NEET UG 2026: Report to allotted colleges by October 26

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) announced today, 23 October 2026, that 837 MBBS seats remain vacant across India following the conclusion of the NEET UG 2026 stray vacancy round counselling. This includes All India Quota seats, with a significant concentration of these unfilled positions in deemed universities located in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

High tuition fees are being cited as the primary reason for the substantial number of vacant seats, particularly in these regions. Educationists and career counsellors highlight a considerable disparity in annual fees compared to private institutions in other parts of the country, impacting high-scoring candidates’ ability to secure admission.

Concentration of Vacant Seats and High Fees

A total of 824 of the 837 vacant MBBS seats are in deemed universities within Tamil Nadu and Puducherry alone. Specific institutions in these regions show a high number of unfilled seats, such as Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai with 188 vacancies, Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute in Kancheepuram with 117, and Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry with 92. Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital in Chennai also has 82 vacant seats. Outside this region, AIIMS Madurai has one vacant seat, and Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute in Kolar, Karnataka, has 12.

The annual tuition fees at these institutions are notably high. Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute charges Rs 21 lakh per year, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute charges Rs 24 lakh per year, and Meenakshi Medical College’s 2025–26 admission brochure listed its annual tuition fee at Rs 23 lakh. Overall, annual MBBS fees in deemed universities across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry reportedly range between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 35 lakh per year, including other charges that can push the total to Rs 30 lakh. This contrasts with an average annual fee of around Rs 17 lakh in private institutions across other parts of India. Hostel and mess fees in private institutions further add Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh per year.

Counselling Process and Reporting Deadline

The MCC released the provisional NEET UG 2026 stray round result on 19 October 2026. Candidates who have been allotted seats in this final round of counselling are required to report to their respective colleges for admission between 19 and 26 October 2026. The MCC has stated that candidates who do not report by the deadline of 26 October 2026 will face automatic cancellation of their allotted seat, with no extension currently announced.

The NEET UG 2026 counselling process included four main rounds: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and the stray vacancy round. The Round 3 result was declared on 30 September 2026, with reporting from 1 to 9 October 2026. Registration for the stray round took place from 12 to 14 October 2026, followed by choice filling from 12 to 15 October 2026. The final stray round result was released on 17 October 2026.

Possibility of a Special Stray Vacancy Round

The MCC is yet to announce whether an additional round of counselling, known as a special stray vacancy round, will be conducted to fill the remaining 837 MBBS seats. While such rounds have been implemented in previous years, including NEET UG 2021, 2023, and 2025, no official announcement has been made for NEET UG 2026 as of 20 October 2026. In 2021, a special stray vacancy round was held online to fill approximately 323 MBBS seats, requiring fresh choice filling but no new registration.

A senior educationist stated that NEET has “failed in both of its objectives — neither ensure merit nor curb commercialisation of medical education,” attributing this to the high fees. Another senior educationist noted, “The lesser scorer who is financially sound applies and secures the seat.” Higher education career counsellors have also highlighted the substantial fee disparity over the course duration. The decision on whether to conduct an additional round rests with the MCC.

Further reading

• NEET: Do not pay cash for admission; fraud surfaced October 10, 2026
• NEET UG 2026 Round 3 admissions conclude for MBBS at Medical College, Kolkata
• NEET cutoff: previous closing ranks and marks Next step
• KCET registration 2027 to open tentatively in January, application fee details
• KEAM 2026: Apply for 84 MBBS, 106 BDS stray seats. CEE to announce dates
• NEET: 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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