Your access in Andaman and Nicobar Islands depends on whether you hold domicile here. The paths differ in scope, rank, and fee.
Eligibility: Domicile candidates of Andaman and Nicobar Islands participate in NEET UG counselling through MCC All India Quota. Must possess a valid domicile certificate issued by the Deputy Commissioner, A&N Islands. Local candidates may get preference for ANIIMS state quota seats.
You are in 2 counselling processes.
Separate registration for each. Separate dates. Separate fee.
In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences / A&N Administration (ANIIMS) holds your state seats — 4 rounds (AIQ Round 1, AIQ Round 2, Mop-Up Round, Stray Vacancy Round).
The steps, in order:
2026 change on MCC seats: After each allotment you now choose Freeze or Float. Freeze = accept and stop: you report once at the allotted college for document verification and fee, and you’re done. Float = accept but stay in line for a higher choice: under the 2026 reform you do not report physically while floating — your provisional admission stays valid online as you take the next rounds. Upgradation is open up to Round 3; after Round 3 anyone still holding a seat reports physically to finish.
This reform is MCC’s own — it covers AIQ, deemed and central seats only. Andaman and Nicobar Islands’s own counselling (held by ANIIMS) sets its own process; check with them for how upgrades work on your state seats.
Round 1 — you leave with your deposit, but you give up the seat: In Round 1, if you do not report to your allotted college, your Round 1 choices become null and void and you register fresh for Round 2. No deposit is forfeited in Round 1. However, you give up your Round 1 seat — if Round 2 allots lower or nothing, you cannot get it back.
Deposit (Round 2 onward): The deposit amount depends on seat type: AIQ Government seats — UR/EWS: ₹10,000; OBC/SC/ST reserved: ₹5,000. Deemed / Central University seats: ₹2,00,000. From Round 2 onward, not joining (no-show) after being allotted forfeits this deposit. Round 1 has no deposit forfeiture — you can exit with no penalty. State-quota seat deposits are governed by each state's counselling authority (e.g. KEA for Karnataka) and differ from MCC rules — verify with the state DME.
Upgrading — 2026 change on MCC seats: After each allotment you now choose Freeze or Float. Freeze = accept and stop: you report once at the allotted college for document verification and fee, and you’re done. Float = accept but stay in line for a higher choice: under the 2026 reform you do not report physically while floating — your provisional admission stays valid online as you take the next rounds. Upgradation is open up to Round 3; after Round 3 anyone still holding a seat reports physically to finish.
Exiting a seat: You can now resign (forego) an allotted seat online through the MCC portal, within the timeline — no physical visit to the college. The deposit rule is unchanged: exit in Round 1 and your security deposit is refunded — you give up the seat, not the money; the deposit is forfeited from Round 2.
Freeze/Float changed the reporting, not the money: in Round 1 you can exit and your security deposit is refunded — you give up the seat, not the money; from Round 2 the deposit is forfeited if you leave.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANIIMS) seats — its own deposit rule: As per MCC AIQ: Rs 10,000 (UR/EWS) / Rs 5,000 (SC/ST/OBC/PwD). Refundable if seat not allotted. FORFEITURE RULE: R1 allotment — candidate is not obliged to join (no forfeiture). R2 onwards — if allotted and do not report/join, security deposit is forfeited and candidate is barred from remaining rounds of that counselling cycle.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands conducts its own NEET UG MBBS admissions through the Andaman & Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences / A&N Administration (ANIIMS). This is entirely separate from MCC's All India Quota (AIQ) process. AIQ handles approximately 15% of government seats and all deemed university seats across India, with no domicile requirement. Andaman and Nicobar Islands's own counselling handles the remaining ~85% of government seats within the state, plus all private MBBS colleges. It covers 4 rounds: AIQ Round 1, AIQ Round 2, Mop-Up Round, Stray Vacancy Round.
The key difference most candidates miss: your AIR (All India Rank) determines your AIQ position. Andaman and Nicobar Islands's counselling uses a separate state rank — in most states this is more accessible than AIQ for domicile candidates.
Ask anything about Andaman and Nicobar Islands counselling — domicile eligibility, fees, bonds, which round to file for both routes.