cycles, many candidates faced challenges due to incorrect choice filling, missed deadlines, or confusion regarding counselling processes. Experts anticipate stricter document verification, revised exit and resignation rules, and expanded seat blocking restrictions in the NEET PG 2026 counselling. Psychiatry and emergency medicine have witnessed notable rank inflation during recent cycles, indicating increasing competition in these specialties.

Further reading

• NEET PG 2026 seat matrix released with 58,000 MD/MS seats; PwD portal opens October 1
• NEET PG 2026: PwD candidates, apply for Round 1 from October 1
• NEET PG cutoff: previous closing ranks and marks Next step
• INI CET July 2026 session online seat allocation schedule released
• FMGE October 2026 application correction link active: edit forms by September 30
• NEET UG 2026: Uttarakhand opens Round 3 NRI quota MBBS registration until 5 October Applications open

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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