837 MBBS seats remain vacant after MCC NEET stray vacancy round counselling 2026
Chennai: Altogether 837 MBBS seats remain vacant after the final round of NEET UG 2026 counselling, with educationists and experts blaming the high tuition fees for the situation.
As per sources in the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), 837 MBBS seats remain unfilled across the country, including All India Quota seats. Of these, 824 seats are in deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry alone. The vacancies also include one seat at AIIMS Madurai and 12 at Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute in Kolar, Karnataka.
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India Today reported that several colleges account for a large number of these vacancies. This includes Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai, which has 188 unfilled seats, followed by Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute in Kancheepuram with 117 seats, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry with 92 vacant seats, and Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital in Chennai with 82.
High fees behind the vacancies?
Educationists reportedly criticised the lack of a fee cap for deemed universities and pointed out that high-scoring NEET candidates are forced to forgo these seats simply because they cannot afford the exorbitant fees, thereby defeating the core purpose of conducting a merit-based national entrance examination.
According to published fee details, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute charges Rs 21 lakh per year, while Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute charges Rs 24 lakh. Meenakshi Medical College's 2025–26 admission brochure lists its annual tuition fee at Rs 23 lakh.
These are tuition figures and do not necessarily include hostel, mess or other charges. Thus, the annual fee for these colleges can range from Rs 21 lakh to Rs 30 lakh.
A Senior educationist told PTI that the high scorer in NEET, whose financial position does not permit them to get admitted to such private institutions with high fees, simply opts out. Such candidates do not apply for the counselling.
"The lesser scorer who is financially sound applies and secures the seat," he said, adding, “NEET failed in both of its objectives — neither ensure merit nor curb commercialisation of medical education."
He said all private medical education institutions, including those deemed to be universities, that cannot reduce their fee structure and keep the seats unfilled, must be closed.
"The state governments should be encouraged to open an adequate number of medical colleges wherever needed," he added.
Industry experts cite the excessive annual tuition fees as the main driver behind the low intake.
A higher education career counsellor for students in the city, claimed annual MBBS fees in deemed universities across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry range between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 35 lakh per year.
"The students have to pay hostel and mess fees between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh per year in private institutions. In contrast, the average annual fee across other parts of India in private institutions stands at around Rs 17 lakh, resulting in a substantial fee disparity over the four and a half year duration of the course," he said.
With the seats remaining unfilled, an additional round of counselling may be expected. The MCC will take a decision in this regard. "However, it is unclear till now," he added.
Also read- MCC releases final results for NEET counselling stray vacancy round 2026
