Medical Counselling Committee NEET UG 2026: Counselling Schedule, 1.36 Lakh MBBS Seats.

What Is the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC)?

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is the body that handles the counselling process for medical admissions at the national level. It works under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), which comes under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

In simple words, clearing NEET UG is only the first step. To actually get a seat in a medical college, you have to go through counselling — and for a big chunk of seats, that counselling is run by the MCC.

The Medical Counselling Committee conducts counselling for:

• 15% All India Quota (AIQ) MBBS and BDS seats in government colleges

• 100% seats at AIIMS, JIPMER, BHU, AMU and other Central Universities

• 100% seats at Deemed Universities

• Seats at ESIC colleges and AFMS institutions (subject to eligibility)

• BSc Nursing seats

The remaining 85% state quota seats are filled by the respective state counselling authorities, not the MCC. So if you are aiming for a college in your home state, you may need to track both the MCC schedule and your state's schedule at the same time.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling: When Will the Schedule Release?

This is the question on every aspirant's mind. As of July 28, 2026, the MCC has not yet released the official counselling schedule. The notification is expected to appear on mcc.nic.in soon, most likely in the first two weeks of August 2026.

Here is how the timeline is shaping up, based on past years and the current situation. Please treat these as expected dates until the MCC confirms them officially.

For reference, last year the MCC released the NEET UG schedule on July 12, 2025, Round 1 registration started on July 21, 2025, and the first allotment result came out on July 31, 2025. This year the calendar has moved back by a few weeks.

Why Is NEET UG 2026 Counselling Delayed This Year?

The delay is not random. The whole NEET UG 2026 cycle was pushed back because of a big development earlier in the year.

The original NEET UG 2026 exam, scheduled for May 3, 2026, was cancelled by the National Testing Agency (NTA) after allegations of a paper leak. A fresh exam — the Re-NEET UG 2026 — was held on June 21, 2026, across 5,440 centres in 551 cities in India and 14 international cities.

The final result was then declared on July 16, 2026, with roughly 11.28 lakh out of about 22 lakh candidates clearing the exam. Because the exam itself happened almost two months late, the entire admission and counselling calendar shifted along with it. That is why registration has not opened yet.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix: Big Jump in Seats

Here is some good news for aspirants. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has released the seat matrix, and the number of seats has gone up sharply this year.

A total of 1,36,939 MBBS seats are on offer for the 2026-27 session across 823 medical colleges — that is 9,911 more MBBS seats than last year.

MBBS Seats: Government vs Private

So this year, private medical colleges added far more new seats than government colleges. For students, more seats overall means slightly better chances during the counselling rounds.

Who Handles Which Seats? AIQ vs State Quota

A lot of students get confused between MCC counselling and state counselling. Here is the simple version.

Important tip: If you are eligible for both, register for both. AIQ seats left vacant after certain rounds are handed back to the states, so tracking both timelines gives you more options.

NEET UG 2026 Eligibility & Qualifying Cutoff

To take part in MCC counselling, you must first qualify NEET UG 2026 by scoring at or above the minimum percentile for your category.

The qualifying cutoff marks for 2026 rose across categories. The General category qualifying band was around 715–213 marks, while the SC category band was roughly 212–177 marks at the 40th percentile.

One thing to remember: the qualifying cutoff and the admission (closing) cutoff are two different things. Qualifying only makes you eligible for counselling. The actual last rank that gets a seat in a particular college is decided during counselling and depends on demand, category and seat availability.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling Process

The counselling runs fully online. Every round follows the same simple flow.

1. Seat Matrix Released — MCC publishes the list of available seats for that round.

2. Registration & Fee Payment — Log in at mcc.nic.in, fill your details and pay the fee.

3. Choice Filling & Locking — Add your preferred colleges and courses in order of priority, then lock them. This is the most important step.

4. Seat Allotment — Seats are given based on your NEET rank, reservation and your choices.

5. Reporting to College — Download your allotment letter and report to the allotted college with original documents for verification.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling Rounds Explained

There are four rounds of MCC counselling. Here is what each one means.

Word of caution: From Round 2 onwards, if you accept a seat and then leave it, you may lose your security deposit. Decide carefully at every stage.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling Fees

There are two parts to the fee — a non-refundable registration fee and a refundable security deposit. Both are paid together during registration.

Note: These figures are based on the latest MCC pattern. If you apply for both AIQ and Deemed University seats, you pay only the higher (Deemed University) fee, not both. The security deposit is returned if you follow the rules; it may be forfeited if you exit after taking a seat in later rounds.

Documents Required for MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling

Keep both originals and photocopies ready before registration starts. You will need:

• NEET UG 2026 Admit Card

• NEET UG 2026 Scorecard / Rank Letter

• Class 10 Certificate and Marksheet (for date of birth)

• Class 12 Pass Certificate and Marksheet

• Valid government photo ID (Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, Driving Licence, etc.)

• 6–8 recent passport-size photographs

• Category / Caste certificate (if claiming reservation)

• PwBD certificate (if applicable)

Top Medical Colleges via MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling

Here are some of the most sought-after institutions you can target through MCC counselling, based on the NIRF ranking.

Along with these, seats at AMU, BHU, Delhi University colleges (LHMC, UCMS, MAMC) and top deemed universities are also filled through the MCC process.

Conclusion

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) NEET UG 2026 counselling is the final gateway between clearing NEET and actually joining a medical college. With 1.36 lakh MBBS seats, 27,868 BDS seats and thousands of AYUSH and nursing seats on the table, this year offers more opportunities than ever.

The only missing piece right now is the official date — and that is expected to land on mcc.nic.in very soon. Keep your documents ready, check the portal daily, and plan your choice filling carefully. In counselling, preparation matters just as much as your score.

Stay tuned to Shiksa for live updates on the MCC NEET UG 2026 counselling schedule the moment it is announced.

(All dates and figures are based on official notifications and the latest available information as of July 28, 2026. Candidates are advised to confirm details on the official MCC website.)