TN NEET stray round registration and choice filling for MBBS/BDS ends today

In short

The TN NEET Stray Round Registration and Choice Filling 2026 for MBBS and BDS courses closes today, October 21, 2026.
Eligible candidates must complete their college and course choices online at tnmedicalselection.net by 5 PM today.
The Tamil Nadu NEET Stray Round Seat Allotment Result 2026 is scheduled for release tomorrow, October 22, 2026.
Students allotted seats must report to their respective colleges by October 26, 2026, at 5 PM.
An additional security deposit of Rs. 5 lakh for MBBS and Rs. 2 lakh for BDS is required for participation, which is non-refundable if a candidate does not join after allotment.

The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DME), Tamil Nadu, is concluding the online registration and choice filling process for the NEET stray vacancy round for MBBS and BDS courses today, October 21, 2026. This round aims to fill remaining vacant seats in medical and dental colleges across the state after the completion of earlier counselling rounds.

Candidates who have not yet secured any MBBS or BDS seats in All India Quota or State Quota are eligible to participate. The process, including registration and choice filling, must be completed online at tnmedicalselection.net by 5:00 PM today.

Key Dates for the Stray Vacancy Round

The DME Tamil Nadu has outlined a specific schedule for the stray vacancy round. Following the closure of registration and choice filling today, the seat allotment results are slated for release tomorrow, October 22, 2026. Candidates who receive an allotment must download their provisional allotment order and report to their assigned colleges by October 26, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

The processing of seat allotment will occur on October 22, 2026, with results declared in the afternoon session. The window for downloading provisional allotment orders will be open from October 22, 2026, until October 26, 2026, 12:00 noon.

Event	Date
Registration deadline	October 21, 2026
Choice filling deadline	October 21, 2026
TN NEET seat allotment result	October 22, 2026
Download provisional allotment order	After allotment, as per portal notice
Last date to join allotted college	October 26, 2026, up to 5 PM

Eligibility Criteria and Financial Requirements

Specific eligibility criteria apply for candidates participating in this stray vacancy round. Only those who have not previously secured any MBBS or BDS seats through All India Quota or State Quota counselling are eligible. Candidates who have already joined any MBBS or BDS seats in either quota, or those who did not join seats allotted through Tamil Nadu State Counselling Round-3, are not permitted to participate.

An additional security deposit is mandated for participation: Rs. 5 lakh for MBBS courses and Rs. 2 lakh for BDS courses. This deposit is non-refundable if the candidate fails to join the allotted college. However, candidates belonging to SC/SCA/ST/SCC categories with an annual parental/guardian income below Rs. 2.5 lakh, who have submitted an income certificate, are exempt from this additional security deposit. For those who have not previously registered, a non-refundable registration fee of Rs. 500 for Government Quota and Rs. 1000 for Management Quota is also required. Candidates must have already applied to the Tamil Nadu Medical Selection Committee and be on the published merit list.

Quota-Wise Eligibility and College Joining Process

The DME Tamil Nadu has specified rank and NEET score ranges for eligibility under both Government and Management Quotas. For the Government Quota, candidates with ranks from GR 001 to GR 35,926 and NEET scores between 705 and 177 are eligible. Under the Management Quota, candidates with ranks from GR 001 to GR 26,956 and NEET scores ranging from 693 to 177 can participate.

If a candidate does not lock their choices by 5:00 P.M. on October 21, 2026, their choices will be automatically locked. Downloading the allotment order is considered as joining as per the prospectus. Certificate verification will be conducted at the selected colleges, and candidates must produce their original certificates in person at the time of joining.

Rank Range	NEET Score Range
GR 001 to GR 35,926	705 to 177

Rank Range	NEET Score Range
GR 001 to GR 26,956	693 to 177

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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