What is NEET counselling and who runs it?

NEET counselling has two parallel tracks. MCC (Medical Counselling Committee) handles 15% AIQ seats in government colleges plus all seats in deemed, AIIMS, JIPMER, BHU, AMU, and central institutions. The remaining 85% of government seats and 100% of private college seats are allocated by 29 state counselling bodies (KEA, DGHS Maharashtra, UPNEET, etc.) independently.

How many rounds does NEET counselling have?

MCC runs 4 rounds: Round 1 (free exit — no penalty for leaving), Round 2 (deposit at stake — forfeited if you leave), Round 3 (final allotment), and Stray Vacancy Round (last remaining seats). State counsellings typically run 3 rounds on a parallel but offset schedule.

What is the security deposit in NEET counselling?

MCC charges ₹2,00,000 as a refundable security deposit from Round 2 onwards. If you leave after accepting a seat in R2 or R3, this deposit is forfeited. In Round 1, you can exit without any penalty — this is called 'free exit'. In 2025, over 10,000 students used R1 free exit.

Can I register for both AIQ and state quota?

Yes, and you should. MCC (AIQ) registration and state counselling registration are independent. Most students register for both. Being allotted in MCC does not prevent you from participating in state counselling, and vice versa — until you accept a seat in one.

What happens if I miss a counselling round?

Missing R1 does not disqualify you from R2 or R3 — you can enter at any round. However, seats reduce each round as allotments are made. R3 has the fewest total seats but also sees a fresh influx of vacated seats from students who exited R2.

NEET Counselling 2026: How It Works, Rounds, Deposits and Deadlines

NEET counselling runs in 4 rounds through MCC (AIQ) and 29 state bodies (state quota). In 2025, 39,478 students went through MCC alone — 46% chose a different college after R1. Full guide.

NEET counselling is a 4-round seat allocation process run by two parallel systems: MCC (Medical Counselling Committee) handles 15% of AIQ seats plus all deemed, AIIMS, and central institutions; 29 state bodies handle the remaining 85% of government seats and all private college seats in each state. In 2025, 39,478 students went through MCC alone — 46% accepted a seat in R1 but then moved to a different college or exited before the final round. Based on analysis of 39,478 MCC 2025 counselling journeys — formity.ai.

The two tracks: MCC vs State Counselling

Every NEET UG seat in India falls into one of two counselling tracks:

Track	What it covers	Who runs it
MCC AIQ	15% of govt MBBS seats + ALL deemed/AIIMS/JIPMER/BHU/AMU/central seats	Medical Counselling Committee (MCC)
State Counselling	85% of govt MBBS seats + 100% of private MBBS seats in each state	29 state bodies (KEA, DGHS Maharashtra, UPNEET, etc.)

You can — and should — register for both. They run on separate timelines that roughly overlap from July to October each year.

MCC's 4 rounds explained

Round 1 — Free exit: You are allotted a seat. If you report (pay the security deposit and join), you hold it. If you don't report, you can still participate in R2. Critically, there is no financial penalty for leaving in R1 — this is the only round where that is true. In 2025, 46% of R1 allottees chose not to report — either because they had a better state quota seat waiting, or they were gambling on a better MCC seat in R2.

Round 2 — Deposit at stake: A ₹2,00,000 refundable security deposit is now required. If you accept a seat in R2 and then withdraw, this deposit is forfeited. This is where the bulk of movement happens — 3,782 students upgraded to a better college in R2 in 2025. New seats enter R2 from two sources: R1 surrender and R1 ghosting.

Round 3 — Final picture: Another fresh batch of vacated seats comes in. 2,199 more students upgraded in R3 in 2025. After R3, your allotment is considered final for MCC. You still have the option to participate in state counselling for the 85% state quota seats.

Stray Vacancy Round: A final mop-up for any remaining unfilled seats across all categories. Participation requires a fresh registration. Very few seats available at this stage.

The deposit timeline

Understanding when money is at stake is critical:

Round	Security deposit	Consequence of exit
R1	Not required to hold allotment	No penalty — free exit
R2	₹2,00,000 required to report	Forfeited if you withdraw
R3	₹2,00,000 required to report	Forfeited if you withdraw
Stray	₹2,00,000 required	Forfeited if you withdraw

The deposit is refundable only if you stay through your allotted round and complete the process correctly, or if you are not allotted a seat. See the Formity counselling loss report for state-wise forfeiture data.

State counselling runs in parallel

Each state runs its own counselling for 85% of government seats and 100% of private seats. You do not need a separate entrance exam — your NEET UG score and rank are the basis for state counselling too. Domicile rules vary by state: some states (like Karnataka's OPN quota) are open to all-India candidates; others (like Maharashtra's state quota) require domicile. See our Karnataka guide, Maharashtra guide, or UP guide for state-specific rules.

The counselling calendar

MCC typically runs from July to October. Round 1 seat allotment is announced in late July; Round 3 closes by mid-September. State counsellings run on offset timelines — many states complete all 3 rounds before MCC R3. See the Formity UG counselling calendar for exact dates.

What actually happens: 2025 data

In MCC 2025: 22,148 candidates were allotted seats in R1. Of these, 10,082 (46%) did not report — the majority had better state quota options. 3,782 upgraded in R2. 2,199 upgraded in R3. The students who ended up at elite institutes (AIIMS Delhi, CMC Vellore, BMCRI) often went through multiple rounds before their final seat was confirmed.

See what actually happens at rank 2,00,000 — 5 colleges, 3 routes, deposit breakdown — as a concrete example.

What will your score get you?

See this with real numbers →

WhatsApp X / Twitter