NEET MDS counselling 2026: MCC announces round 3, stray vacancy round schedule, check dates here

As per the schedule, the Round 3 counselling process will begin with verification of the tentative seat matrix on October 2, 2026, followed by registration from October 3. The Round 3 allotment process will continue until October 20, when the data of joined candidates will be verified by institutes and shared by MCC.

Registration and payment for Round 3 will be available from October 3 to October 7, 2026. Candidates can register until 3:00 PM on October 7, while the payment facility will remain open until 6:00 PM on the same day, as per server time.

Choice filling will be conducted from October 3 to October 8. The schedule states that choice locking will begin at 4:00 PM on October 7 and continue until 10:00 AM on October 8. The Round 3 seat allotment will be processed on October 8 and 9, while the result will be declared between October 10 and October 11, 2026, as specified in the schedule.

Candidates allotted seats will then be required to report between October 12 and October 19, 2026. Verification of joined candidates' data by institutes and sharing of the data by MCC is scheduled for October 20.

After Round 3, MCC will proceed with the Stray Vacancy Round. Verification of the tentative seat matrix by participating institutes is scheduled for October 21, 2026. Registration for the Stray Vacancy Round will be available from October 22 to October 26, with registration closing at 3:00 PM on October 26. The payment facility will remain available until 6:00 PM on October 26.

Choice filling will run from October 23 to October 27, and candidates can submit choices until 10:00 AM on October 27. Choice locking will begin at 4:00 PM on October 26 and remain available until 10:00 AM on October 27.

Seat allotment processing will take place on October 27 and 28, followed by declaration of the result on October 29, 2026. Candidates allotted seats will have to report between October 30 and November 5, 2026. Below is the detailed schedule-

SCHEDULE FOR ONLINE COUNSELING (ALLOTMENT PROCESS) FOR NEET 50% AIQ AND 100% DEEMED/CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES/AFMS- FOR MDS COURSE FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR – 2026

To view the schedule, click the link below

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/2026/09/30/1-477759.pdf

According to the NEET MDS Schedule, Round 3 for All India Quota, Deemed and Central Universities will be conducted from October 3 to October 11, 2026, while the corresponding State counselling process will run from October 6 to October 12, 2026.

Candidates allotted seats through either counselling route will have until October 19, 2026, to join their allotted institutes. Following completion of Round 3 admissions, the data of candidates who have joined their seats will be shared on October 20, 2026.

After Round 3, the AIQ/Deemed/Central Universities Stray Vacancy Round will be conducted from October 22 to October 29, 2026. MCC will share the data of candidates allotted seats in this round on October 29.

For State counselling, the Stray Vacancy Round will begin slightly later and will be conducted from October 24 to October 30, 2026. The schedule further states that the academic session for MDS courses will commence on October 1, 2026. Below is the detailed schedule-

NEET-MDS SCHEDULE- 2026 ALL INDIA QUOTA/DEEMED/CENTRAL STATE QUOTA

To view the schedule, click the link below