NEET UG 2026 Stray Round schedule released: register by October 26

The State Common Entrance Test Cell Maharashtra has released the schedule for the MAH NEET UG 2026 Stray Round for MBBS and BDS admissions under Group A. The schedule, published on October 12, 2026, on medical2026.mahacet.org and cetcell.mahacet.org, outlines the final counselling phase for the 2026-27 academic year.

This Stray Round aims to fill vacant MBBS and BDS seats remaining after Round 3 of the Centralized Admission Process (CAP). All NEET UG 2026 qualified candidates who do not currently hold an allotted and joined seat are eligible to participate, provided they complete a fresh registration and submit new preferences.

Stray Round Eligibility and Registration Process

The MAH NEET UG 2026 Stray Round is open to all candidates who qualified for NEET UG 2026. However, aspirants who currently hold an allotted and joined seat are not eligible. Candidates who were allotted seats in earlier rounds but did not join are permitted to apply. Fresh registration is mandatory for all participants in this round, and the CET Cell will verify details before confirming registrations.

To register, candidates must visit the official portal, medical2026.mahacet.org, and click on the Stray Round registration link under Notice No. 23. The final admission will depend on seat availability in participating institutes. The counselling process for earlier rounds began on August 6, 2026, with the Round 1 seat allotment declared on August 23, 2026, and the CAP Round 2 selection list released on September 12, 2026. The Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Round 3 provisional selection list was available on October 11, 2026, with a reporting deadline of October 14, 2026.

Required documents for verification include the NEET UG 2026 scorecard and admit card, Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets, a Domicile certificate of Maharashtra, Caste and non-creamy layer certificates (if applicable), Aadhaar card, a recent passport-size photograph, and a Nationality certificate. NRI applicants will compete for institutional-quota seats on merit, with no separate NRI quota under this process.

Important Dates and Deadlines

The State CET Cell Maharashtra has outlined a detailed schedule for the Stray Round, encompassing multiple sub-rounds for seat matrix publication, choice filling, selection lists, and physical joining. The process is designed anyway by the Medical Counselling Committee’s (MCC) final joining deadline of October 26, 2026. Candidates allotted seats in Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Round 3 are not permitted to participate in subsequent rounds, regardless of whether they joined their allotted seat.

The last date to resign without penalty for Round 1 is October 20, 2026, up to 5:30 PM. The revised annual tuition for government, government-aided, and corporation medical colleges is ₹1,67,300. ASPL CSMSS Medical College, Gangapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (code 1380), was included in Round 3, with Notice No. 21 stating that deemed-university fee terms apply to all categories for this institution, excluding government scholarship, freeship, and fee reimbursement benefits.

Documents Required for Verification

Candidates participating in the Stray Round must ensure they have all necessary documents ready for verification during the physical joining process. The CET Cell will conduct a thorough check of these documents to confirm eligibility and complete the admission process. Failure to present the required original documents may lead to the cancellation of admission.

The MCC’s October 10 notice directed states to filter candidates holding joined All India Quota (AIQ) seats up to Round 3 before State Round 3 processing, a measure aimed at streamlining the counselling process and preventing dual admissions. Candidates are advised to download Notice No. 23 from medical2026.mahacet.org and read it fully before proceeding with registration and choice filling.

Further reading

• Karnataka M.Sc Nursing exam postponed, AYUSH NEET UG round 1 option entry open until October 12
• Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 round 3 result out: 11,340 candidates allotted seats; report by October 14
• National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG) admit card: release date and how to download Next step
• KCET: Apply for SJM College of Pharmacy B.Pharm, D.Pharma, Pharm.D by 2026 admissions
• Common University Entrance Test application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply
• National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (UG): 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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