The NEET UG counselling process is the e-counselling admission system for MBBS, BDS, and allied courses following the NEET examination. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Ministry of Health updates and publishes the round-wise schedule of registration, choice-filling, seat allotment, and reporting dates.

For the NEET counselling 2025 dates, the official schedule was released in mid-2025 and later revised. Aspirants are advised to observe that the MCC NEET counselling plan comprises all the rounds, such as Round 1, Round 2, and the mop-up and stray vacancy rounds. It also includes deadlines for registration, fee payment, choice locking, result declaration, and joining. 

Check out the NEET UG 2025 counselling dates, round-wise counselling schedule, fee structure, and more. 

NEET UG Counselling Dates 2025

The table below summarises the key dates for each counselling round (All India Quota, Deemed/Central Universities):

S.No	Schedule for Admission	All India Quota / Deemed & Central Universities	Verification of the Joined Candidates’ Data by MCC	State Counselling	Verification of the Joined Candidates’ Data by States
1	1st Round of Counselling	21st July, 2025 to 6th Aug., 2025	23rd Aug., 2025	9th Aug. to 18th Aug., 2025	25th to 26th Aug., 2025
2	Last date of Joining	22nd Aug., 2025	–	24th Aug., 2025	–
3	2nd Round of Counselling	Sept 4 to Sept 14, 2025 (till 12:00 Noon)	Sept 26 to Sept 27, 2025	10th Sept., 2025 to 19th Sept., 2025	26th Sept., 2025 to 27th Sept., 2025
4	Last date of Joining	Up to 2:00 AM on September 15, 2025 (payment facility deadline)	–	25th Sept., 2025	–
5	3rd Round of Counselling	Sept 29  to Oct 5, 2025	Oct 20 to 25, 2025	30th Sept., 2025 to 10th Oct., 2025	15th Oct., 2025 to 16th Oct., 2025
6	Last date of Joining	October 5, 2025	–	14th Oct., 2025	–
7	Stray Vacancy	14th Oct., 2025 to 18th Oct., 2025	–	16th Oct., 2025 to 18th Oct., 2025	–
8	Last date of Joining	25th Oct., 2025	–	25th Oct., 2025	–
9	Commencement of Academic Session for UG Courses	22nd Sept., 2025	–	–	–

Round 1 Counselling (July–August 2025)

Registration	July 21 – August 6, 2025 (with payment window also ending Aug 6)
Choice Filling/Locking	July 22 – August 7, 2025 (choice locking by Aug 7 at 8:00 AM)
Seat Allotment	August 7–8, 2025
Reporting	August 9–18, 2025. Colleges began admitting Round 1 seats on Aug 9. (MCC verified the candidates’ data on Aug 19–20.)

Notes: Candidates who got an allotment had to report by Aug 22 (the official “last date of joining” after Round 1). This round covered the 15% AIQ plus all seats of AIIMS/JIPMER/DU/BHU/AMU under the central quota.

Round 2 Counselling (Revised Dates, Sept 2025)

The MCC NEET UG counselling round 2 schedule was revised in late August 2025. Registration began on September 4, 2025 and closed on September 9, 2025 (fee payment also by Sep 9). Here are some additional details:

Choice Filling & Locking	September 5 – 14, 2025 (final locking on Sep 9, 11:55 PM)
Seat Allotment Result	September 17, 2025. MCC released Round 2 results on its portal on this date
Reporting/Joining	September 18–25, 2025. Allotted candidates needed to report to colleges with original documents within these dates. (MCC took two days for the institutes to verify students’ data.)
Eligibility	Round 2 included leftover AIQ seats and those relinquished by Round 1. Candidates who opted out of Round 1 could also participate fresh

Round 3 (Mop-Up) Counselling (Sep–Oct 2025)

Verification of Seat Matrix	Sept 27–28, 2025 (colleges verified available seats)
Registration	September 29  to October 5, 2025. The payment window likewise ran through Oct 5
Choice Filling/Locking	September 30 to October 5, 2025. (Locking within payment deadline.)
Seat Allotment Result	October 8, 2025. MCC published the final Round-3 (mop-up) allotment
Reporting/Joining	October 9 to 17, 2025. Candidates were required to join the allotted colleges by Oct 17
Verification	Institutes verified joined candidates Oct 20 to 25, 2025
Eligible Candidates	This round covered all remaining AIQ seats (15%), plus 100 % seats of central/deemed universities, including AIIMS, JIPMER, DU, BHU, AMU, ESIC, AFMC, etc.

Stray Vacancy Round (Oct 2025)

Registration	September 30 to October 2, 2025 (payment by Oct 2)
Choice Filling/Locking	September 30 to October 3, 2025
Seat Allotment Processing	October 3 to October 4, 2025
Seat Allotment Result	October 4, 2025
Reporting/Joining	October 5 to 10, 2025. Any seats still vacant after Round 3 were filled in this final round (AIQ/deemed/central only)

Types of Institutions Covered in NEET UG Counselling

Under MCC’s NEET UG counselling framework, the following categories of institutions/seats are covered:

• 15 % All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government or aided medical & dental colleges across India.
• 100 % seats in Deemed Universities offering MBBS or BDS (through MCC)
• Central / National Institutions like AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC, BHU-Central quota, AMU, etc. These also fall under MCC-managed counselling (or institutional quotas) for NEET UG.
• Institutional quota seats in certain private or self-financing colleges as per rules designated by MCC / NMC. 

Note: State quota seats (85 %) in state medical colleges are generally managed by individual state counselling authorities, not by MCC. (MCC handles AIQ, deemed/university/central seats) 

Fee Structure Overview for NEET UG Counselling

Below is a summary of the typical fee components and amounts under MCC’s counselling, especially for 15% AIQ and Deemed institutions:

Institutional Type / Seat	Non-Refundable Registration Fee	Refundable Security Deposit / Tuition Amount
15% AIQ / Central / University seats	General / EWS : ₹1,000; SC/ST/OBC/PwD:  ₹500	General/EWS : ₹10,000; SC/ST/OBC/PwD :  ₹5,000
Deemed / Private / Self-financing	₹5,000 (same for all categories)	₹2,00,000 (for all categories)

Important Clarifications:

• The registration fee is not refundable at all and must be paid in advance. 
• Security deposit (refundable / tuition amount) is deductible from the course fees in case of joining; otherwise, it is given back (in case of eligibility) at the end of the counselling process. 
• In case a candidate fails to enter the allotted seat or withdraws in an irregular manner, part or all of the refundable amount could be lost. 
• With state quota seats, the fee / security deposit structure may vary because they are determined by state authorities. 
• State counselling authority notifications should be checked by the candidates.

Step-by-Step NEET UG Counselling Process

The following is the standard sequence that the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) follows for NEET UG, MBBS, and BDS admissions under the 15% All India Quota (AIQ), as well as for deemed and central institutions:

Step 1: Release of Counselling Schedule 

• MCC announces the registration dates, choice filling dates, allotment rounds, reporting dates, etc. 
• The timetable is published upon the declaration of NEET UG results.

Step 2: Online Registration

• Applicants are enrolled on the MCC portal under the corresponding round(s). 
• They are to enter personal and academic categories, NEET score information, and upload documents.

Step 3: Payment of Counselling Fee and Security Deposit

• A non-refundable registration fee and a refundable security amount are to be paid online. 
• One cannot proceed to the choice filling without payment. 

Step 4: Choice Filling and Locking

• Applicants choose the colleges or courses they would like to attend by ranking them.
• Once satisfied, they lock their choices before the closing time. 

Step 5: Seat Allotment 

• According to the ranking, reservation, seat availability, and preferences, MCC creates allotment lists on a per-round basis. 
• Candidates have the option of monitoring their allotment status (college and course).

Step 6: Document Verification and Admission

• Applicants with allotment are required to report to the allotted institute (or specified verification centre).
• Carry your primary documents to check and finalise the admission procedures. 
• Fees (tuition, etc.) can be adjusted.

Step 7: Upgradation or Subsequent Rounds or Stray Vacancy Rounds

• When subsequent rounds open, candidates can be upgraded (where the better preference becomes available). 
• In the case of unfilled seats when all regular rounds are completed, stray vacancy rounds take place to fill remaining seats.

Step 8: Refund or Forfeiture of Security Amount

• The security deposit is refunded after counselling if no seat is assigned or in other circumstances, as the terms allow. 
• In case a candidate drops out or does not come out, some or all of the deposit might be lost, according to regulations.

FAQs About NEET UG Counselling Dates

1. How many rounds of counselling are conducted under MCC?

MCC normally conducts Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and occasionally stray vacancy rounds in case of the seats not being filled.

2. Can I participate in both AIQ and deemed counselling simultaneously?

Yes, but at the cost of paying the higher registration fee that is available (i.e., the deemed university’s registration fee) to be eligible for both.

3. When will the security deposit for NEET UG counselling be refunded?

After all the allotted rounds are completed, the refundable/security deposit is returned to candidates who are not allotted any seats. The refund is then processed within 30 days to the candidate’s initial account.

4. What if I forget to lock my choices before the deadline during NEET UG counselling?

Unless you take the time to manually lock your preferences, the system can automatically lock your previous set of preferences as the deadline approaches.

5. Can I withdraw after allotment and get a full refund during NEET UG counselling?

You will receive a full refund of your security deposit if you are not allotted a seat in any round of counselling. If you withdraw or fail to join a seat after the seat-freezing deadline, your security deposit will be forfeited.

6. Are NEET UG counselling fees the same every year?

Not always; MCC can change the registration fees, security deposits, or procedures in new announcements. The official MCC UG counselling brochure always includes the latest fees applicable for the year.

Conclusion

NEET UG counselling is a systematic procedure in which all the activities are time-bound. Aspirants need to remain vigilant and plan ahead during registration and filling of choices to get their preferred seats. Missing either of the dates can cost you a seat; therefore, it is necessary to regularly check the MCC schedule and have all the needed documents prepared for verification.

Students must also be able to rank their college options according to preference, combining government institutes, private colleges, and deemed universities. By doing so, they can rest assured of a smooth start to their MBBS journey. 

After they get admitted to their preferred colleges, students can rely on experts like DocTutorials to prepare for their medical careers. We provide concise notes, video lectures, mock tests, one-to-one guidance, and more. 

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