How to register for NEET counselling: MH, KA, and AIQ

Three counselling processes, three portals

NEET counselling in India is not a single unified process. Depending on your domicile and preferences, you may participate in up to three separate counselling processes, each run by a different authority:

• MCC (Medical Counselling Committee): Manages All India Quota (AIQ) seats, central university seats (like AIIMS and JIPMER, post-merger), and deemed university seats. Open to all candidates regardless of state.
• CET Cell (Maharashtra): Manages Maharashtra state quota seats (85% of seats in Maharashtra colleges). Open to candidates with Maharashtra domicile.
• KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority): Manages Karnataka state quota seats. Open to candidates with Karnataka domicile.

Each process has its own registration portal, fee, timeline, and choice filling system. You must register separately on each portal where you are eligible. There is no automatic cross-registration.

MCC (All India Quota) registration

Portal and timeline

The MCC portal is at mcc.nic.in. Registration for AIQ Round 1 typically opens within 2 weeks of the NEET result. In 2025, MCC registration opened on 2 July for a result declared on 14 June, a gap of about 18 days. The registration window usually lasts 7-10 days.

Documents needed

• NEET 2026 scorecard (downloaded from NTA)
• NEET 2026 admit card
• Class 10 marksheet and certificate (for date of birth verification)
• Class 12 marksheet and passing certificate
• Government photo ID (Aadhaar preferred)
• Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC Non-Creamy Layer/EWS), issued by competent authority
• PWD certificate from a government hospital, if applicable
• Passport-size photographs (white background)

Registration fee

MCC charges a registration fee that varies by category. In 2025, it was ₹1,000 for General/EWS and ₹500 for SC/ST/PWD candidates. Expect similar amounts for 2026. This fee is non-refundable.

Steps

1. Visit mcc.nic.in and click the NEET UG Counselling 2026 link.
2. Register with your NEET roll number, date of birth, and email/mobile number.
3. Fill in personal details, academic details, and category information.
4. Upload scanned documents in the specified format and file size (usually JPEG/PDF, 50-300 KB each).
5. Pay the registration fee online (net banking, UPI, or card).
6. Also pay the refundable security deposit. This was ₹10,000 for General/EWS and ₹5,000 for SC/ST in 2025. The deposit is refunded if you do not take admission, or adjusted against college fees if you do.
7. Submit the form and save the confirmation page.

CET Cell (Maharashtra) registration

Portal and timeline

Maharashtra state counselling is managed by CET Cell at cetcell.mahacet.org. Registration usually opens around the same time as MCC or slightly later. The window is typically 7-10 days.

Documents needed

All documents listed for MCC, plus:

• Domicile certificate (Maharashtra) or proof of residency in Maharashtra
• Caste validity certificate (for reserved categories in Maharashtra; a regular caste certificate is not sufficient for some categories)
• Non-Creamy Layer certificate (for OBC candidates, must be recently issued)
• EWS certificate issued by the Tehsildar (valid for the current financial year)

Maharashtra requires a caste validity certificate for certain reserved categories, which is different from the regular caste certificate. This takes time to obtain. If you do not have it yet, start the process now; do not wait for counselling to open.

Registration fee

CET Cell charges a registration-cum-counselling fee. In recent years, this has been around ₹1,000 for open category and ₹800 for reserved categories. The exact amount for 2026 will be announced in the counselling notification.

Steps

1. Visit cetcell.mahacet.org and navigate to the NEET UG 2026 counselling section.
2. Create an account using your NEET application number, mobile number, and email.
3. Fill in personal, academic, and domicile details.
4. Upload scanned copies of all required documents.
5. Pay the registration fee via the online payment gateway.
6. Submit and download the completed registration form for your records.

KEA (Karnataka) registration

Portal and timeline

Karnataka counselling is handled by KEA at kea.kar.nic.in. KEA sometimes opens registration before the NEET result using a separate state entrance or verification process, but the actual seat allotment uses your NEET rank. Registration typically runs for 7-10 days.

Documents needed

All documents listed for MCC, plus:

• Karnataka domicile certificate or Study certificate (7 years of schooling in Karnataka)
• Kannada medium certificate (if claiming Kannada medium reservation)
• Rural area study certificate (if claiming Hyderabad-Karnataka reservation)
• Income certificate (for fee concession categories)

Registration fee

KEA charges a registration fee that varies by category. In recent years, it has been around ₹1,500 for General category and ₹750 for SC/ST candidates. Refer to the KEA notification for 2026 amounts.

Steps

1. Visit kea.kar.nic.in and find the UGCET / NEET UG 2026 counselling link.
2. Register using your NEET roll number and personal details.
3. Fill in domicile and category details specific to Karnataka’s reservation system.
4. Upload documents in the prescribed format.
5. Pay the fee online.
6. Complete document verification at the designated help centres (KEA sometimes requires in-person verification in addition to online upload).

KEA’s in-person document verification is a step that catches many students off guard. Check the counselling schedule for verification dates and centres as soon as registration opens.

Common registration mistakes

Every year, students lose time or seats because of avoidable errors during registration. Here are the most frequent ones:

• Wrong category selection: Selecting “General” when you belong to a reserved category (or vice versa) can disqualify you from seats you are eligible for. Double-check this against your certificates.
• Document format issues: Each portal has specific requirements for file format (JPEG vs PDF), resolution (typically 200 DPI), and size limits (50-300 KB). Documents that exceed the size limit will fail to upload. Compress and resize before attempting.
• Expired certificates: OBC Non-Creamy Layer and EWS certificates must be from the current financial year. A certificate from last year will be rejected.
• Missing the deadline: Registration windows are firm. If you miss the last date by even one day, there is no extension. Set reminders.
• Not registering for all eligible processes: If you have Maharashtra domicile, register for both MCC (AIQ) and CET Cell. Participating in only one process limits your options unnecessarily. The same applies to Karnataka domicile students with KEA and MCC.

After registration: what comes next

Once registration closes, each counselling authority announces the choice filling window. This is when you submit your ranked preference list of colleges and categories. The window is usually 3-5 days for MCC and 5-7 days for state counselling bodies.

If you have already researched your college options using the College Predictor, you will be in a strong position to fill choices quickly and confidently. The AI Choice Filler can generate an optimized preference list based on your rank, category, and priorities (location, fees, college type). Preparing this list before the official window opens saves time and reduces stress.

Read the full counselling process guide for a detailed walkthrough of what happens after registration: choice filling, seat allotment, reporting to college, and how subsequent rounds work.

Start your college research now. Run the College Predictor with your NEET rank to see Safe, Target, and Reach colleges across AIQ, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The more prepared you are before choice filling opens, the better your final allotment will be.