Odisha’s NEET MBBS/BDS counselling is conducted by the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) Committee, under the oversight of the Directorate of Medical Education & Training (DMET). The committee manages admission to 17 medical colleges (MBBS) across the state; the OJEE counselling process also covers dental (BDS) institutes, bringing the total to 16 institutes. Together, these colleges fill approximately 1,575-1,810 state quota MBBS seats annually.
Official website: ojee.nic.in
How Odisha NEET counselling ranks work
Odisha does not use your NEET All India Rank directly for state counselling. Instead, OJEE generates a “Common State Merit Rank” by sorting all registered Odisha-domiciled NEET-qualified candidates by their NEET score.
Your state rank will be numerically lower than your AIR because the pool is limited to Odisha applicants. In Round 1 of 2025, state ranks ranged from 1 to approximately 5,818.
Odisha uses a decimal rank system for tied candidates. When two candidates have identical effective merit, the second candidate receives a “.01” suffix (e.g., rank 22 and 22.01). This allows both to appear in sorted order without displacing subsequent ranks.
Tie-breaking criteria (applied when two candidates have identical NEET scores):
- Higher marks in Biology
- Higher marks in Chemistry
- Fewer incorrect answers (fewer negative marks)
- Older candidate gets preference
Who is eligible
You can participate in Odisha state counselling if you meet all these conditions:
- Domicile: You must be a permanent native/domicile of Odisha, evidenced by a “Resident/Nativity Certificate” issued by the Government of Odisha. Children of All India Civil Service officers serving in Odisha cadre also qualify.
- Academic: Passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology, and English. Minimum 50% marks in PCB combined for General/UR candidates; 40% for SC/ST; 45% for PwD.
- Age: Minimum 17 years as of 31 December of the admission year. No upper age limit.
- NEET percentile: 50th percentile for General/EWS; 40th for SC/ST/OBC; 45th for PwD variants.
Candidates from other states do not qualify for the state quota, regardless of residence in Odisha.
Registration process
- Register on the OJEE online counselling portal (link published at ojee.nic.in each year)
- Upload required documents: NEET scorecard, Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, nativity certificate, category/sub-category certificates, passport-size photographs
- Pay the registration fee:
| Category | Registration fee | Security deposit |
|---|---|---|
| General/SEBC | Rs 1,000 | Rs 10,000 |
| SC/ST/PwD | Rs 500 | Rs 5,000 |
| NRI | Rs 10,000 | — |
- Verify and lock your application before the deadline
Registration typically opens in July, soon after NEET results are declared.
Round-by-round timeline
Odisha conducts 3 main rounds plus a stray vacancy/spot round. Based on the 2025 schedule:
Round 1 (July-August)
- Registration opens: late July (July 22, 2025)
- State merit list published: late July (July 29, 2025)
- Choice filling: 5-7 day window (July 31 – August 6, 2025)
- Allotment result: mid-August (August 16, 2025)
- Reporting to allotted college
Round 2 (September)
- Re-registration window for unallotted candidates
- Allotment for vacant seats and upgradation
- Allotment result: September 21, 2025
Round 3 (October)
- Fresh registration window (October 9-11, 2025)
- Choice filling: October 14-25, 2025
- Allotment: October 26-27, 2025
- Reporting: October 29 – November 1, 2025
Stray vacancy / spot round (November)
- For seats remaining vacant after 3 rounds
- Physical reporting required (November 13-14, 2025)
- Shorter window (2 days)
MBBS and BDS seats are allotted in a single combined counselling process. Candidates can fill choices for both courses during the same choice-filling window.
Float and freeze options
After allotment:
- Freeze: You accept the allotted seat permanently. No further upgradation in subsequent rounds.
- Float: You accept the seat but remain eligible for upgradation in the next round based on your remaining choices. If upgraded, you must accept the new seat; the previous one is released.
Odisha does not use a “Slide” option (unlike some other states that differentiate between same-college upgradation and any-college upgradation).
Withdrawal rules:
- Round 1: Free exit permitted (withdraw without penalty)
- Round 2: Security deposit forfeited if seat not taken
- Round 3 onwards: No withdrawal allowed; Rs 10,00,000 penalty applies after the final deadline
Seat matrix and quota structure
Government colleges (85% state, 15% AIQ):
- 85% of government college seats are filled through OJEE state counselling
- 15% go to MCC’s All India Quota counselling
- 12 government colleges participate in OJEE counselling (2025)
Private colleges (Hi-Tech, DRIEMS):
- 50% state quota: Filled through OJEE at regulated fees
- 35% management quota: Filled through OJEE/institutional process at higher fees (based on observed allotment data; exact split may vary by college)
- 15% NRI quota: For NRI/NRI-sponsored candidates at premium fees
All private college counselling (including management and NRI quotas) is conducted through OJEE/DMET for colleges participating in state counselling.
What happens after allotment
Once allotted a seat:
- Download your provisional allotment order from the OJEE portal
- Report to the allotted college within the specified window
- Submit original documents for verification
- Pay the first-year fee
If upgraded in a subsequent round, you must obtain a relieving letter from your previous college before reporting to the new one. Your previous allotment is cancelled automatically upon upgrade.
Odisha NEET counselling vs AIQ counselling
| Odisha state | MCC All India Quota | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank used | Common State Merit Rank | NEET AIR |
| Reservation | SC 8% + ST 12% + EWS 10% (cabinet approved revision from 2026-27; implementation pending confirmation) | OBC 27% + SC 15% + ST 7.5% + EWS 10% |
| Eligibility | Odisha domicile only | Open to all India |
| Category system | GN/SC/ST/EW (no OBC until 2026) | UR/OBC/SC/ST/EWS |
| Rounds | 3 + stray | 3 |
| Fees (govt) | ~Rs 25,000/year | Varies by state |
| Special quotas | SGS 15%, Green Card 5%, Ex-servicemen 3% | EWS, PwD |
| Unique feature | No SEBC/OBC reservation until 2026-27 | OBC 27% throughout |