AIQ Round 2 vs state Round 2: which seat to hold when the windows overlap

For the next ten days, AIQ Round 2 and state Round 2 run side by side. MCC's Round 2 result comes on 17 November with reporting till 24 November. State Round 2 windows run from 14 to 23 November under the national schedule, and Gujarat's Round 2 registration closes on 15 November.

If you could end up with two offers, the question is which seat to hold and when to let go. This guide sets out the dates, the money at stake and five common situations, using MCC's own rules.

The two calendars, side by side

Sources: MCC revised Round 2 schedule dated 07.11.2026; MCC "AIQ and State counselling schedule PG 2026". State dates are the national framework; your state's own notice decides the exact days.

Note the data-sharing dates. MCC and the states exchange lists of joined candidates so that no one holds two seats into the next round. Plan on holding only one seat at a time.

Gujarat this week

Gujarat's admission committee (ACPPGMEC) opened Round 2 registration on 12 November for candidates who did not register in Round 1. PIN purchase closes at 2 pm and online registration at 5 pm on 15 November. Document verification at help centres is on 16 November. The PIN costs Rs 28,000: a Rs 3,000 non-refundable fee plus a Rs 25,000 refundable deposit. Gujarat has not yet announced Round 2 choice filling or allotment dates.

1. 14 Nov

   State Round 2 window opens (national schedule)

2. 15 Nov, 5 pm

   Gujarat Round 2 registration closes

3. 15 Nov, 11:55 pm

   MCC Round 2 choice locking closes

4. 17 Nov

   MCC Round 2 result

5. 23 Nov

   State Round 2 window ends

6. 24 Nov

   Last day to report for AIQ Round 2; MCC shares joined data

7. 30 Nov

   Last day to join state Round 2 seat

8. 1 Dec

   States share joined-candidate data

Sources: MCC Round 2 schedule (07.11.2026); MCC AIQ and State counselling schedule PG 2026; Medical Dialogues on Gujarat (13 Nov 2026).

The rule that decides most cases

MCC's bulletin is short on this. If you hold an AIQ seat and get a state seat:

• From a Round 1 AIQ seat: you could exit free. That window closed on 9 November at 6 pm.
• From a Round 2 AIQ seat: you can resign to take the state seat, but with forfeiture of your MCC security deposit.
• From a Round 3 AIQ seat: you cannot resign at all.

Float candidates resign online through the MCC portal. Freeze candidates resign in person at their institute. Either way, the resignation must be recorded on MCC's portal; MCC does not accept offline resignations.

What forfeiture costs

Source: MCC PG Information Bulletin 2026, FAQ 7 and 8.

Now compare that with what can differ between two seats. Govt PG stipends in our database range from about Rs 42,000 to Rs 1.27 lakh a month by state. Over 36 months, that gap is roughly Rs 30 lakh. A Rs 25,000 deposit is small next to a better branch, a better college or a seat near home. A Rs 2 lakh deemed deposit is a bigger call, so do the full maths before you switch.

Your MCC seat	Deposit forfeited	Can you still resign?
AIQ Round 2, UR/EWS	Rs 25,000	Yes, with forfeiture
AIQ Round 2, reserved	Rs 10,000	Yes, with forfeiture
Deemed Round 2	Rs 2,00,000	Yes, with forfeiture
Any Round 3 seat	Full deposit if not joined	No

Source: MCC PG Information Bulletin 2026.

Five situations, and what we would do

1. You hold a Round 1 AIQ seat and your state Round 2 is open

Register for state Round 2 if your state allows candidates holding an AIQ seat to take part; rules differ by state, so read your state bulletin. Fill state choices only for seats you clearly prefer to your AIQ seat. If a state seat comes through after you have joined an AIQ Round 2 upgrade, you will pay the forfeiture to switch, so weigh it first.

2. You get an AIQ Round 2 seat on 17 November and your state result is not out

This is the hardest case. AIQ reporting closes on 24 November, and some state results may land after that. Our default: join the AIQ seat by the deadline so you are not left with nothing. If the state then offers something clearly better, resign the AIQ seat and accept the forfeiture. Do not skip AIQ reporting in the hope of a state seat you have not been allotted.

3. You have no seat anywhere

Stay in both. Lock a full AIQ list by 11:55 pm on 15 November and register in your state's Round 2. Rank only seats you will join, because a skipped Round 2 seat costs your deposit in MCC and may carry penalties in your state too.

4. Deemed AIQ seat vs government state seat

A government seat usually wins on money: a deemed seat costs about Rs 30-50 lakh a year in our database, while a govt seat pays you a stipend. Losing the Rs 2 lakh deposit to move from deemed to govt is still often worth it, but check the state seat's bond first. Govt and district DNB seats can carry one- to two-year bonds with penalties of Rs 10-50 lakh. State service bonds vary widely, so read your state bulletin.

5. Same branch, AIQ college far away vs state college near home

Look past the label. On the Nachiket Bhatia Show, OBG consultants advised choosing colleges with 300 or more deliveries a month, and radiologists said a metro DNB with working machines can beat a peripheral MD. Ask residents at both colleges about case load, stipend timing and duty hours. If the training is similar, the cheaper, closer seat with the better stipend and lighter bond is usually the better life.

~Rs 42,000/month

Lowest govt PG stipend in our data

~Rs 1.27 lakh/month

Highest govt PG stipend in our data

~Rs 30 lakh

Stipend gap over 3 years

Rs 30-50 lakh/year

Typical deemed fee (clinical)

Source: Career Paathshala branch database, Nov 2026. Indicative figures.

Common mistakes in the overlap

• Holding two seats into the next round. The data exchange on 24 November and 1 December exists to catch this.
• Resigning offline. MCC treats offline resignations as invalid, and the seat may not be released.
• Forgetting the Round 3 lock. A Round 3 AIQ seat cannot be resigned. If you are still waiting on a state seat, think hard before entering AIQ Round 3.
• Trusting aggregator dates. Several sites have printed conflicting Round 2 dates. Use MCC and your state portal only.

What this means for you

• Holding a Round 1 AIQ seat you are happy with: You do not need to chase a state seat. Stay put unless a clear upgrade appears.
• Waiting on a state seat in your home state: Join any AIQ Round 2 seat you are allotted by 24 November, then decide when the state result is out. Budget for the forfeiture.
• Gujarat domicile without Round 1 registration: Finish registration by 5 pm on 15 November and book your document verification slot for 16 November.
• Deemed AIQ allottee: Compare the full three-year cost with any govt state seat before reporting day, including the bond.
• Reserved category: Your MCC deposit is lower (Rs 10,000), so switching for a better state seat costs less.

Two offers and one deadline? Compare the branches on Know Your Branch or book a counselling call with our team to work through your case.

Change log: Published 14 Nov 2026