NEET UG 2026: Over 800 MBBS Seats Vacant in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka - Video

As many as 837 MBBS seats reportedly remained vacant across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karnataka after the NEET-UG 2026 stray vacancy counselling round, as per reports. Of these, 824 seats were in deemed medical universities across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, while one seat remained vacant at AIIMS Madurai and 12 at Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute in Karnataka. Shri Sathya Sai Medical College reported the highest vacancies at 188, followed by Meenakshi Medical College with 117, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College with 92 and Sree Balaji Medical College with 82, reports India Today.

High tuition fees at deemed universities have emerged as a possible factor behind the vacancies, with annual MBBS tuition reportedly ranging from Rs 21 lakh to Rs 35 lakh at several institutions. However, fees alone cannot explain all unfilled seats. Meanwhile, reports suggest that a special counselling round may be considered, subject to government approval. Candidates must await official MCC instructions regarding any further admission opportunities.