MCC NEET UG Counselling 2026 Schedule Out: Registration Dates, Fees, Freeze-Float Rules and Rounds

Quick Answer

The MCC NEET UG counselling 2026 schedule is officially released.

MCC published the UG Information Bulletin 2026, the AIQ counselling schedule and the combined AIQ–State counselling schedule on 1 August 2026.

Round 1 registration will begin on 5 August 2026. It is not yet active as of 1 August.

The most important change this year is the introduction of two candidate options after seat allotment:

• Freeze: Keep the allotted seat and do not request an upgrade.
• Float: Provisionally keep the allotted seat and request an upgrade in the next round.

Float candidates in Round 1 and Round 2 can complete document verification online instead of immediately travelling to the allotted college. Freeze candidates must physically report to the allotted institute.

Important: Both Freeze and Float candidates must upload clear scanned documents on the MCC portal within the reporting period.

Latest MCC NEET UG 2026 Status

MCC NEET UG Counselling 2026 Schedule

Round 1 Schedule

Round 2 Schedule

Round 3 Schedule

Online Stray Vacancy Round

All participating colleges have been directed to treat Saturdays, Sundays and gazetted holidays as working days during counselling.

Which Seats Are Covered Through MCC?

MCC conducts counselling for:

• 15% All India Quota seats in participating government medical and dental colleges
• 100% MBBS seats in AIIMS
• 100% seats in JIPMER Puducherry and Karaikal
• Deemed university MBBS and BDS seats
• Banaras Hindu University
• Aligarh Muslim University
• Notified Delhi University seats
• Jamia Millia Islamia BDS seats
• VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital
• ABVIMS and Dr RML Hospital
• ESIC Insured Person quota
• IP University institutional seats handled through MCC
• AFMC registration
• Central-institute B.Sc. Nursing seats

State counselling remains separate. MCC registration does not automatically register a candidate for the home-State counselling process.

Major New Rule: Freeze and Float

MCC has introduced a new reporting and upgradation system for 2026.

Previously, candidates seeking an upgrade had to physically report to the allotted college before moving to the next round.

For 2026, candidates will choose between Freeze and Float after allotment.

What Does Freeze Mean?

Choose Freeze when:

• You are satisfied with the allotted seat.
• You do not want an upgrade in the next round.
• You want to finally join and retain that seat.

A Freeze candidate must:

1. Upload the required scanned documents on the MCC portal.
2. Physically report to the allotted institute.
3. Carry original documents.
4. Complete physical document verification.
5. Pay the college admission fee.
6. Obtain the final admission confirmation.

If the documents are valid, the admission will be confirmed.

If the documents do not support the candidate’s claim, the admission may be cancelled.

What Does Float Mean?

Choose Float when:

• You want to keep the allotted seat provisionally.
• You want to participate for an upgrade in the next round.
• You are willing to accept a higher choice from your next-round preference list.

A Float candidate must:

1. Submit willingness for upgradation through the MCC portal.
2. Upload clear scanned documents.
3. Complete online document verification by the allotted institute.
4. Respond quickly if the institute raises a document query.
5. Re-upload corrected documents within the reporting period.
6. Download the provisional admission letter after successful verification.
7. Submit fresh choices for the next round.

A Float candidate generally does not need to physically visit the allotted college during the initial online verification stage in Round 1 or Round 2.

However, physical reporting becomes mandatory according to the later-round outcome and MCC rules.

Mandatory Document Upload for Both Freeze and Float

Both categories must upload documents on the MCC portal.

The upload is generally a one-time requirement for the counselling rounds. Candidates who successfully uploaded documents in Round 1 may not need to upload the same documents again in Round 2.

MCC advises candidates to upload the documents as early as possible, preferably within two or three days after publication of the final allotment result.

Do not upload:

• Blurred certificates
• Cropped documents
• Wrong category certificates
• Expired certificates
• Documents with a name mismatch
• Incomplete NRI records
• Unsupported PwBD or institutional claims

If the institute raises a query, the candidate must correct the document within the reporting schedule. Delay may lead to cancellation of the allotted seat.

What Happens in Round 1?

Round 1 provides the greatest flexibility.

After allotment, a candidate may:

• Use free exit by not joining the allotted seat
• Choose Freeze and physically join
• Choose Float and request an upgrade online
• Resign within the permitted Round 1 window
• Continue participating in State counselling

A Round 1 allotted candidate who does not want the seat may exit without forfeiture of the security deposit, subject to the official process.

Candidates who want an upgrade should select Float rather than physically completing final admission as a no-upgrade candidate.

What Happens in Round 2?

Fresh choices are compulsory for Round 2. Round 1 choices are not automatically carried forward.

Candidates eligible for Round 2 can include:

• Registered candidates who received no Round 1 seat
• Round 1 Float candidates
• Round 1 free-exit candidates
• Candidates who resigned within the permitted Round 1 process
• Fresh candidates registering for the first time in Round 2

If a candidate is upgraded in Round 2:

• The Round 1 seat is automatically released.
• The candidate has no further claim on the old seat.
• The candidate must follow the reporting and upgradation instructions for the new seat.

A candidate allotted a Round 2 seat who does not join will lose the refundable security deposit.

A candidate leaving a Round 2 seat may be eligible for Round 3 only after following the resignation rules and making the required fresh payment.

What Happens in Round 3?

Round 3 carries a much stronger commitment.

After the Round 3 result:

• Physical reporting is mandatory for fresh Round 3 allottees.
• Physical reporting is mandatory for candidates whose earlier Float seat is retained.
• Physical reporting is mandatory for candidates upgraded in Round 3.
• Non-joining leads to security-deposit forfeiture.
• Resignation from a Round 3 allotted seat is not allowed.
• The candidate cannot participate in further counselling rounds after joining the Round 3 seat.

Do not keep an unwanted college active in the Round 3 choice list.

Every Round 3 choice should be a college the student is ready to join.

What Happens in the Stray Vacancy Round?

The Stray Vacancy Round fills seats left after the three main rounds.

Candidates should enter the Stray Vacancy Round only when:

• They are officially eligible.
• They are not blocked through the joined-candidate or allotted-candidate data.
• Every selected college is acceptable.
• The full fee is financially possible.
• The candidate can report immediately.

If a candidate is allotted a Stray Vacancy seat, joining is compulsory.

Non-joining leads to security-deposit forfeiture and elimination from further rounds, where applicable.

MCC Registration Fees for 2026

MCC charges:

1. A non-refundable registration fee
2. A refundable security deposit

AIQ, Central Universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, AFMC and ESIC

Deemed University Participation

Candidates applying for both government/central routes and deemed university seats pay the higher deemed-university amount rather than paying both fee sets separately.

These amounts are MCC counselling charges. College tuition, hostel, university fees and other admission charges are separate.

When Is the Security Deposit Refunded?

Eligible security deposits are refunded after completion of all counselling rounds.

The refund is returned to the same bank account, card or payment source used during registration.

Do not use an unrelated person’s bank account unless the family is prepared for the refund to return to that same account.

MCC states that after it announces completion of counselling, the Financial Custodian will initiate eligible refunds within 15 days and complete the process within 30 days of the notification.

The registration fee is non-refundable.

When Can the Security Deposit Be Forfeited?

The security deposit may be forfeited when:

• A candidate receives a Round 2 or later-round seat and does not join
• A candidate’s admission is cancelled because of wrong information
• Required documents are not produced
• The category or eligibility claim is not supported
• A candidate leaves a seat under a forfeiture rule
• A Round 3 or Stray Vacancy allottee does not report

Always check the exact rule applicable to the round before resigning or skipping reporting.

How to Register for MCC Counselling

When the candidate activity link becomes active:

1. Open the official MCC UG Medical Counselling page.
2. Select the 2026 new-registration link.
3. Enter the NEET UG application and candidate details.
4. Verify the pre-populated NTA information.
5. Enter the required counselling details.
6. Select the correct category and seat route.
7. Pay the registration fee and security deposit.
8. Download the successful-payment receipt.
9. Check that registration shows as completed.
10. Start choice filling during the official window.

A candidate can submit only one MCC counselling registration.

Multiple applications can lead to cancellation and debarment.

Use the same mobile number and email used during NTA registration because MCC OTPs will be sent to those registered contact details.

Choice Filling and Locking

Choice filling for Round 1 starts on 6 August 2026.

Candidates should prepare a list before opening the portal.

For every choice, check:

• College name
• Course
• Quota
• Category
• Previous closing rank
• Current seat matrix
• Tuition
• Hostel
• Bond
• Location
• Hospital and patient flow
• Willingness to join

Arrange choices in genuine preference order.

Do not place a less-preferred college above a more-preferred college merely because its cutoff looks safer.

Once choices are locked, they cannot be changed or unlocked, even by MCC.

Use:

• NEET UG College PredictorNEET UG College Predictorhttps://hireguideeducation.org/predictor
• NEET Cutoff ExplorerNEET Cutoff Explorerhttps://hireguideeducation.org/cutoff
• Medical College DirectoryMedical College Directoryhttps://hireguideeducation.org/colleges
• Choice Filling ToolChoice Filling Toolhttps://hireguideeducation.org/choice-filling

MCC and State Counselling Together

Candidates may participate in MCC and State counselling during Round 1 and Round 2, subject to the applicable rules.

The candidate should maintain a combined calendar for:

• MCC registration
• State registration
• Choice filling
• Results
• Reporting
• Freeze or Float selection
• Resignation
• State joining
• Security-deposit consequences

MCC and State authorities will share joined and allotted candidate data for later-round weeding out.

A candidate joining or holding a seat in one system may become ineligible for a later round in another system.

Never assume that an MCC seat can be retained after joining a preferred State seat. Complete the official surrender or resignation process first.

Documents Candidates Should Prepare Now

Prepare original documents, photocopies and clear scanned PDFs.

Important documents can include:

• NEET UG 2026 scorecard
• NEET UG admit card
• Class 10 certificate
• Class 10 marksheet
• Class 12 marksheet
• Class 12 passing certificate
• Government photo identity proof
• Passport-size photographs
• Category certificate
• Central OBC-NCL certificate
• EWS certificate
• PwBD certificate
• NRI documents
• CW documents
• ESIC eligibility documents
• Institutional quota documents
• Transfer certificate
• Migration certificate
• Character certificate
• Medical fitness certificate

Certificate requirements differ according to the candidate’s category and seat route.

What Students Should Do Before 5 August

1. Download the MCC Information Bulletin 2026.
2. Save the official AIQ schedule.
3. Verify the NEET application number and contact details.
4. Prepare clear scanned documents.
5. Confirm Central category eligibility.
6. Check NRI, PwBD, CW or ESIC claims.
7. Decide whether deemed universities are financially possible.
8. Arrange the registration amount.
9. Research colleges and fees.
10. Prepare an offline Round 1 preference list.
11. Add MCC and State dates to one calendar.
12. Join the Hire Guide Education WhatsApp Channel for verified reminders.

Useful Hire Guide Education Links

• NEET UG Counselling HubNEET UG Counselling Hubhttps://hireguideeducation.org/counsellings/neet-ug
• NEET UG College PredictorNEET UG College Predictorhttps://hireguideeducation.org/predictor
• NEET Cutoff ExplorerNEET Cutoff Explorerhttps://hireguideeducation.org/cutoff
• Medical College DirectoryMedical College Directoryhttps://hireguideeducation.org/colleges
• Choice Filling ToolChoice Filling Toolhttps://hireguideeducation.org/choice-filling
• Counselling PlansCounselling Planshttps://hireguideeducation.org/pricing
• NEET UG 2026 Result AnalysisNEET UG 2026 Result Analysishttps://hireguideeducation.org/blog/neet-ug-2026-result-official-status-scorecard-air-next-steps

Final Takeaway

MCC NEET UG counselling 2026 has officially entered the schedule stage.

Round 1 registration begins on 5 August 2026, choice filling starts on 6 August, and the Round 1 result will be declared on 17 August 2026.

The biggest change is the new Freeze and Float system.

Freeze candidates keep the allotted seat and physically join the college. Float candidates request an upgrade and complete initial document verification online.

The safest counselling strategy combines:

Official AIR + correct eligibility + current seat matrix + complete fees + genuine choice order + correct Freeze/Float decision + strict deadline tracking.