Hire Guide Education
HIGHSeat Matrix24 Sept 2026

MCC NEET UG 2026 Round 3 Seat Matrix & Vacancy Lists Out: Newly Added Seats, Clear & Virtual Vacancy Released, Choice Filling Begins

MCC has released the NEET UG 2026 Round 3 Seat Matrix comprising Newly Added Seats, Clear Vacancies, and Virtual Vacancies for MBBS/BDS/B.Sc. Nursing. Choice filling is active until 28 September 2026.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Round 3 Seat Matrix & Vacancy Lists Out: Newly Added Seats, Clear & Virtual Vacancy Released, Choice Filling Begins

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, has officially released the comprehensive Round 3 Seat Matrix and Vacancy Breakdown for NEET UG 2026 admissions to MBBS, BDS, and B.Sc. Nursing seats across 15% All India Quota (AIQ), 100% Deemed and Central Universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, and ESIC medical institutes.

Simultaneously, the Online Choice Filling and Locking process for Round 3 has commenced on the official MCC candidate portal (https://mcc.nic.in/ug-medical-counselling/%60) and will remain active until 28 September 2026 (11:55 PM IST).

1. Key Vacancy Documents Published by MCC

MCC has uploaded three distinct official PDF datasets on its portal:

  1. Newly Added Seats Round 3 (MBBS/BDS): Contains freshly sanctioned and included seats across medical and dental colleges (including newly approved government medical college seats such as Late Jagjivan Ram Government Medical College, Uttarakhand, and institutional quota increments).
  2. Clear Vacancy Round 3 (MBBS/BDS/B.Sc. Nursing): A 93-page detailed inventory of definitive, vacant seats arising from non-joining, resignation within permitted windows, or unfilled quotas post Round 2.
  3. Virtual Vacancy Round 3 (MBBS/BDS/B.Sc. Nursing): Lists seats that are currently occupied by candidates admitted in Round 2 who submitted willingness for upward progression in Round 3. These seats will become available for allotment only if the current occupant is upgraded to a higher choice.

2. Official Timetable for MCC NEET UG 2026 Round 3

Event / ActivityStart Date & TimeEnd Date & TimeCritical Instructions
Verification of Tentative Seat Matrix by Institutes22/09/202623/09/2026Internal institutional reconciliation of seats.
Registration & Fee Payment Window22/09/202627/09/2026 (upto 12:00 Noon / Payment: 03:00 PM)Fresh registration for un-registered candidates or Round 2 forfeited candidates.
Online Choice Filling Process23/09/202628/09/2026 (upto 11:55 PM IST)Fresh preference entry is mandatory; prior round choices are null and void.
Online Choice Locking Window28/09/2026 (04:00 PM)28/09/2026 (upto 11:55 PM IST)Locking is required; unlocked choices auto-lock at the deadline.
Processing of Seat Allotment28/09/202629/09/2026Automated algorithmic seat allocation based on merit and choices.
Publication of Round 3 Provisional / Final Result30/09/202630/09/2026Allotment lists accessible on MCC portal.
Physical Reporting & Document Submission at Allotted Institutes01/10/202608/10/2026Mandatory reporting with original documents and prescribed tuition fees.
Data Sharing & Verification by Institutes09/10/202610/10/2026MCC shares admitted candidate roster with State Counselling authorities to prevent seat hoarding.

3. Critical Round 3 Rules Every Candidate Must Know

A. Fresh Choice Filling is Strictly Mandatory

Choices entered during Round 1 and Round 2 are completely wiped clean. If a candidate registers or holds an upgraded status but fails to submit fresh choices during the Round 3 window, no allotment will be made, and the candidate forfeits the opportunity to upgrade.

B. Upgradation Dynamics from Round 2

  • If a candidate holding a Round 2 joined seat is upgraded in Round 3, their Round 2 seat is automatically and instantly vacated and allotted to the next eligible candidate in the merit order.
  • The candidate must relieve themselves from the Round 2 college and report to the newly allotted Round 3 college.
  • If a candidate is not upgraded, they retain their Round 2 joined seat.

C. Exit with Forfeiture vs. Stray Round Disqualification

  • Candidates freshly allotted a seat in Round 3 who choose not to join can exit by forfeiting their security deposit.
  • Severe Warning: Candidates who forfeit their Round 3 seat or who join their Round 3 seat are strictly barred from participating in the Stray Vacancy Round of MCC and all State Counselling rounds, as per the Hon'ble Supreme Court directives.

D. Inter-State Data Sharing

MCC will transmit the list of all joined candidates post Round 3 to all State Counselling authorities. Any student holding an active joined seat in AIQ will have their names filtered out from State Quota Round 3 / Mop-up / Stray lists to eliminate dual holding.

4. Strategic Choice-Filling Guidance by Hire Guide Education

  1. Include Virtual Vacancies in Your Preferred Order: Do not restrict choices solely to Clear Vacancies. Thousands of premium government college seats exist as Virtual Vacancies because top-rankers are seeking upgradation to AIIMS or tier-1 central institutes. If they move up, their vacated seats immediately fall to lower-rank candidates who listed them.
  2. Realistic Hierarchy: Place colleges strictly in true preference order, regardless of perceived cutoff ranks. The counselling algorithm evaluates choices from top to bottom.
  3. Budget and Bond Verification for Deemed Universities: For candidates opting for Deemed Universities, verify the annual fee multiplier, mandatory hostel fees, and bank guarantee requirements before adding them to choices.

Official Links

Hire Guide Education — Navigating Your Future.

← Back to all alerts