How Many Rounds in NEET PG Counselling? Round 1, 2, 3 and Stray Vacancy Explained
MCC runs four rounds, and each has its own rule on leaving a seat. Knowing them before you lock choices can save your deposit and your options.
Quick read
- MCC conducts four rounds for AIQ, deemed, central and DNB seats: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and stray vacancy.
- Only Round 1 has a free exit. From Round 2, skipping or resigning a seat forfeits the security deposit.
- The deposit is Rs 25,000 for AIQ (Rs 10,000 reserved categories) and Rs 2,00,000 for deemed universities.
- A Round 3 seat cannot be resigned or upgraded. Not joining it also shuts you out of further MCC rounds.
- Choices are filled fresh in every round, and the stray round is only for candidates holding no seat.
On this page
- How many rounds in NEET PG counselling, and why four
- Round by round: who can take part and what leaving costs
- Security deposit: AIQ vs deemed
- If you hold X after Round N, your options are...
- Myths students ask us about
- How state counselling rounds run in parallel
- This year's dates: NEET PG counselling 2026
- What this means for you
How many rounds in NEET PG counselling? Four. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) runs Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and a stray vacancy round for All India Quota (AIQ), deemed university, central university and DNB seats.
Each round has its own rules on who can take part, whether you can leave a seat, and what leaving costs. This explainer takes them from MCC's PG Information Bulletin 2026. This year's dates sit in one section near the end.
Hinglish TL;DR
MCC NEET PG counselling mein 4 rounds hote hain: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 aur stray vacancy.
Round 1 mein free exit hai, seat chhodne par deposit nahi kat-ta.
Round 2 se seat chhodi toh security deposit forfeit: Rs 25,000 (reserved Rs 10,000), deemed ke liye Rs 2 lakh.
Round 3 ki seat se na resign kar sakte ho, na upgrade. Har round mein choices nayi bharni hoti hain.
How many rounds in NEET PG counselling, and why four
The bulletin fixes four rounds of AIQ counselling under a scheme placed before the Supreme Court. Extra rounds happen only if the health ministry decides or a court directs.
One rule explains most of the confusion. Each round is separate, and once a round begins, its rules apply to every candidate, including those allotted earlier. So a Round 1 seat held after Round 2 starts is governed by Round 2 rules.
From 2026, an allotted candidate also picks one of two labels:
- Freeze: you are happy with the seat. You join in person and are not considered for an upgrade.
- Float: you want to upgrade. You upload documents, join online and give willingness for the next round.
Round by round: who can take part and what leaving costs
| Round | Who can take part | Free exit? | What you lose if you leave | Can you upgrade later? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Every qualified candidate who registers and pays | Yes. Not reporting counts as free exit. A joined seat can be resigned free till MCC's notified date | Nothing | Yes, to Round 2, as Float |
| Round 2 | Round 1 registrants without a seat (no fresh registration), Float candidates, new registrants | No | The security deposit, whether you skip the seat or join and resign. Round 3 then needs fresh payment | Yes, to Round 3, with willingness |
| Round 3 | New registrants, registered candidates with no seat so far, Round 2 forfeiture exits (fresh payment), seat holders who gave willingness | No. Resignation is not allowed | The deposit and your place in further MCC rounds, if you do not join | No |
| Stray vacancy | Candidates holding no seat, with fresh registration and choices. Closed to those who skipped a fresh Round 3 seat or appear in a state's joined list after state Round 3 | No | The deposit, if you do not join | No. Last round |
Source: Career Paathshala reading of MCC PG Information Bulletin 2026 (Chapters 2, 3 and 11; FAQ 8, 14, 15, 36, 37, 45, 46) and MCC Notice No. 5 dated 07.11.2026.
Two details are easy to miss. Round 2 lists clear vacancies and virtual vacancies, which open only if a Float candidate moves; our Round 2 checklist explains both. Round 3 is where vacant reserved seats convert: unfilled PwD seats return to their parent category, and unfilled SC and EWS seats become unreserved.
Round 1
Open to all registered candidates. Free exit. Join as Freeze, or Float to upgrade in Round 2. 2026: 12 to 24 Oct.
Round 2
Fresh choices. Upgrade cancels the Round 1 seat. Skipping or resigning forfeits the deposit. 2026: result 17 Nov, reporting 18 to 24 Nov.
Round 3
New registration allowed. Vacant reserved seats convert. No resignation and no upgrade after joining. 2026 schedule: 26 Nov to 4 Dec.
Stray vacancy round
Fresh registration and choices, only for candidates holding no seat. Must join if allotted. 2026 schedule: 16 to 24 Dec.
Rules from MCC PG Information Bulletin 2026. Dates from MCC's NEET-PG Schedule 2026 and Notice No. 5 dated 07.11.2026; Round 3 and stray-round dates are as scheduled, detailed notices awaited.
Security deposit: AIQ vs deemed
The refundable security deposit is Rs 25,000 for AIQ seats (Rs 10,000 for SC, ST, OBC and PwD candidates) and Rs 2,00,000 for deemed universities, in every category. The non-refundable fee is Rs 1,000 (Rs 500 reserved) for AIQ and Rs 5,000 for deemed. If you want both, you pay only the deemed amount (FAQ 7 and 9).
MCC forfeits the deposit in two cases: you are allotted a seat in Round 2 or later and do not join, or your admission is cancelled, for example for wrong information or missing documents. Refunds start only after all rounds end.
If you hold X after Round N, your options are...
| Where you stand | Your options under MCC rules |
|---|---|
| No seat after Round 1 | Deposit is safe. Enter Round 2 with the same registration and fill fresh choices |
| Round 1 seat, Freeze | Keep the seat; no upgrade. Free resignation only till MCC's notified date |
| Round 1 seat, Float | Fill only choices you prefer. If upgraded, the old seat is cancelled at once. Fill no choices and you keep the seat |
| Seat allotted in Round 2 | Join, with or without willingness for Round 3. Or leave, lose the deposit and pay afresh for Round 3 |
| Seat allotted in Round 3 | Join it. No resignation, no upgrade. Skipping costs the deposit and further MCC rounds |
| No seat after Round 3 | Register afresh for the stray round. If allotted, join or lose the deposit |
Source: MCC PG Information Bulletin 2026, Chapter 11 and FAQ 14, 18 and 19.
| Round | Free exit? | What you lose if you leave | Upgrade later? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Yes | Nothing | Yes, to Round 2 (Float) |
| Round 2 | No | Security deposit | Yes, to Round 3 (with willingness) |
| Round 3 | No; resignation not allowed | Deposit, and no further MCC rounds, if not joined | No |
| Stray vacancy | No | Deposit, if not joined | No; last round |
Source: Career Paathshala reading of MCC PG Information Bulletin 2026 (Chapter 11; FAQ 8, 14, 37, 45 and 46).
Myths students ask us about
"Do Round 1 choices carry forward?" No. Fresh choice filling is done in every round. Even the stray round ignores Round 3 choices.
"Can I join Round 3 without registering earlier?" Yes. First-time registrants are eligible for Round 3, with the fee and deposit.
"Is the stray round open to everyone?" No. It is for candidates holding no seat. The bulletin asks candidates to check eligibility before applying, and MCC issued a separate eligibility notice before this round in the 2024 cycle.
"Can I see my upgraded seat and then decide?" No. Once you are upgraded, the earlier seat is cancelled automatically and allotted to someone else.
"Will I lose the deposit if I never get a seat?" No. A candidate with no allotment gets it back.
How state counselling rounds run in parallel
States run their own rounds for state quota seats, and MCC publishes one combined calendar. Each state round opens about a week after the matching AIQ round. After each round, MCC and the states exchange lists of joined candidates, so nobody carries two seats forward.
MCC's flow chart covers the common case of an AIQ seat holder who gets a state seat. From a Round 1 seat the exit is free. From a Round 2 seat it comes with forfeiture. A Round 3 seat cannot be resigned.
State rulebooks differ. Punjab forfeits the deposit on a skipped Round 2 seat, and Uttarakhand set its own free-surrender deadline this year. Read your state's notice, and see our guides on AIQ vs state Round 2 and the state Round 2 dates tracker.
4
Rounds run by MCC: Round 1, 2, 3 and stray vacancy
Rs 25,000
AIQ security deposit, UR/EWS (Rs 10,000 for SC/ST/OBC/PwD)
Rs 2,00,000
Deemed university security deposit, all categories
Round 1 only
The only round with a free exit
Source: MCC PG Information Bulletin 2026, FAQ 7, 8 and 14.
This year's dates: NEET PG counselling 2026
Update this section each year. Last checked: 15 Nov 2026.
| Round | AIQ, deemed, central, DNB (MCC) | State quota |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 12 to 24 Oct; join by 2 Nov | 21 Oct to 2 Nov; join by 10 Nov |
| Round 2 | Revised: registration 7 to 14 Nov, result 17 Nov, reporting 18 to 24 Nov | 14 to 23 Nov; join by 30 Nov |
| Round 3 | 26 Nov to 4 Dec; join by 12 Dec | 4 to 12 Dec; join by 18 Dec |
| Stray vacancy | 16 to 24 Dec; join by 31 Dec | 22 to 25 Dec; join by 31 Dec |
Sources: MCC "NEET-PG Schedule 2026" (AIQ and state) and MCC Notice No. 5 dated 07.11.2026. The free resignation window for Round 1 seats closed on 9 Nov at 6 pm.
MCC has not yet issued detailed Round 3 and stray-round notices. Round 2 was revised once, so treat those dates as scheduled, not final.
What this means for you
No seat yet. Your deposit is safe until you are allotted a seat in Round 2 or later. Fill fresh choices each round and list only seats you would join. Our Round 2 result guide covers the coming week.
Holding a Round 1 seat. A Freeze seat stays yours. A Float seat can change, and an upgrade is final. Judge the training, not the label: on the Nachiket Bhatia Show, a radiologist said a metro DNB with working machines can beat a peripheral MD.
Holding a Round 2 seat. You can try for Round 3 with willingness, but leaving now costs the deposit. As an illustration, a stipend gap of Rs 25,000 a month between two government seats adds up to Rs 9 lakh over 36 months, so a Rs 25,000 forfeiture can be worth paying for a better seat already in hand. A Rs 2 lakh deemed deposit needs harder maths.
Also in state counselling. Mark your state's joining and surrender dates next to MCC's. Enter AIQ Round 3 only if you would join the seat, because it cannot be resigned.
Keep your papers ready for reporting. Our list of documents required for NEET PG counselling has the originals MCC asks for.
All rules here are from MCC's PG Information Bulletin 2026. State rules vary, and no round promises a seat.
Not sure which round to play and which to sit out? Compare branches on Know Your Branch, or book a counselling call with our team.
Change log: Published 15 Nov 2026
Your next step
Not sure which round to play and which to sit out? Compare branches on Know Your Branch, or book a counselling call with our team before your next round of choices.
Frequently asked questions
How many rounds are there in NEET PG counselling?
MCC conducts four rounds for All India Quota, deemed university, central university and DNB seats: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and a stray vacancy round. States run their own rounds for state quota seats on a linked calendar. Extra rounds happen only if the health ministry or a court directs.
What is free exit in NEET PG counselling?
Free exit means leaving an allotted seat without losing the security deposit. Under MCC's 2026 bulletin it is available only in Round 1: not reporting counts as free exit, and a joined Round 1 seat can be resigned free until the date MCC notifies before Round 2.
Can I participate in NEET PG Round 3 without registering in Round 1 or Round 2?
Yes. MCC's bulletin lists candidates registering for the first time as eligible for Round 3, on payment of the registration fee and security deposit. Fresh registration is also allowed in the stray vacancy round, subject to its eligibility conditions.
Who is eligible for the NEET PG stray vacancy round?
Candidates holding no seat, including fresh registrants and registered candidates never allotted a seat. Those who skipped a freshly allotted Round 3 seat cannot take part, and candidates in a state's joined list after state Round 3 are removed. MCC advises checking eligibility before applying.
What happens if I do not join a seat allotted in Round 2 or Round 3?
In Round 2 you lose the security deposit and must pay afresh to enter Round 3. In Round 3 you lose the deposit and cannot take part in further MCC rounds. The deposit is Rs 25,000 for AIQ (Rs 10,000 for reserved categories) and Rs 2,00,000 for deemed universities.
Sources
- MCC: PG Information Bulletin 2026 (counselling scheme, Chapters 2, 3 and 11; FAQ 7 to 9, 14 to 19, 34 to 37, 39, 43, 45, 46 and 50) (8 Oct 2026; read 15 Nov 2026)
- MCC: NEET-PG Schedule 2026 (All India Quota/Deemed/Central and State Quota) (8 Oct 2026; read 15 Nov 2026)
- MCC Notice No. 5: revised schedule for Round 2, PG Counselling 2026 (7 Nov 2026)
- Careers360: MCC NEET PG Counselling 2024, who is eligible for the stray vacancy round (past-year eligibility notice) (12 Feb 2025)
- BFUHS Punjab and HNBUMU Uttarakhand Round 2 notices, as verified in our 14 Nov 2026 articles (14 Nov 2026)
- Career Paathshala branch database: doctor notes (Nachiket Bhatia Show) and indicative stipend figures (Nov 2026)
Career Paathshala is an independent counselling service, not affiliated with MCC, NBEMS, NMC or any college. Figures are from official notices where stated; always confirm with the latest official notice before you lock choices.
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