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

In short

One MBBS aspirant received a 40% concession, amounting to Rs 10 lakh, on annual fees 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 fee reductions are attributed to an unusually high number of vacant seats, driven by a rapid increase in new medical colleges and escalating tuition costs.
Medical education counsellors report unprecedented negotiations for undergraduate admission fees, a shift from the traditional seller's market.
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 across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Rajasthan are offering substantial discounts on MBBS seats, with concessions reaching up to 40%. This marks a significant shift in the medical admissions space, traditionally characterised by high demand and limited negotiation.

The fee reductions are occurring during the last leg and stray vacancy rounds of NEET UG counselling 2026, directly impacting aspirants seeking admission to some of the costliest medical programmes. This situation is largely attributed to an unusually high quantum of vacancies, a consequence of the rapid addition of newer medical colleges and seats, coupled with skyrocketing tuition fees.

Unprecedented Fee Concessions Emerge

Medical education counsellors report receiving calls from colleges and their agents actively seeking candidates for the stray vacancy rounds, a departure from previous years. One MBBS aspirant successfully negotiated a 40% concession, reducing the annual fee at a deemed university in Tamil Nadu from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 15 lakh, a discount of Rs 10 lakh. This brought the total MBBS degree fees at the Tamil Nadu college, including hostel and other costs, to not exceed Rs 80 lakh, down from an original figure of over Rs 1 crore.

Similarly, another aspirant secured a Rs 4.5 lakh discount from a private Rajasthan medical college. Social media posts from various colleges are also urging students to fill unfilled spots at a bargain. Medical education counsellors describe these negotiations for undergraduate admission fees as brand new, noting that it has historically been a seller’s market. Private colleges in Karnataka and Rajasthan, along with deemed universities in Tamil Nadu, are reportedly willing to reduce their prices. In Rajasthan, concession agreements are being put in writing on college letterheads, while in Karnataka and Rajasthan, candidates are required to pay the first-year fee upfront.

Rising Seat Numbers and High Fees Contribute to 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 had 819 medical colleges offering 128,875 MBBS seats. This includes 455 government/government society colleges with 65,193 seats and 364 private/deemed medical colleges with 63,682 seats.

Government medical college fees generally range from a few thousand rupees to around ₹1 lakh per year. In contrast, private and deemed university fees typically range from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh per year, with total 5.5-year fees varying between ₹27 lakh and ₹1.5 crore. The MBBS academic program consists of 4.5 years of academic study followed by one year of compulsory rotating internship. 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

Geographical Distribution and Counselling Process

Tamil Nadu leads with over 70 medical colleges, followed by Karnataka (65+), Uttar Pradesh (65+), Maharashtra (55+), and Rajasthan (30+). For the 2026-27 academic year, 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 operates 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. The NEET UG 2026 exam was conducted on May 3, 2026, with results expected by June 14, 2026. Out of 20 lakh candidates who appeared, 11.21 lakh qualified, with over 58% of all qualified candidates being women.

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