NEET UG 2026: Apply for private MBBS seats now; fees slashed up to 40%

In short

One MBBS aspirant received a 40% concession, amounting to Rs 10 lakh, on the annual fee at a deemed university in Tamil Nadu.
Another candidate secured a Rs 4.5 lakh discount from a private medical college in Rajasthan during the stray vacancy rounds.
The unprecedented fee reductions are attributed to a high number of vacant seats following a rapid increase in medical colleges and escalating tuition fees.
Medical education counsellors report receiving calls from colleges seeking candidates for unfilled spots at reduced prices.
The National Medical Commission increased MBBS seats to 1,36,939 for the 2026-27 academic year, up from 127,028 in the previous session.

In an unlike anything before development for NEET UG counselling, private medical colleges and deemed universities in states including Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Rajasthan are offering substantial discounts on MBBS seats. During the last leg and stray vacancy rounds of NEET UG counselling 2026, some institutions have reduced annual fees by up to 40% as quite a few seats remain unfilled.

This marks a notable shift in the medical education landscape, traditionally characterised by a competitive ‘seller’s market’ for MBBS admissions. The current situation is largely attributed to an unusually high quantum of vacancies, resulting from the rapid addition of newer medical colleges and seats, coupled with skyrocketing tuition fees.

Unprecedented Fee Concessions Emerge

Medical education counsellors report an unusual trend of receiving calls from medical colleges and their agents actively seeking candidates for stray vacancy rounds, often at reduced prices. Social media posts from colleges are also urging students to fill unfilled spots with bargain offers. This contrasts sharply with previous years, where discounts were rare and typically offered only for odd vacant seats in the sixth round of admissions.

One MBBS aspirant reportedly secured a Rs 10 lakh discount on the annual fee at a deemed university medical college in Tamil Nadu. This negotiation brought the annual fee down from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 15 lakh, representing a 40% concession. The total MBBS degree fees at this Tamil Nadu college, originally over Rs 1 crore, are now not expected to exceed Rs 80 lakh, including hostel and other associated costs. Another aspirant received a Rs 4.5 lakh discount from a private Rajasthan medical college. In Rajasthan, some colleges are even putting these concession agreements in writing on college letterheads, while in Karnataka and Rajasthan, candidates are required to pay the first-year fee upfront.

Rising Seats and Vacancies

The National Medical Commission (NMC) increased MBBS seats to 1,36,939 for the academic year 2026-27, a rise from 127,028 in the previous session. As of April 15, 2026, India has 819 medical colleges with 128,875 MBBS seats. This includes 455 government/government society colleges with 65,193 MBBS seats and 364 private/deemed medical colleges with 63,682 MBBS seats. The rapid expansion of seats, particularly in the private sector, appears to be a contributing factor to the current vacancies.

Government medical college fees generally range from a few thousand rupees to around ₹1 lakh per year, while private and deemed university fees typically range from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh per year, with total 5.5-year fees between ₹27 lakh and ₹1.5 crore. The NMC clarified in April 2026 that charging fees for the entire five or five-and-a-half-year period, including non-academic internship periods, is inconsistent with the prescribed academic structure.

Total MBBS Seats in India 2026 (Till 15-04-2026)
Colleges	Seats
Govt	65193
Private/Deemed	63682
Grand Total	128875

State-Wise Distribution and Counselling Process

Tamil Nadu has the highest number of medical colleges (70+), followed by Karnataka (65+), Uttar Pradesh (65+), Maharashtra (55+), and Rajasthan (30+). For 2026-27, the top five states with the highest number of seats are Karnataka (15,395), Uttar Pradesh (14,000), Tamil Nadu (13,999), Maharashtra (13,099), and Telangana (10,250).

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) conducts counselling for 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government colleges, while state authorities manage 85% state quota seats and 100% private medical college seats. Kerala is noted as an open state, allowing students from other states to participate in counselling for 15% open seats, with fees around Rs 8 lakhs per annum.

State-wise MBBS Seats in India 2026
Sr No	State Name	Govt Clg	Govt Seats	Trust Clg	Trust Seats	Total Clg	Total Seats
1	Andaman Nicobar Islands	1	114	0	0	1	114
2	Andhra Pradesh	19	3415	20	3800	39	7215
3	Arunachal Pradesh	1	100	0	0	1	100
4	Assam	15	1975	0	0	16	1975
5	Bihar	13	1645	12	1900	25	3545
6	Chandigarh	1	150	0	0	1	150
7	Chhattisgarh	11	1555	5	900	16	2455
8	Dadra and Nagar Haveli	1	177	0	0	1	177
9	Delhi	9	1296	2	100	11	1396
10	Goa	1	200	0	0	1	200
11	Gujarat	24	4325	19	3200	43	7525
12	Haryana	8	1060	9	1650	17	2710
13	Himachal Pradesh	7	820	1	150	8	970
14	Jammu & Kashmir	11	1525	2	200	13	1725
15	Jharkhand	7	855	3	400	10	1255
16	Karnataka	24	4249	48	9695	72	13944
17	Kerala	14	1855	22	3549	36	5404
18	Madhya Pradesh	21	3025	14	2700	35	5725
19	Maharashtra	43	6075	42	6749	85	12824
20	Manipur	3	375	1	150	4	525
21	Meghalaya	2	100	1	100	3	200
22	Mizoram	1	100	0	0	1	100
23	Nagaland	1	100	0	0	1	100
24	Orissa	15	1925	6	1100	21	3025
25	Pondicherry	2	423	7	1450	9	1873
26	Punjab	6	999	7	900	13	1899
27	Rajasthan	34	4630	15	2700	49	7330
28	Sikkim	0	0	1	150	1	150
29	Tamil Nadu	38	5250	40	7800	78	13050
30	Telangana	37	4390	28	5150	65	9540
31	Tripura	1	150	2	250	3	400
32	Uttar Pradesh	50	5925	37	7500	88	13425
33	Uttarakhand	6	750	4	700	10	1450
34	West Bengal	26	4149	15	2250	41	6399
Total		455	63682	363	65193	818	128875