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  • NMC removes 150 MBBS seat cap and population ratio rule: what changed in the April 2026 amendment

    Key takeaways

    • NMC has removed the 150-seat cap on MBBS intake per college. The amendment was published in the official gazette on 27 April 2026.
    • The population ratio rule (100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh state population) has also been removed. States with high medical college density are no longer blocked from adding seats.
    • The 30-minute travel time rule between college and hospital has been replaced with a fixed distance: 10 km maximum (15 km for North Eastern and Himalayan states).
    • These changes do not affect the NEET 2026 exam on 3 May. They affect how many seats colleges can offer in future counselling rounds.

    What the gazette notification says

    On 27 April 2026, the NMC published a gazette notification amending UG-MSR 2023, the regulations governing medical college establishment, new courses, and seat increases. Three changes were made.

    1. The 150-seat cap has been removed

    UG-MSR 2023 included an objective that read: “Colleges seeking increased number of seats cannot exceed a total of 150 MBBS students from the Year 2024-25.” That line has been deleted.

    Prior to UG-MSR 2023, which was notified in August 2023, the regulations allowed colleges to expand MBBS intake up to 250 seats. The 2023 regulations cut this to 150. The April 2026 amendment removes the 150-seat restriction without specifying a new upper limit.

    2. The population ratio rule has been removed

    UG-MSR 2023 required medical colleges to “follow the ratio of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population in that state/U.T.” This proviso has been deleted.

    The population ratio rule had effectively frozen seat additions in states that already had a high density of medical colleges. Karnataka, with roughly 13,900 MBBS seats across 71 colleges, had about 170 seats per 10 lakh population — well over the 100-seat ceiling. Maharashtra, with about 12,800 seats across 69 colleges, sat right at the limit. Both states would have been blocked from approving any new colleges or seat increases under the old rule. With this proviso gone, NMC will no longer use state population as a gatekeeping criterion.

    3. The distance rule is now fixed, not time-based

    The old requirement said travel time between a medical college and its teaching hospital should not exceed 30 minutes. The new rule sets a fixed distance instead:

    • 10 km maximum for colleges in general
    • 15 km maximum for colleges in North Eastern Region states and Himalayan states

    A fixed-distance rule is easier to verify than a travel-time estimate, which varied depending on traffic conditions and the route chosen.

    You can read the full gazette notification on the NMC website (PDF).

    What this means for NEET 2026 aspirants

    The NEET UG 2026 exam is on 3 May. This notification does not change anything about the exam itself, the scoring, or the ranking process.

    Where it matters is seat availability during counselling. If colleges receive NMC approval to expand their MBBS intake before the counselling seat matrix is published, those additional seats would appear in the 2026-27 counselling rounds. Whether any approvals come through that quickly is unclear; NMC approval for seat increases typically involves inspection and assessment cycles that take months.

    For students using our College Predictor or AI Choice Filler, the current cutoff data remains valid. Historical closing ranks are based on the seat counts that existed during those counselling years. If a college you are tracking adds seats in a future cycle, its closing ranks would likely shift upward (become numerically higher, meaning the college becomes easier to get into). The size of that shift depends on how many seats are added and how much demand exists for that college.

    This amendment allows expansion but does not mandate it. Whether individual colleges actually add seats depends on their infrastructure, faculty strength, hospital bed capacity, and willingness to apply for NMC assessment. Many colleges may not expand at all.

    Why this matters beyond 2026

    India has been expanding MBBS seats steadily over the past decade. The 150-seat cap and population ratio rule, introduced in August 2023, slowed that expansion in states that already had many medical colleges. Removing both restrictions signals that the government wants to accelerate seat growth again.

    For NEET aspirants in future years, more seats across the system would mean more options at every rank level. But the effect is gradual: colleges need to apply, get inspected, and receive NMC approval before they can admit additional students. Do not expect a sudden jump in available seats for the upcoming counselling cycle.

    We will update our data as soon as the 2026-27 counselling seat matrices are released by MCC, KEA, and CET Cell. If any colleges show increased intake, those new numbers will be reflected in our cutoff explorer and prediction tools.

    FAQ

    Does this affect the NEET 2026 exam?

    No. The exam syllabus, pattern, scoring, and ranking are unrelated to medical college seat regulations. Your NEET 2026 exam on 3 May proceeds as scheduled.

    Will there be more MBBS seats in 2026-27 counselling?

    Possibly, but not guaranteed. Colleges must apply to NMC for seat increases and pass an assessment before they can admit more students. The gazette notification removes the cap; it does not automatically grant anyone additional seats.

    Does this affect All India Quota counselling?

    If any government college adds seats before the AIQ seat matrix is finalised, 15% of those new seats would flow into the All India Quota pool. But this depends on whether colleges receive approval in time for the 2026-27 cycle.

    What was the MBBS seat cap before 2023?

    Before UG-MSR 2023 was notified in August 2023, the regulations allowed colleges to expand MBBS intake up to 250 students. The 2023 regulations lowered this to 150. The April 2026 amendment deletes the 150 cap without specifying a replacement number.

    Which states are most affected by the population ratio removal?

    Karnataka and Maharashtra, the two states neet2seat currently covers, were both constrained. Karnataka had the highest seat density in India at roughly 170 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population, well above the 100-seat ceiling. Maharashtra sat right at the limit with about 103 per 10 lakh. Other southern states including Tamil Nadu (~150 per 10 lakh), Kerala (~130), and Telangana (~220) were similarly over the cap. Northern and eastern states with fewer medical colleges per capita were largely unaffected by this rule.

  • NEET 2026: more seats, more test-takers, what the numbers mean for you

    22.79 lakh students have registered for NEET 2026. India’s MBBS seat count has hit 1,29,026, an all-time high. Both numbers get thrown around in headlines, but they need context to be useful.

    The seat count

    The NMC’s final seat matrix for 2025-26 puts total MBBS seats at 1,29,026, up from 1,17,750 the previous year. That’s roughly 11,000 new seats, one of the largest single-year increases in recent years.

    Much of this came through the central government’s CSS scheme, which funded new Government Medical Colleges in 19 states. This isn’t just private colleges padding the total. Districts that had no medical college two years ago now have one.

    Karnataka leads the country with 13,944 MBBS seats. Eight government GMCs each received 50 additional seats, adding 400 new government seats to the state pool. Several private colleges also expanded, bringing the state’s overall increase to nearly 1,000 seats.

    Maharashtra sits fourth nationally at 12,824 seats. The NMC approved four new colleges in the state, and existing district GMCs at places like Bhandara, Gadchiroli, and Hingoli (all three inaugurated in 2024) now contribute to the seat pool for the first time.

    The government has signalled further expansion, but no confirmed numbers exist beyond the current NMC matrix. Additional seats for 2026-27, if any, will show up when the next matrix is published, typically as counselling season begins.

    Who’s actually sitting the exam

    Registrations barely moved: 22.79 lakh this year versus 22.76 lakh in 2025. The number that matters more is attendance.

    Last year, about 22.09 lakh of the 22.76 lakh registered actually wrote the exam, roughly 97%. NTA has said that 99% of NEET 2026 candidates received their first-choice exam city. Fewer logistical barriers should push attendance a little higher. At 98%, approximately 22.33 lakh students will be in exam halls on May 3. That’s about 24,000 more than last year. A small absolute increase, but every extra test-taker is one more person competing for the same seats.

    What the ratio looks like

    At 98% attendance and a 56% qualification rate (more on why that number is fixed in our separate piece on the percentile system), about 12.5 lakh students will be competing for 1.29 lakh seats. That’s roughly 9.7 qualified candidates per seat, an improvement over last year’s approximately 10.5 to 1. The 11,000 extra seats are doing the work, not any change in the candidate pool.

    What paper difficulty actually does

    A tough paper (like 2025, where the top score was 686 out of 720) spreads out scores and makes rank gaps between colleges larger. Gaining or losing 10 marks might move you 5,000 ranks. An easy paper (like 2024, where multiple students hit 720) compresses the top end. Scores cluster, and a single question can separate a top government college from a mid-tier private one.

    Neither scenario changes how many people qualify. Both change which specific college you can reach at your rank. Students preparing for NEET 2026 are better off building a preference list that covers a range of outcomes rather than banking on the paper being easy or hard.

    The government seat gap

    The overall 9.7 to 1 ratio hides a sharper divide. Of 1.29 lakh total seats, government colleges account for roughly 59,000 to 63,000, depending on how central institutions and ESIC colleges are counted. The rest are at private and deemed universities where annual fees run ₹15 to 50 lakh or higher.

    For families who can only consider government colleges, the effective competition is roughly 1 seat for every 20 qualified candidates. The new GMCs in Maharashtra and Karnataka chip away at this, but the imbalance between demand and affordable supply remains wide.

    Under All India Quota, both Karnataka and Maharashtra contribute a large share of seats to the national pool, so the expansion benefits AIQ aspirants too. If you’re deciding between state and AIQ counselling, the new district GMCs are worth factoring in; they often have more favourable cutoffs under state quota than under AIQ.

    What to do with this information

    Run your expected or actual rank through the neet2seat prediction tool to see which colleges were reachable at that rank last year. Build your preference list with the AI Choice Filler, and include colleges across a range, not just your top picks. The new seats improve odds at the margins, and margins are where counselling outcomes are decided.

    Data sources: NMC MBBS Seat Matrix 2025-26 (published Dec 3, 2025), NTA NEET UG 2026 registration bulletin, Times of India (April 28, 2026).

  • Medical college fees under All India Quota: government, deemed, and central institutions

    Medical college fees under All India Quota: government, deemed, and central institutions

    The fee difference between institution types in MCC NEET UG counselling is large enough to change the financial trajectory of a medical career. Government AIQ seats can cost under Rs 1 lakh for the entire MBBS programme in some states, while deemed university seats routinely exceed Rs 1 crore. This guide breaks down fees by institution type, compares costs across states, and covers what you actually pay beyond tuition.

    Government college fees under AIQ

    Government medical college fees are set by the respective state government or its fee regulatory authority. AIQ students pay the same fee as state quota students at the same institution. There is no out-of-state surcharge.

    AIQ and state quota students at the same government college pay identical tuition. A Bihar student at a Tamil Nadu government college pays the same Rs 13,610 per year as a local student. There is no penalty for crossing state lines through AIQ.

    The range across states (annual tuition, 2025-26 data where available):

    State Approximate annual fee Approximate 5-year total
    Tamil Nadu Rs 13,610 ~Rs 70,000
    Andhra Pradesh Rs 26,500 ~Rs 1,35,000
    Kerala Rs 33,500 – Rs 53,865 ~Rs 1,70,000 – Rs 2,70,000
    Karnataka Rs 36,070 ~Rs 1,80,000
    Maharashtra Rs 1,52,100 + Rs 5,000 dev fee ~Rs 8,00,000
    Delhi (MAMC, LHMC, UCMS) Rs 2,60,000 ~Rs 13,00,000

    These are tuition-only figures. Additional fees (hostel, library, gymkhana, examination) add Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 per year depending on the institution. Even with add-ons, the maximum five-year cost at a government college through AIQ is roughly Rs 15 lakh (Delhi), and it can be under Rs 1 lakh (Tamil Nadu).

    The fee range across government colleges is itself wide: a Tamil Nadu government seat costs roughly Rs 70,000 total, while a Delhi government seat costs approximately Rs 15 lakh. Both are government MBBS degrees with identical recognition.

    Note: Kerala charges different rates for AIQ and state quota at some government colleges (Rs 33,500 for AIQ versus Rs 53,865 for state quota), though this is an exception. In most states, the fee is identical.

    Deemed university fees

    Deemed university fees are set by a committee under Supreme Court guidelines and vary widely by institution. The 2025 MCC cycle had 88 deemed institutions with MBBS fees ranging from approximately Rs 10 lakh per year to Rs 30.5 lakh per year.

    Some reference points from the 2025 cycle:

    Institution Approximate annual fee Approximate 5-year total
    Symbiosis Medical College, Pune ~Rs 10 lakh ~Rs 50 lakh
    Kasturba MC Manipal (MAHE) ~Rs 14-15 lakh ~Rs 70-75 lakh
    SRM Medical College, Chennai ~Rs 18-20 lakh ~Rs 90 lakh – Rs 1 crore
    DY Patil Medical College, Pune ~Rs 16-18 lakh ~Rs 80-90 lakh
    Sree Balaji Medical College, Chennai ~Rs 30.5 lakh ~Rs 1.5 crore

    Over 32 deemed colleges in the 2025 cycle charged more than Rs 1 crore for the full MBBS course. In 2025, 36 deemed colleges raised their fees compared to the previous year.

    NRI quota seats at deemed universities carry even higher fees, typically 2-3 times the General/Paid seat fee. Check the MCC seat matrix for institution-specific NRI fee details.

    AIIMS and JIPMER fees

    AIIMS and JIPMER are outliers on the low end. Annual fees at AIIMS campuses are minimal (historically under Rs 5,000 per year for tuition at AIIMS New Delhi, though newer campuses may differ). JIPMER Puducherry similarly charges very low fees. These are fully government-funded institutions.

    The combination of extremely low fees and extremely high competition (AIIMS New Delhi closes at AIR 48 in OPEN) means these are accessible only to the very top ranks.

    Central university fees

    Delhi University medical colleges (MAMC, LHMC, UCMS) charge approximately Rs 2,60,000 per year, among the highest government college fees in the country. IMS-BHU, AMU-JNMC, and VMMC have their own fee structures, generally in the Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 per year range.

    ESIC college fees

    ESIC medical colleges charge fees comparable to government colleges. The exact amount varies by ESIC institution but is generally under Rs 50,000 per year. Children/Wards (CW) seat holders may have different fee structures.

    What you actually pay: beyond tuition

    The fee listed in the MCC seat matrix is typically the tuition fee. Additional costs include:

    • Hostel and mess: Rs 20,000 to Rs 1,50,000 per year, depending on the institution. Some government colleges have subsidised hostels; deemed universities often charge market rates.
    • Library, gymkhana, and examination fees: Rs 2,000 to Rs 20,000 per year.
    • Textbooks and instruments: Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 in the first year, less in subsequent years.
    • MCC security deposit: Rs 10,000 (government AIQ) or Rs 2,00,000 (deemed), refundable under certain conditions.
    • College-level deposit: Some colleges charge a separate refundable deposit (caution money). Amounts vary.

    For a government college, total first-year all-inclusive cost (tuition + hostel + books) typically ranges from Rs 30,000 to Rs 3,50,000. For a deemed university, it ranges from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 35 lakh.

    Scholarships and financial aid

    Several government schemes can offset costs:

    • Central sector scheme of scholarship: For SC/ST/OBC-NCL students at government and private colleges.
    • Post-matric scholarship: State-level schemes for reserved category students. Coverage and amounts vary by state.
    • MAHADBT (Maharashtra): Post-matric scholarship and freeship for backward class candidates who qualify on merit.
    • State-specific schemes: Several states offer fee waivers or scholarships for meritorious NEET qualifiers, especially at government colleges.

    Deemed universities occasionally offer institution-level merit scholarships for top rankers, but these are not standardised and must be verified with each university.

    Education loans for MBBS are available from nationalised banks (typically up to Rs 10-20 lakh without collateral, higher with collateral). For deemed university fees, a loan is often necessary. Interest rates and repayment terms vary; check with your bank before the counselling cycle starts so financing is ready when needed.

    Get your education loan pre-approved before the counselling cycle begins. Loan processing takes 2-4 weeks, and the reporting window after allotment is only 7-9 days. Having financing ready prevents last-minute scrambles that could cost you a seat.

    Fee as a factor in choice filling

    When building your MCC preference list, fee is a legitimate ordering criterion. A candidate who prefers government colleges over deemed universities (due to cost) should list all realistic government AIQ options above deemed options. The algorithm assigns the highest available preference, so placing low-fee government colleges higher ensures they are given priority.

    However, do not make fee the only criterion. A deemed university with a 1,500-bed teaching hospital in a metro city may provide better clinical training than a newer government college with limited patient volume. Weigh fee against hospital quality, location, and institutional track record.

    Build a personal fee-tolerance threshold before choice filling. List all government colleges you qualify for above that line, then add affordable deemed colleges below. Your preference order should reflect genuine willingness to attend at each college’s published fee.

    Use our cutoff analyzer to identify which government colleges are realistic for your rank, and our college predictor to quickly see safe and target options across all institution types.

    FAQ

    Do AIQ students at government colleges pay more than state quota students?

    No. In most states, AIQ and state quota students at the same government college pay the same tuition fee. The fee is set by the state government and applies to all students regardless of their admission route. Minor exceptions exist (some Kerala colleges charge differently), but fee parity is the norm.

    Can deemed university fees increase during my MBBS course?

    Deemed university fees are typically fixed at the time of admission for the duration of the course, as per Supreme Court guidelines. However, some institutions have clauses for annual increases. Check the admission letter and fee structure document carefully before joining.

    Is there a fee cap on deemed universities?

    The Supreme Court-appointed committee and individual state fee regulatory bodies set guidelines for deemed university fees. There is no single nationwide cap, but the fee structure is supposed to be transparent and approved before the counselling cycle. MCC publishes the approved fee for each institution in the seat matrix.

    What is the total cost difference between the cheapest and most expensive MBBS seat through MCC?

    The cheapest route is a government college in Tamil Nadu (approximately Rs 70,000 for the full course) or an AIIMS campus (nominal fees). The most expensive is a deemed university NRI seat at a high-fee institution, which can exceed Rs 2 crore for the full course. The gap is over 200x between these extremes.

    Should I take an education loan for a deemed university seat?

    Education loans for MBBS are common and available from most nationalised banks. Consider the total repayment amount (principal + interest over the moratorium and repayment period) against your expected earnings as a doctor. An Rs 80 lakh loan at 8-10% interest over 7-10 years results in a total repayment of Rs 1.1-1.3 crore. Whether this is manageable depends on your specialisation plans (PG takes another 3 years with limited earning) and family financial situation. Get pre-approved before counselling starts.

  • Medical colleges under All India Quota: the complete picture

    Medical colleges under All India Quota: the complete picture

    The All India Quota (AIQ) route through MCC counselling gives NEET UG candidates access to medical colleges across India, regardless of domicile. This guide covers every type of institution that fills seats through MCC: government colleges contributing 15% AIQ seats, deemed universities, central universities, AIIMS campuses, JIPMER, and ESIC colleges. Use it as a starting point to understand the full landscape of medical colleges available through AIQ counselling, then explore specific categories through our detailed guides.

    Start with our college predictor to identify safe, target, and reach options for your rank. Then use the cutoff analyzer for detailed round-wise and year-wise closing rank analysis at specific colleges.

    How many colleges participate in AIQ

    In the 2025 counselling cycle, MCC filled approximately 26,515 seats (MBBS and BDS combined) across more than 400 institutions. Our database tracks 359 medical colleges under All India Quota with allotment data from 2023, 2024, and 2025. These 359 colleges span 267 cities across India.

    The breakdown by management type from our data: 112 government colleges, 239 private (including deemed universities that participate through MCC), and 8 classified as deemed. The “private” count is high because deemed universities, which are technically private institutions, form the single largest block of MCC seats.

    Government medical colleges (15% AIQ)

    Every government and corporation medical college in India surrenders 15% of its MBBS intake to the All India Quota. In 2025, this produced 8,159 MBBS seats and 492 BDS seats across government colleges in every state.

    These are the most sought-after AIQ seats because of their low tuition fees. Government college fees are set by the state government and typically range from Rs 13,610 per year (Tamil Nadu) to Rs 2,60,000 per year (Delhi). AIQ students at government colleges pay the same fees as state quota students at the same institution.

    Competition for government AIQ seats is intense. AIIMS New Delhi closed at AIR 48 (OPEN category, OS seat) in Round 1 of 2025. Even less competitive government colleges require ranks in the tens of thousands for OPEN category. For detailed closing ranks, use our AIQ cutoff analyzer.

    For a deeper look at government colleges under AIQ, see our government medical colleges in AIQ guide.

    Deemed universities

    Deemed universities account for 13,939 seats (10,649 MBBS + 3,290 BDS) across 88 institutions in the 2025 cycle. This is the single largest block of MCC seats. All deemed university seats are filled exclusively through MCC; there is no state counselling route.

    Key characteristics of deemed university seats:

    • No reservation. SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD reservation does not apply. Admission is on NEET merit, with separate NRI and minority quotas (Jain, Muslim) at select institutions.
    • Higher fees. Annual fees range from approximately Rs 10 lakh (Symbiosis, Pune) to Rs 30.5 lakh (Sree Balaji Medical College, Chennai). Over 32 deemed colleges charge more than Rs 1 crore for the full MBBS course.
    • Higher security deposit. MCC charges Rs 2,00,000 as a security deposit for deemed university registration, compared to Rs 10,000 for government AIQ.

    Deemed universities fill seats across multiple quota types: General/Paid (merit-based, open to all), NRI, Jain Minority (JMQ), and Muslim Minority (MMQ). Not all deemed institutions have minority quotas; it depends on the university’s status.

    Deemed university seats carry no SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD reservation. Your reserved category gives you no advantage at deemed institutions through MCC. All 13,939 seats are filled purely on NEET merit.

    For a full breakdown of fees, quotas, and strategy, see our deemed universities guide.

    AIIMS campuses

    All 17 AIIMS campuses contribute their entire intake to MCC counselling. The 2025 seat matrix had approximately 1,700 MBBS seats across AIIMS. The campuses, ordered by intake size:

    Campus MBBS seats
    AIIMS Jodhpur 150
    AIIMS New Delhi 125
    AIIMS Bhopal 125
    AIIMS Raipur 125
    AIIMS Rishikesh 125
    AIIMS Patna 125
    AIIMS Nagpur 125
    AIIMS Kalyani 125
    AIIMS Mangalagiri 125
    AIIMS Deogarh 125
    AIIMS Bathinda 100
    AIIMS Bilaspur (HP) 100
    AIIMS Jammu 100
    AIIMS Rai Bareli 100
    AIIMS Bibi Nagar (Hyderabad) 100
    AIIMS Rajkot 75
    AIIMS Madurai 50

    AIIMS New Delhi is the most competitive medical college in India. Its OPEN category (OS seat) closing AIR was 48 in Round 1 of 2025. Newer AIIMS campuses have considerably higher closing ranks; AIIMS Madurai and AIIMS Rajkot, opened in recent years, closed at ranks in the thousands.

    Central government reservation (SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC-NCL 27%, EWS 10%, PwD 5%) applies at all AIIMS campuses.

    The gap between AIIMS campuses is enormous. AIIMS New Delhi (OPEN/OS) closed at AIR 48 in 2025 Round 1, while newer campuses like AIIMS Madurai and AIIMS Rajkot close at ranks in the thousands. Do not treat all AIIMS as a single tier.

    JIPMER and IMS-BHU

    JIPMER Puducherry (134 MBBS seats) and JIPMER Karaikal (45 MBBS seats) participate fully in MCC counselling. IMS-BHU contributes 100 MBBS and 63 BDS seats. These institutions follow central government reservation.

    JIPMER Puducherry also has a Puducherry (PUD) quota for candidates domiciled in the Union Territory of Puducherry.

    Central universities

    Several Delhi-based and other central university medical colleges participate through MCC:

    • Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi: 207 MBBS seats. Splits between 85% Delhi quota and 15% AIQ.
    • Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Delhi: 189 MBBS seats. Same Delhi/AIQ split. Women-only institution.
    • University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), Delhi: 144 MBBS seats. Delhi/AIQ split.
    • JNMC-AMU, Aligarh: 150 MBBS seats. Splits between AMU institutional quota and open seats.
    • VMMC (under IP University), Delhi: MBBS seats with IP University quota and AIQ split.

    Delhi University colleges are among the most competitive in AIQ. MAMC and LHMC typically close at ranks under 100 for OPEN/DU quota seats. Even the AIQ seats at these colleges require top ranks.

    ESIC medical colleges

    The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) runs 11 medical colleges, contributing 446 MBBS and 28 BDS seats to MCC counselling. ESIC colleges have additional seat types: CW (Children/Wards of ESIC employees) seats that are restricted to dependents of ESI insured persons. Open seats follow the standard AIQ allotment process.

    Filter the cutoff analyzer by both reservation category and seat type together. An OPEN/AI seat at a government college has very different closing ranks from an OPEN/OS seat at AIIMS or an NRI seat at a deemed university.

    How to explore these colleges on neet2seat

    Our platform tracks all 359 AIQ colleges with three years of allotment data:

    • AIQ colleges page: Browse all colleges by city, management type, or category. Each college page shows fees, intake, NMC status, and links to cutoff data.
    • AIQ cutoff analyzer: Filter closing ranks by college, category (OPEN, OBC, SC, ST, EWS + PwD variants), seat type (AI, OS, DU, AMU, ESI, NRI, JMQ, MMQ, etc.), round, and year.
    • College predictor: Enter your NEET rank and category to see safe, target, and reach colleges based on historical cutoff patterns.

    FAQ

    Can I get both state quota and AIQ seats at the same college?

    Not simultaneously. A government college has separate pools: 85% state quota and 15% AIQ. You can be allotted from either pool (through state counselling or MCC), but not both. If you receive allotments from both tracks at different colleges, you choose one.

    Are deemed university seats more expensive than government AIQ seats?

    Yes, significantly. Government AIQ fees range from Rs 13,610 to Rs 2,60,000 per year. Deemed university fees range from approximately Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30.5 lakh per year. The gap is substantial. See our AIQ fees guide for details.

    Which AIQ colleges are easiest to get into?

    Colleges with the highest closing AIR (i.e., seats available at lower ranks) tend to be newer government colleges in less populated areas, ESIC colleges, and some deemed universities. Our cutoff analyzer lets you sort by closing rank to identify these. In 2025, some AIQ government colleges closed above AIR 1,00,000 for OPEN category.

    Do all AIIMS campuses have the same closing rank?

    No. AIIMS New Delhi is far more competitive than newer campuses. In 2025 Round 1, AIIMS New Delhi (OPEN/OS) closed at AIR 48, while newer campuses like AIIMS Madurai and AIIMS Rajkot closed at ranks in the thousands. The gap between established and new AIIMS campuses is significant.

    How many medical colleges are there in India total?

    As of 2025-26, India has approximately 816 medical colleges with approximately 1,14,550 MBBS seats. Of these, about 26,515 seats across approximately 400 institutions are filled through MCC counselling. The remainder are filled through individual state counselling authorities.

  • AIQ stray vacancy round: how it works and who should participate

    AIQ stray vacancy round: how it works and who should participate

    The stray vacancy round is MCC’s final stage of NEET UG counselling, filling seats that remain empty after Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3 (mop-up). If you missed allotment in earlier rounds or held out for a better option, the AIQ stray vacancy round is your last chance at seats through central counselling. This guide covers what seats are available, who can participate, how it differs from Round 3, and what rules apply.

    The stray round has strict rules: no Float option (Freeze only), compulsory joining, and severe penalties for non-joining (deposit forfeiture plus potential permanent debarment from MCC counselling).

    What seats are available in the stray vacancy round

    The stray vacancy pool consists of seats that went unfilled after Round 3 processing. In practice, most of these seats come from:

    • Deemed universities: The largest source of stray vacancies. With 13,939 seats across 88 institutions (in the 2025 cycle), some go unfilled because candidates prefer government colleges or find the fees too high.
    • Central universities: A few seats at Delhi University colleges, AMU, or IP University may remain.
    • ESIC: Seats at the 11 ESIC medical colleges sometimes go to stray rounds.
    • AIIMS/JIPMER campuses: Rare, but possible at newer or less popular campuses.

    Government AIQ seats are generally not available in the stray vacancy round. If government AIQ seats remain unfilled after Round 3, they enter the stray round process. Any that still remain after the stray round revert to the respective state governments for filling through state-level stray vacancy rounds. Per a Supreme Court direction from July 2022, no AIQ seats revert before MCC finishes Round 3 and the stray vacancy round.

    The stray vacancy pool consists primarily of deemed university seats. Government AIQ seats that survive through Round 3 are rare. If you are targeting only government colleges, the stray round is unlikely to help.

    Who can participate

    Eligibility for the stray vacancy round:

    • Candidates who qualified NEET UG for that cycle
    • Candidates who registered with MCC in earlier rounds but were not allotted, or were allotted but did not join
    • Candidates who have not already joined a seat through any earlier MCC round (if you joined and froze in Round 1 or 2, you are out)

    Candidates who joined in Round 3 are not eligible for the stray vacancy round. Round 3 joining is final.

    Whether fresh registration is accepted varies by year. In some cycles, only previously registered candidates can participate; in others, limited fresh registration is allowed. Check the MCC notification for the specific year on mcc.nic.in.

    How it differs from Round 3 (mop-up)

    Aspect Round 3 (mop-up) Stray vacancy round
    Seat types available All MCC seats (govt AIQ, deemed, central, ESIC, AIIMS/JIPMER) Primarily deemed and central; govt AIQ seats rare
    Fresh registration Required for all candidates May be limited (check MCC notification)
    Float option at reporting Available Not available; Freeze only
    Joining Compulsory Compulsory
    Typical timing (2025) Late September – October Mid-late October

    The most important difference: there is no Float option in the stray vacancy round. If you are allotted a seat, you either Freeze (join permanently) or decline (forfeit deposit and face debarment). There is no “accept and wait for something better.”

    Timeline (2025 cycle)

    In the 2025 cycle, the stray vacancy round opened on 14 October 2025, with choice filling from 14-17 October. Results and reporting followed in late October.

    MCC also conducted a special stray round in November-December 2025 to fill seats that remained vacant even after the standard stray vacancy round. Special stray rounds are not guaranteed every year; MCC announces them based on vacancy counts.

    Rules and penalties

    Joining is compulsory. If you are allotted a seat in the stray vacancy round and do not report, your security deposit is forfeited. For deemed university registrants, this means losing Rs 2,00,000. Additionally, you may face permanent disqualification from MCC counselling in future cycles (check the specific year’s MCC bulletin for the exact debarment rules).

    No Float, no resignation. Once you join in the stray vacancy round, you cannot resign from the seat through MCC. Your admission is final for that academic year.

    Only list colleges you will attend. Because joining is compulsory and there is no exit without penalty, be selective in your choice filling. Do not list a college as padding; if allotted, you must report and attend. If there are only 3 colleges you would attend from the stray pool, list only those 3.

    Should you participate?

    The stray vacancy round suits candidates in specific situations:

    You missed allotment in earlier rounds and want any seat through MCC rather than waiting for the next NEET cycle. The stray pool is smaller and the colleges available are mostly deemed (with higher fees), but a seat is a seat.

    You want a specific deemed university that had vacancies in previous years’ stray rounds. If you have been watching a particular institution and its pattern shows stray vacancies, this round is your opportunity. Our AIQ cutoff analyzer can show you which colleges had allotments in R3 (indicating they were still filling seats late in the cycle).

    Before the stray round, check our cutoff analyzer for colleges that had Round 3 allotments in previous years. Late-round allotments indicate the institution regularly has stray vacancies, making it a realistic target for this round.

    You have a state counselling seat as a backup. If you already hold a state counselling seat (and have not exited MCC), you can participate in the stray round and decide based on which allotment is better. Be careful about cross-track rules at this late stage; check both the MCC bulletin and your state’s information brochure for any restrictions.

    The stray round does not suit candidates who are unsure about attending deemed universities at their fee levels. The Rs 10-30 lakh per year fee range at deemed institutions is a real financial commitment. If you cannot afford it or are not willing to pay it, do not list those colleges.

    Be selective in stray-round choice filling. Since joining is compulsory and there is no exit without penalty, list only colleges you would genuinely attend at their published fee level. This is not the round for padding your list.

    FAQ

    Can I get a government medical college seat in the stray vacancy round?

    It is unlikely. Government AIQ seats that survive through Round 3 are rare, and any that do may revert to state governments after the stray round. The stray vacancy round is primarily a deemed and central university round.

    What is the special stray round?

    If seats remain vacant after the standard stray vacancy round, MCC may conduct a special stray round. This happened in November-December 2025. The rules are similar to the stray vacancy round (compulsory joining, Freeze only), and the seat pool is even smaller. MCC announces special stray rounds on mcc.nic.in as needed.

    If I do not get a seat in the stray round, is my deposit refunded?

    Yes. If you registered and participated but were not allotted a seat in any round, your security deposit is refunded in full, typically within 30 days of the final counselling round.

    Can I participate in the stray round if I exited MCC in Round 1?

    If you took the free exit in Round 1 (did not join), you can register for Round 3 (which requires fresh registration) and potentially participate in the stray round. If you exited after Round 2 (deposit forfeited), you are ineligible for further MCC rounds in that cycle.

    How many seats are typically available in the stray vacancy round?

    This varies by year and is not published as a fixed number. In previous cycles, stray vacancies have ranged from a few hundred to over a thousand seats, predominantly at deemed universities. The MCC seat matrix before the stray round shows the updated vacancy count.

  • Float, freeze, and upgrades in AIQ counselling

    Float, freeze, and upgrades in AIQ counselling

    After each round of MCC NEET UG counselling, allotted candidates face a decision: freeze the seat (accept permanently) or float (accept but request an upgrade in the next round). Getting this wrong can mean losing a good seat or forfeiting your security deposit. This guide explains exactly how each option works, what the risks are round by round, and how to think through the decision.

    The two options at reporting

    When you report to your allotted college after an MCC round, you submit documents, pay fees, and select a willingness option:

    Freeze: You accept this seat permanently. You exit all future MCC counselling rounds. Your seat is confirmed and you begin the academic session at this college. No further changes are possible through MCC.

    Float (also called “upgrade willingness”): You accept this seat and keep it, but you also tell MCC that you want to be considered for an upgrade in the next round. If a seat at a college you ranked higher in your next preference list becomes available, you are automatically upgraded. Your current seat is then released for someone else. If no upgrade is available, you keep your current seat.

    There is also a third implicit option in Round 1: not joining. In Round 1, this is a free exit with full security deposit refund. In later rounds, not joining has consequences.

    Decide your Float-or-Freeze strategy before reporting day. Check round-wise closing rank trends on our AIQ cutoff analyzer for your target colleges. If a preferred college showed significant seat movement between rounds in 2023-2025, floating is a calculated bet worth taking.

    Round-by-round rules

    Round 1

    Action Outcome Deposit
    Join + Freeze Seat confirmed; exit all future rounds Retained by college
    Join + Float Seat held; eligible for upgrade in Round 2 Retained by college
    Free exit (don’t join) No seat; can register for Round 2 or 3 Refunded in full

    Round 1 is the lowest-risk round. If you are not satisfied with your allotment, you can walk away with no financial penalty. If you are moderately satisfied but think you might do better, join with Float. If your allotment is exactly what you wanted, Freeze.

    Round 2

    Action Outcome Deposit
    Join + Freeze Seat confirmed; exit all future rounds Retained by college
    Join + Float Seat held; eligible for upgrade in Round 3 Retained by college
    Don’t join (exit) No seat; deposit forfeited; ineligible for further MCC rounds Forfeited

    The stakes increase in Round 2. If you are allotted a seat and choose not to join, your security deposit (Rs 10,000 for government AIQ; Rs 2,00,000 for deemed) is forfeited and you cannot participate in any further MCC rounds for that cycle. The free exit window is over.

    From Round 2, not joining your allotment costs you both your deposit (up to Rs 2,00,000 for deemed seats) and your eligibility for all remaining MCC rounds. The free exit privilege ends after Round 1.

    Round 3 (mop-up)

    Fresh registration is required. If you are allotted a seat in Round 3, joining is compulsory. Resignation after joining is not permitted. Candidates who joined in Round 2 with Float can be upgraded; if upgraded, they must report to the new college.

    Stray vacancy round

    Joining is compulsory. There is no Float option; you can only Freeze. If allotted and you do not join, your deposit is forfeited and you face permanent disqualification from MCC counselling.

    How upgrades actually happen

    When you select Float after joining in Round 1, here is what happens in Round 2:

    1. You fill fresh choices for Round 2 (your Round 1 list is voided).
    2. The allotment algorithm runs again, processing all candidates by rank. Your Round 1 seat is temporarily considered occupied by you.
    3. If the algorithm finds a college from your Round 2 preference list that is higher than your current allotment and has a vacant seat at your rank, you are upgraded.
    4. Your Round 1 seat is released and becomes available for other candidates in the same Round 2 processing.
    5. If no upgrade is found, you keep your Round 1 seat with no change.

    The same logic applies between Round 2 and Round 3 for candidates who chose Float in Round 2.

    When to Freeze

    Freeze if:

    • You are allotted your first or second preference and would not want to risk any change.
    • You are satisfied with the college and the fee (especially relevant for deemed university seats with Rs 2,00,000 deposit at stake).
    • You are also participating in state counselling and prefer to focus there. Freezing in MCC locks your MCC seat while you continue state counselling. If your state allotment is better, you can resign from MCC (check that year’s MCC bulletin for the resignation process and any penalties).

    When to Float

    Float if:

    • You are content with your current allotment but a significantly better option exists if seats shift. For example, you got your 8th preference and your top 3 are colleges where cutoffs sometimes loosen in Round 2.
    • You have checked historical cutoff data and see movement between rounds. Our AIQ cutoff analyzer shows closing ranks by round for each college across 2023-2025. If the college you want had seats available in Round 2 last year at ranks near yours, floating is reasonable.
    • You are early in the process (Round 1) where the downside of floating is low (you still hold a seat, and there is no deposit risk from floating itself).

    The risk of floating

    Floating does not risk your current seat. If no upgrade is available, you keep what you have. The risk is different: by floating, you opt into the next round’s allotment, which means filling a fresh preference list. If you accidentally omit your current college from the Round 2 list (or list it lower than a college you would not actually prefer), the algorithm may move you to a seat you like less than your Round 1 allotment.

    Floating itself carries no risk of downgrade or seat loss. You keep your current seat unless a higher preference becomes available. The only danger is a mistake in your next-round preference list.

    The safest approach when floating: include your current college in your Round 2 preference list at the position where it truly ranks among your preferences. List better options above it; list worse options below or exclude them. This way, the worst-case outcome of floating is keeping your current seat.

    When floating, always include your current college in your next-round preference list at its true rank. This ensures the worst outcome is keeping the seat you already have. Omitting it by accident is the real risk of floating.

    MCC float/freeze versus state counselling equivalents

    If you are comparing MCC’s system to state counselling mechanisms:

    Maharashtra: Uses “Status Retention” instead of Freeze. Status Retention in Maharashtra is irrevocable and removes you from all future state counselling rounds. MCC’s Freeze is similarly permanent but the mechanism differs (deposit-based in MCC, form-based in Maharashtra). Maharashtra does not have a Float equivalent; instead, candidates who skip Status Retention are automatically considered for upgradation in the next round.

    Karnataka: Uses a Choice-1, Choice-2, Choice-3 system. Choice-1 is similar to Freeze; Choice-2 allows upgradation within the same college; Choice-3 allows upgradation across all colleges (similar to Float). See our Karnataka Choice-1 vs Choice-2 guide for details.

    FAQ

    If I float in Round 1, can I be downgraded to a worse seat in Round 2?

    No. The upgrade mechanism only moves you to a higher preference from your Round 2 list. If no higher preference is available, you keep your Round 1 seat. You cannot be moved to a lower-preference seat through floating.

    Can I switch from Float to Freeze between rounds?

    Yes. If you selected Float in Round 1 and are not upgraded in Round 2, you can choose Freeze when you report for Round 2. At that point, your seat is confirmed and you exit future rounds.

    What is the financial risk of floating with a deemed university seat?

    The security deposit for deemed university registration is Rs 2,00,000. If you float and later decide not to join after Round 2 allotment (not just the float outcome, but a separate exit decision), you lose this deposit. Floating itself does not forfeit your deposit; it only keeps you in the pool. The deposit is at risk only if you actively exit after Round 2.

    Does floating affect my state counselling participation?

    No. Floating or freezing in MCC is independent of your state counselling status. You can hold a seat in MCC (frozen or floating) while participating in state counselling, until the point where cross-track rules apply (typically after Round 3 in either track).

    Should I float if my seat is at AIIMS New Delhi?

    If AIIMS New Delhi is your top preference and you have been allotted a seat there, Freeze. There is nothing higher to upgrade to within MCC. The only scenario for floating from AIIMS New Delhi is if you specifically want a different course (BDS to MBBS, for example) at the same or different institution, which is an unusual situation.

  • MCC choice filling for NEET UG: how to fill preferences on the AIQ portal

    MCC choice filling for NEET UG: how to fill preferences on the AIQ portal

    Choice filling on the MCC portal is where your counselling outcome is decided. You build an ordered preference list of college-course combinations, and the allotment algorithm processes candidates by NEET rank, assigning each person the highest preference with a vacant seat. Getting this right matters more than most candidates realize. This guide covers how MCC choice filling works, what the portal looks like, common mistakes, and a practical strategy for ordering your list.

    When and where choice filling happens

    Choice filling opens on mcc.admissions.nic.in after registration closes for each round. In the 2025 cycle, Round 1 choice filling ran from 22 July to 7 August (about two weeks). Round 2 ran from 5-15 September. Round 3 ran from 30 September to 9 October.

    You must fill fresh choices for each round. Your Round 1 preference list does not carry forward to Round 2. This is a common point of confusion; treat each round as an independent exercise.

    Your Round 1 preference list is completely voided before Round 2. You must fill fresh choices every round. Previous lists do not carry forward.

    No limit on number of choices

    MCC does not cap the number of college-course combinations you can add. If there are 359 AIQ colleges in the system (which our database tracks), you could theoretically list every one of them. In practice, you should list every college-course combination you are genuinely willing to attend. More choices give you a higher probability of allotment, because the algorithm stops at the first vacant match as it scans down your list.

    Listing a college does not commit you to joining it. If you are allotted a seat you listed but no longer want, you can exit (in Round 1, this is free; in later rounds, there are deposit consequences).

    How to fill choices on the portal

    The MCC portal presents available colleges and courses based on your registered seat types and category. The process:

    1. Search and add: Search by college name, state, city, or institution type. Add college-course combinations to your list one at a time.
    2. Reorder: Drag and drop (or use move buttons) to arrange choices in your true preference order. Your first choice should be the college you want most, second choice the next best, and so on.
    3. Save regularly: The portal has a save button. Save your list after every batch of changes. Unsaved changes can be lost if your session times out.
    4. Lock: Near the end of the choice-filling window, a separate locking period opens (typically the last few hours). Once you lock, your list is final. If you do not lock manually, the system auto-locks your last saved list at the deadline.

    You can add, remove, and reorder choices as many times as you want during the filling window. The system records only your final locked list for allotment processing.

    The allotment algorithm

    MCC uses a merit-based single-round allocation. It processes candidates in descending order of NEET All India Rank (AIR 1 first, then AIR 2, and so on). For each candidate, the system scans their preference list from top to bottom and assigns the first choice where:

    • The college has a vacant seat in the candidate’s eligible category
    • The candidate meets any institution-specific eligibility (domicile for DU colleges, ESIC employee wards for CW seats, etc.)

    If no choice has a vacant seat, the candidate gets no allotment in that round. The key implication: your preference order determines which seat you get among those available at your rank, but it cannot get you a seat that candidates with better ranks have already taken.

    Strategy: how to order your choices

    A few principles that consistently produce better outcomes:

    Put your true first choice first. There is no tactical reason to list a “safe” college first. The algorithm checks your list from top to bottom, so listing your dream college first costs you nothing. If it is available at your rank, you get it. If not, the algorithm moves to your second choice. You never lose a safer option by listing an ambitious choice above it.

    There is zero downside to listing your dream college first. The algorithm checks your list top-to-bottom; an ambitious first choice cannot cost you a safer option placed lower on the list.

    Fill more choices than you think you need. In 2025, MCC processed candidates across 359 colleges with 16 different seat types and 10 categories. The combinations are large. If you list 30 colleges but the 31st would have been your allotment, you get nothing. List everything you would accept.

    Use our cutoff data for calibration. Our AIQ cutoff analyzer shows closing AIR by college, category, seat type, and year for 2023-2025. Use these to identify three zones:

    • Reach colleges: Where last year’s closing rank was better than yours by a margin. Low probability but worth listing (put them at the top).
    • Target colleges: Where your rank falls within the recent range of closing ranks. Reasonable probability.
    • Safe colleges: Where your rank comfortably beats recent closing ranks. High probability (put them lower in the list, as backups).

    Our college predictor automates this classification for your specific rank and category.

    Don’t leave gaps in your list. If you would attend College A and College C but not College B, skip College B. But do not leave a gap between your last realistic choice and the end of your list. Add safe options all the way down. The cost of having one extra college on your list is zero; the cost of missing an allotment because you ran out of choices is an entire year.

    List every college-course combination you would genuinely attend. With 359 colleges in the system, aim for 50+ choices if your rank range spans many colleges. Use our college predictor to identify your safe, target, and reach options.

    Choice locking: do not skip it

    The choice locking window opens in the last few hours of the choice-filling period. During this window, you explicitly lock your list, making it final and uneditable.

    If you forget to lock, the system auto-locks your last saved list. This means whatever you last clicked “Save” on becomes your final list. If you were in the middle of reordering and saved a partially reorganized list, that is what gets locked. Always do a final review and manual lock before the deadline.

    Auto-lock saves your last saved list, not your intended list. If your last save was mid-reorder, that partially reorganised list becomes final. Always do a deliberate final review and manually lock your choices.

    Round-by-round choice filling differences

    Round Fresh choices required? Available seats Key difference
    Round 1 Yes (first round) All MCC seats Largest pool; fill aggressively
    Round 2 Yes (Round 1 list voided) R1 leftover + vacated + upgraded seats Smaller pool but less competition from R1 acceptors
    Round 3 (Mop-up) Yes (fresh registration too) R2 leftover + vacated seats Even smaller pool; joining is compulsory
    Stray vacancy Yes R3 leftover (mainly deemed/central) Freeze only, no float option

    The pool of available seats shrinks with each round, but so does the number of competing candidates (since many have already accepted seats). Round 2 can sometimes produce surprises where seats at popular colleges open up because their Round 1 holders were upgraded to even more popular colleges.

    The competition shrinks with each round as candidates accept seats and leave the pool. Round 2 upgrades can free seats at popular colleges that were fully filled in Round 1, creating opportunities that did not exist earlier.

    Common choice-filling mistakes

    Listing too few choices. Candidates who list only 10-15 colleges and miss allotment have no one to blame but the length of their list. With 359 colleges in the system, listing 50+ is reasonable for most rank ranges.

    Ordering by fee instead of preference. Some candidates push low-fee government colleges to the top and high-fee deemed colleges to the bottom. This is fine if it reflects genuine preference. But if you would genuinely prefer a particular deemed college (better clinical exposure, location, or speciality reputation) over a remote government college, order accordingly. The algorithm respects your list; make the list reflect what you actually want.

    Not checking seat type eligibility. Some seats have additional eligibility requirements (Delhi domicile for DU quota, ESIC employee relationship for CW seats). If you list a seat you are not eligible for, it is simply skipped by the algorithm (no penalty), but it does not count as a valid choice. Make sure your realistic choices are ones you actually qualify for.

    Forgetting to lock. Auto-lock saves you from a blank list, but it locks whatever you last saved. If your last save was an incomplete reorder, that is your final list.

    FAQ

    Can I change my choices after locking?

    No. Once locked (manually or auto-locked at the deadline), your list is final for that round. You will fill fresh choices in the next round if you participate.

    Do my Round 1 choices carry forward to Round 2?

    No. Each round requires a completely new preference list. Your Round 1 list is voided before Round 2 choice filling opens.

    What happens if I list a college I am not eligible for?

    The allotment system skips it and moves to your next choice. There is no penalty for listing an ineligible college; it simply does not count. However, do not rely on ineligible choices as padding.

    Should I list BDS colleges if I only want MBBS?

    Only if you would genuinely attend a BDS programme. Listing a BDS college as a placeholder is risky: if you get allotted there, you either join a programme you did not want or exit with potential deposit forfeiture (in later rounds). Only list what you would accept.

    How do I find the best colleges for my rank?

    Use our college predictor to see safe, target, and reach colleges for your NEET rank and category. Then explore detailed cutoff trends on our AIQ cutoff analyzer. These tools cover 359 AIQ colleges across three years of data.

  • AIQ seat matrix for NEET UG: how seats are calculated and distributed

    How the AIQ seat matrix works

    The All India Quota (AIQ) seat matrix determines exactly how many seats MCC fills at each government medical college in India. Understanding the AIQ seat matrix for NEET UG is the first step to knowing your realistic options outside your home state. This guide explains how the 15% quota is calculated, which institutions are included, how seats are distributed by category, and where to find the official seat matrix each year.

    The 15% rule

    Every government and corporation medical college in India surrenders 15% of its total sanctioned MBBS intake to the All India Quota. MCC fills these seats through central counselling based on NEET All India Rank, with no domicile restriction.

    The arithmetic is straightforward. For a college with 250 sanctioned seats, 15% is 37.5. Since you cannot have half a seat, the number rounds to 37 or 38 depending on the rounding convention MCC applies that year. The remaining 212 or 213 seats stay with the state for state-level counselling.

    For a college with 100 seats, 15 go to AIQ and 85 to the state. For a college with 150 seats, 22 or 23 go to AIQ.

    This calculation applies only to government and corporation colleges. Private unaided colleges do not contribute to the AIQ pool. Their 15% institutional quota is a separate concept managed by the state counselling authority or the institution itself, depending on the state.

    Only government and corporation colleges surrender 15% to the AIQ pool. Private unaided colleges have their own institutional quota, managed by the state or institution, not by MCC. Do not confuse the two.

    What the 2025 AIQ seat matrix looked like

    The 2025 MCC NEET UG seat matrix included approximately 26,515 total seats across all institution types. The breakdown by institution type:

    Institution type MBBS seats BDS seats Total
    15% AIQ government college seats 8,159 492 8,651
    Deemed universities (88 institutions) 10,649 3,290 13,939
    Central universities 1,014 258 1,272
    AIIMS + JIPMER + IMS-BHU 2,179 — 2,179
    ESIC 446 28 474
    Total ~22,447 ~4,068 ~26,515

    The 8,159 MBBS seats in the AIQ government college row represent 15% extracted from government colleges across all states. The remaining 85% of those same colleges are filled by each state’s counselling authority.

    AIIMS, JIPMER, and central universities: 100% through MCC

    Unlike government colleges where only 15% goes to AIQ, certain institutions have all their seats filled by MCC:

    AIIMS: All 17 AIIMS campuses contribute their entire intake to MCC. The 2025 seat matrix had 1,700 MBBS seats across AIIMS, ranging from AIIMS New Delhi (125 seats) to AIIMS Madurai (50 seats).

    JIPMER: JIPMER Puducherry (134 MBBS seats) and JIPMER Karaikal (45 MBBS seats) are entirely under MCC. IMS-BHU adds 100 MBBS seats and 63 BDS seats.

    Central universities: Delhi University colleges (MAMC with 207, LHMC with 189, UCMS with 144), JNMC-AMU (150), Jamia Millia Islamia (BDS only), and VMMC under IP University. Delhi University colleges split their seats: 85% Delhi quota and 15% AIQ. AMU has a 50-50 split between institutional and open categories.

    ESIC: All 11 ESIC medical colleges participate through MCC, contributing 446 MBBS and 28 BDS seats.

    How seats are distributed by category

    Within the AIQ government college seats, MCC applies central government reservation:

    Category % of AIQ govt seats Approx. MBBS seats (of 8,159)
    Open / UR 40.5% ~3,304
    OBC-NCL 27% ~2,203
    SC 15% ~1,224
    EWS 10% ~816
    ST 7.5% ~612

    PwD gets 5% horizontal reservation within each category. So within the ~3,304 UR seats, approximately 165 are for PwD candidates; within the ~2,203 OBC-NCL seats, approximately 110 are for PwD; and so on.

    AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC, and central universities follow the same reservation structure. Deemed universities carry no reservation (see our AIQ categories guide for details).

    What happens to unfilled AIQ seats

    If AIQ seats at a government college go unfilled after MCC completes all its rounds (including stray vacancy), those seats revert to the respective state government. Maharashtra’s 2025 Information Brochure states explicitly that AIQ seats “will not be reverted back to the respective states” during the MCC counselling cycle. Per a Supreme Court direction from July 2022, no AIQ seats revert before MCC finishes its Round 3 and stray vacancy rounds.

    For AYUSH courses (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS), the rule differs. The Ayush Admissions Central Counselling Committee (AACCC) fills 15% AIQ seats at government AYUSH colleges, and unfilled AYUSH AIQ seats can revert to the state mid-cycle.

    Where to find the official seat matrix

    MCC publishes the seat matrix on mcc.nic.in before choice filling opens for each round. The seat matrix is a downloadable PDF or Excel file listing every participating college, its sanctioned intake, category-wise seat distribution, and fee structure. The matrix may be updated between rounds if colleges are added (NMC approved 41 new colleges for 2025-26) or if seat counts change due to NMC inspection outcomes.

    Always download the latest seat matrix from mcc.nic.in before each round’s choice filling. The matrix can change between rounds as colleges are added, removed, or have their intake revised.

    Our AIQ colleges page tracks 359 colleges from the MCC counselling data. The breakdown: 112 government, 239 private (including deemed through MCC counselling), and 8 classified as deemed. This covers three years of data (2023-2025) across all rounds.

    Cross-reference seat matrix numbers with historical closing ranks using our cutoff analyzer. A college with more AIQ seats does not always mean easier admission; competition depends on the institution’s reputation and location.

    Year-over-year changes

    The AIQ seat matrix grows each year as NMC approves new colleges and increases sanctioned intake at existing ones. In 2025-26, NMC approved approximately 10,650 new MBBS seats across 41 new colleges. India now has approximately 816 medical colleges with about 1,14,550 MBBS seats nationally, of which roughly 26,500 are filled through MCC.

    This growth means MCC’s share of seats increases in absolute terms even though the 15% ratio stays the same. More government colleges with more seats means more AIQ seats. The number of deemed university seats under MCC also changes as new deemed institutions are approved or existing ones expand.

    The AIQ seat pool grows each year as NMC approves new colleges. In 2025-26 alone, approximately 10,650 new MBBS seats were approved across 41 new colleges. More government colleges mean more AIQ seats, even though the 15% ratio stays fixed.

    FAQ

    Do private medical colleges contribute seats to the AIQ seat matrix?

    No. Private unaided colleges do not surrender 15% to AIQ. Only government and corporation colleges do. Private colleges have a separate 15% institutional quota, but that is administered by the state counselling authority (or the institution), not by MCC.

    Can the AIQ seat matrix change between rounds?

    Yes. MCC may update the matrix if NMC grants approval to new colleges or revises intake at existing ones during the counselling cycle. Colleges that lose NMC recognition or fail inspection may be removed. Always check the latest matrix on mcc.nic.in before each round’s choice filling.

    How does the AIQ seat matrix affect my state quota chances?

    The 15% taken for AIQ reduces the seats available in state counselling. A 250-seat government college has roughly 213 seats for the state (85%). This is a fixed formula and does not change based on demand. Your state counselling authority works with the 85% share.

    Are there separate seat matrices for MBBS and BDS?

    MCC publishes a combined seat matrix that includes both MBBS and BDS seats. The seat matrix PDF or spreadsheet has separate rows or sections for MBBS and BDS at each institution.

    Where can I see closing ranks alongside the AIQ seat matrix?

    Our AIQ cutoff analyzer shows closing AIR by college, category, seat type, round, and year across 2023-2025 data. Combine the seat matrix information with historical cutoff data to estimate which colleges are realistic targets for your rank.

  • NEET AIQ categories and reservation: how central government reservation works

    How NEET AIQ categories and reservation work

    All India Quota counselling through MCC follows the central government’s reservation policy, not your state’s. If you qualified for NEET UG and plan to participate in MCC counselling, your reservation category for AIQ is determined by the central government’s classification, which can be different from your state-level category. This guide explains the AIQ categories, how they map (or don’t) to state categories, and where reservation applies across different MCC seat types.

    The five vertical categories in AIQ

    MCC recognizes five vertical reservation categories for All India Quota seats at government colleges, central universities, ESIC, and AIIMS/JIPMER:

    Category Abbreviation Reservation % Seats in 2025 (AIQ govt only, ~8,159 MBBS)
    Open / Unreserved UR 40.5% ~3,304
    Other Backward Classes (Non-Creamy Layer) OBC-NCL 27% ~2,203
    Scheduled Castes SC 15% ~1,224
    Economically Weaker Sections EWS 10% ~816
    Scheduled Tribes ST 7.5% ~612

    These five categories add up to 100% of AIQ government college seats. The percentages follow Article 15(4), Article 15(5), and Article 16(4) of the Indian Constitution, plus the 103rd Constitutional Amendment for EWS.

    PwD: the horizontal reservation

    Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD, also written PwBD) have a 5% horizontal reservation that cuts across all five vertical categories. This means 5% of UR seats, 5% of OBC-NCL seats, 5% of SC seats, 5% of ST seats, and 5% of EWS seats are set aside for PwD candidates.

    To qualify for PwD reservation in MCC counselling, you need:

    • Minimum 40% benchmark disability
    • A disability certificate issued by one of MCC’s 16 designated assessment centres across India (not from any other hospital or medical board)

    The disability categories recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 include locomotor disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and specific learning disabilities, among others. The 5% horizontal reservation was increased from the earlier 3% under this Act.

    PwD disability certificates are accepted only from MCC’s 16 designated assessment centres. Certificates from other hospitals or medical boards will be rejected at verification, even if the disability percentage meets the 40% threshold.

    In our AIQ cutoff data, PwD cutoffs appear as separate categories: OPEN-PWD, OBC-PWD, SC-PWD, ST-PWD, and EWS-PWD.

    The central OBC list versus state OBC lists

    This distinction causes the most confusion. For AIQ counselling, MCC uses the central government OBC list maintained by the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC). Your state may classify you under a different category entirely.

    Concrete examples:

    Maharashtra: Categories like VJ (Vimukta Jati), NT-B (Nomadic Tribes B), NT-C, NT-D, and SEBC (Socially and Educationally Backward Classes) exist only in Maharashtra’s state reservation. These categories have no equivalent in AIQ. If your caste appears in the central government OBC list, you participate as OBC-NCL in MCC counselling. If your caste is not on the central list, you participate as UR regardless of your Maharashtra category.

    Karnataka: The state uses GM (General Merit), 2A (OBC Group A), 2B (OBC Group B), 3A, 3B, SC, ST, and Category 1. For MCC counselling, a candidate categorized as 2A or 2B in Karnataka would check the central OBC list. If listed, they participate as OBC-NCL; if not, as UR.

    The non-creamy layer criterion also differs between state and central definitions. For MCC counselling, you need a Non-Creamy Layer certificate as per the central government’s income threshold (currently Rs 8 lakh per annum). Your state may use a different income limit for its own counselling.

    Where these reservations apply

    Not all MCC seats carry the same reservation policy. The distribution depends on the institution type:

    Institution type SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS reservation? PwD reservation?
    AIQ seats at government colleges (8,651) Yes (central policy) Yes (5% horizontal)
    AIIMS campuses (1,700 MBBS) Yes (central policy) Yes
    JIPMER + IMS-BHU (479 MBBS) Yes (central policy) Yes
    ESIC (474) Yes (central policy) Yes
    Central universities (1,272) Yes (central policy) Yes
    Deemed universities (13,939) No No

    Deemed universities are the exception. Their 13,939 seats (the single largest block under MCC) carry no SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD reservation. Admission is on NEET merit, with separate quota types: General/Paid (merit-based), NRI, and minority quotas (Jain or Muslim) at select institutions. If you belong to a reserved category, your reservation gives you no advantage at deemed universities through MCC.

    Deemed university seats (13,939 in 2025) carry zero reservation. Your SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD status provides no advantage there. All candidates compete on NEET merit for General/Paid seats, regardless of category.

    Seat types in AIQ cutoff data

    Beyond reservation categories, MCC uses seat types that reflect the institutional quota structure. Our cutoff analyzer shows these as separate filters. The 16 seat types in our AIQ data:

    Seat type code Meaning
    AI All India Quota (standard AIQ at government colleges)
    OS Open Seat (AIIMS/JIPMER/Central)
    DU Delhi University quota
    IP IP University quota
    AMU AMU institutional quota
    ESI ESIC quota
    CW Children/Wards of ESIC employees
    CW-DU Children/Wards (Delhi University)
    CW-IP Children/Wards (IP University)
    NRI NRI quota (deemed universities)
    NRI-AMU NRI quota at AMU
    FC Foreign Category
    DP Defence Personnel quota
    JMQ Jain Minority Quota (select deemed)
    MMQ Muslim Minority Quota (select deemed)
    PUD Puducherry quota (JIPMER)

    When using our cutoff analyzer, filter by both category (OPEN, OBC, SC, etc.) and seat type (AI, OS, etc.) to find the closing rank relevant to your situation.

    Determine your central government category now, before counselling begins. Check the SC, ST, and OBC lists at the relevant ministry websites. If you qualify as OBC-NCL, get a fresh non-creamy layer certificate referencing the central government threshold (Rs 8 lakh per year).

    How to determine your MCC category

    Step by step:

    1. Check if your caste or community appears in the central government SC list for your state (published by the Ministry of Social Justice). If yes, you are SC.
    2. Check the central government ST list. If listed, you are ST.
    3. Check the central government OBC list maintained by NCBC (ncbc.nic.in). If listed AND your family income is below the non-creamy layer threshold (Rs 8 lakh/year), you are OBC-NCL.
    4. If you do not fall into SC, ST, or OBC-NCL, and your family income is below Rs 8 lakh/year with no agricultural land above 5 acres and no residential flat above 1,000 sq ft, you may qualify for EWS.
    5. If none of the above apply, you are UR (General/Open).

    Your state-level category is irrelevant for this determination. A candidate who is NT-D in Maharashtra state counselling may be UR in MCC counselling if NT-D is not on the central OBC list. Both categories are valid simultaneously but apply to different counselling tracks.

    FAQ

    My caste is OBC in my state but not on the central OBC list. Can I still get OBC-NCL reservation in AIQ?

    No. For MCC counselling, only the central government OBC list applies. If your caste is not on that list, you participate as UR (General) in AIQ, even if your state grants you OBC status for state counselling. The two lists are maintained independently.

    Check the central government OBC list at ncbc.nic.in before assuming your state-level OBC status applies to MCC counselling. Many state categories (VJ, NT, SEBC in Maharashtra; 2A, 2B in Karnataka) have no equivalent in the central list.

    Do I need separate certificates for MCC and state counselling?

    Typically yes. MCC requires certificates as per central government format. Your state counselling authority may require state-format certificates. For OBC-NCL, the Non-Creamy Layer certificate for MCC must reference the central government income threshold. Some states accept central-format certificates, but check your state’s specific requirements.

    Is there any reservation at deemed universities through MCC?

    No. Deemed university seats filled through MCC have no SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD reservation. All candidates compete on NEET merit for General/Paid seats. NRI and minority quotas (Jain, Muslim) at specific institutions are separate from merit-based reservation.

    What is the difference between PwD and PwBD?

    PwBD stands for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, which is the legal term under the RPwD Act, 2016. PwD (Persons with Disabilities) is the commonly used abbreviation. In MCC counselling, both terms refer to the same 5% horizontal reservation requiring minimum 40% benchmark disability certified by an MCC-designated centre.

    Can an EWS candidate also claim OBC-NCL reservation in AIQ?

    No. These are mutually exclusive vertical categories. You participate under one vertical category only. If you qualify as both OBC-NCL and EWS, choose the one that gives you a better chance based on cutoff trends. Generally, OBC-NCL (27% reservation) has more seats than EWS (10%), so OBC-NCL cutoffs are slightly more relaxed.

    OBC-NCL reservation (27%) covers nearly three times as many seats as EWS (10%). If you qualify for both, OBC-NCL typically offers better odds. Check recent cutoff trends for your target colleges before deciding which category to register under.

  • MCC Counselling 2026 – AIQ Registration, Rounds & Choice Filling

    How MCC NEET UG counselling works

    The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) runs All India Quota counselling for NEET UG, filling seats at government colleges, deemed universities, central universities, AIIMS campuses, JIPMER, and ESIC institutions across India. If you qualified NEET UG, MCC counselling is the route to seats outside your home state’s quota, and the only route to deemed and central institution seats.

    This guide covers the full MCC NEET UG counselling process: who runs it, what seats are available, how to register, the round structure, choice filling, allotment, and what happens after you get a seat. All data is from the 2025 counselling cycle unless stated otherwise.

    Who runs MCC counselling

    MCC operates under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. The counselling portal is at mcc.nic.in, with the application system at mcc.admissions.nic.in. MCC is not the same as NTA (National Testing Agency), which conducts the NEET exam itself. NTA runs the test; MCC runs the counselling for central seats.

    MCC handles only NEET UG counselling for All India Quota and central institutions. State quota counselling (85% of government college seats plus state-level private college seats) is handled separately by each state’s counselling authority. You can register for both MCC and your state’s counselling simultaneously.

    Register for both AIQ government and deemed university seats upfront. You can skip deemed colleges during choice filling, but you cannot add deemed registration mid-cycle. The higher deposit is refundable if you are not allotted.

    What seats MCC fills

    In the 2025 cycle, MCC filled approximately 26,515 seats (MBBS and BDS combined) across five categories of institutions:

    Institution type MBBS seats BDS seats Total
    15% AIQ at government colleges 8,159 492 8,651
    Deemed universities (88 institutions) 10,649 3,290 13,939
    Central universities (DU, AMU, BHU, etc.) 1,014 258 1,272
    AIIMS + JIPMER + IMS-BHU 2,179 — 2,179
    ESIC (11 institutions) 446 28 474
    Total ~22,447 ~4,068 ~26,515

    The 15% AIQ seats come from government and corporation medical colleges in every state. For a college with 250 sanctioned seats, 37 or 38 go to AIQ (depending on rounding) and the remaining 212 or 213 stay with the state. Private unaided colleges do not contribute to the AIQ pool.

    Deemed universities contribute the largest share of MCC seats: 13,939 across 88 institutions. These are entirely under MCC; no state counselling authority fills deemed university seats. Central universities (MAMC, LHMC, UCMS under Delhi University; JNMC-AMU; Jamia Millia Islamia; VMMC under IP University) contribute 1,272 seats. All 17 AIIMS campuses, both JIPMER campuses (Puducherry and Karaikal), and IMS-BHU together account for 2,179 MBBS seats. ESIC’s 11 medical colleges add 474 seats.

    Deemed universities contribute more MCC seats (13,939) than government AIQ (8,651). If your budget permits deemed-level fees, these seats expand your options considerably beyond what government AIQ alone offers.

    The round structure

    MCC counselling runs in four stages: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 (mop-up), and a stray vacancy round. A special stray round may follow if seats remain. The 2025 cycle ran from late July through December 2025.

    Round 1

    All registered candidates fill preferences and the system allots seats based on NEET All India Rank and preference order. Round 1 is a free exit round: if you are allotted a seat and decide not to join, your security deposit is refunded in full. No penalty, no consequences beyond losing that seat. This makes Round 1 low-risk; fill as many preferences as you are willing to consider.

    Round 1 is your only penalty-free exit. From Round 2 onward, not joining your allotted seat forfeits your security deposit (up to Rs 2,00,000 for deemed seats) and bars you from all remaining MCC rounds that cycle.

    If you join your allotted college, you choose one of two options at reporting: Freeze (accept the seat permanently and exit all future MCC rounds) or Float (accept the seat but remain in the pool for upgradation in Round 2). Choosing Float means if a higher-preference seat opens in Round 2, you get upgraded automatically and your Round 1 seat is released.

    Round 2

    Fresh choice filling is required. Round 1 preferences do not carry forward. Available seats include: seats left from Round 1, seats vacated by candidates who did not join, and seats freed by candidates who were upgraded. Candidates who joined in Round 1 with Float are automatically considered for upgradation.

    The exit rules tighten here. If you are allotted a seat in Round 2 and do not join, your security deposit is forfeited and you become ineligible for further MCC rounds in that cycle.

    Round 3 (mop-up)

    Fresh registration is required, even if you participated in Rounds 1 and 2. Fresh choice filling is also required. Once you join in Round 3, resignation is not permitted. This round fills seats that remained vacant or were vacated after Round 2.

    Stray vacancy round

    Seats still vacant after Round 3 go to the stray vacancy round. Joining is compulsory if allotted. There is no Float option; Freeze only. Failure to join results in deposit forfeiture and permanent disqualification from MCC counselling. The stray round primarily fills deemed university, central university, ESIC, and AIIMS/JIPMER vacancies. Government AIQ seats that remain unfilled after the stray round revert to the respective state governments.

    If seats remain vacant even after the stray round, MCC may conduct a special stray round (one was held in November-December 2025).

    MCC counselling timeline (2025 cycle)

    Event Round 1 Round 2 Round 3
    Registration opens 21 July 4 September 29 September
    Choice filling opens 22 July 5 September 30 September
    Choice filling closes 7 August 15 September 9 October
    Result declaration 13 August 17 September 11 October
    Reporting window 14-22 August 18-25 September 13-21 October

    The stray vacancy round opened on 14 October 2025, with choice filling through 17 October. These are the dates from the 2025 cycle; the 2026 schedule will follow a similar pattern (typically starting 2-4 weeks after NEET results are declared) but exact dates are announced each year on mcc.nic.in.

    How to register

    Registration happens on mcc.admissions.nic.in. In the 2025 cycle, personal information was auto-fetched from NTA’s database, so you could not modify your details during registration. You choose which seat types to register for (AIQ government, deemed, or both) and pay the corresponding fee.

    Seat type Category Registration fee Security deposit Total
    AIQ / Central UR / EWS Rs 1,000 Rs 10,000 Rs 11,000
    AIQ / Central SC / ST / OBC-NCL / PwD Rs 500 Rs 5,000 Rs 5,500
    Deemed All categories Rs 5,000 Rs 2,00,000 Rs 2,05,000

    If you register for both AIQ and deemed seats, you pay one fee at the higher rate (Rs 2,05,000). The registration fee is non-refundable. The security deposit is refundable if you are not allotted a seat or if you exit during Round 1 (free exit).

    Documents required at reporting

    When you report to your allotted college, bring originals plus photocopies of:

    • NEET UG admit card and scorecard
    • Class 10 certificate (date of birth proof)
    • Class 12 mark sheet and passing certificate
    • Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, or equivalent)
    • Eight passport-sized photographs
    • MCC allotment letter (downloaded from the portal)

    Category-specific documents: SC/ST/OBC-NCL caste certificate from competent authority (OBC-NCL certificate must be current-year, confirming non-creamy layer status), EWS certificate, or PwD disability certificate from one of MCC’s 16 designated assessment centres. Physical reporting is mandatory; proxy reporting was abolished for the 2025 cycle.

    Get your category certificates ready well before counselling opens. For OBC-NCL, the non-creamy layer certificate must reference the central government income threshold (Rs 8 lakh per year), be current-year, and be in central format. State-format or expired certificates will be rejected at document verification.

    AIQ reservation categories

    MCC follows the central government reservation policy for AIQ government college seats, central universities, ESIC, and AIIMS/JIPMER:

    Category Reservation
    Scheduled Castes (SC) 15%
    Scheduled Tribes (ST) 7.5%
    Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) 27%
    Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) 10%
    Open / Unreserved (UR) 40.5%

    Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD) have a 5% horizontal reservation across all vertical categories. This means 5% of seats within SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, and UR are reserved for PwD candidates (minimum 40% benchmark disability, certified by an MCC-designated centre).

    The OBC list used is the central government OBC list, not your state’s OBC list. Your state-level category (such as VJ, NT-B, NT-C, NT-D in Maharashtra or 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B in Karnataka) has no bearing on MCC counselling. For AIQ, your category is determined entirely by the central government classification.

    Deemed universities do not have SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD reservation. Admission is on merit, with separate NRI and minority (Jain, Muslim) quotas at select institutions. For a full breakdown, see our AIQ categories guide.

    How choice filling works

    During the choice-filling window, you build an ordered preference list of college-course combinations on the MCC portal. There is no limit on how many choices you can add. You can add, delete, reorder, and rearrange choices freely until the locking deadline.

    Near the end of the choice-filling window, MCC opens a choice locking period (typically the last few hours). Once you lock your choices, they cannot be changed. If you do not manually lock your choices before the deadline, the system auto-locks your last saved list.

    The allotment algorithm processes candidates in order of NEET All India Rank. For each candidate, it scans the preference list from top to bottom and assigns the first choice that has a vacant seat in the candidate’s eligible category. Higher-ranked candidates are processed first, so if you and another candidate both list the same college as their first choice, the one with the better rank gets it.

    Fresh choices are required for each round. Your Round 1 list does not carry forward to Round 2. This is different from some state counselling systems (like Maharashtra, where fresh preferences are also required each round) but matches the pattern candidates should expect: treat each round as a new exercise in preference ordering.

    Save your Round 1 preference list offline before it is voided. It serves as a useful starting template when you build your Round 2 list from scratch.

    For detailed strategy on ordering your choices, see our AIQ choice filling guide.

    What happens after allotment

    When results are declared, you check your allotment on the MCC portal. If allotted a seat, you must report to the college within the reporting window (typically 7-9 days). At reporting, you submit documents, pay the college fee, and select your willingness option:

    • Freeze: Accept this seat permanently. You exit all future MCC rounds. Your seat is confirmed.
    • Float (upgrade willingness): Accept this seat and stay in the pool for the next round. If a higher-preference seat opens, you are automatically upgraded and your current seat is released. If no upgrade happens, you keep this seat.

    In Round 1, there is also a free exit option: simply do not join, and your security deposit is refunded. From Round 2 onward, non-joining forfeits your deposit.

    The Freeze-vs-Float decision depends on how satisfied you are with your allotment and how much risk you are willing to take. Our AIQ float, freeze, and upgrade guide covers this in detail.

    How MCC counselling differs from state counselling

    If you are also participating in state counselling (CET Cell in Maharashtra, KEA in Karnataka, or your home state’s authority), note these differences:

    • No domicile restriction in AIQ. A candidate from Bihar can get an AIQ government seat in Tamil Nadu. State counselling restricts government seats to domicile holders.
    • Central reservation only. MCC uses SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS. State counselling uses state-specific categories (VJ, NT-B, NT-C, NT-D, SEBC in Maharashtra; GM, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, Category 1 in Karnataka).
    • Security deposit system. MCC charges a refundable security deposit (Rs 10,000 to Rs 2,00,000). Maharashtra charges a non-refundable registration fee (Rs 1,000 to Rs 6,000) with no separate deposit. Karnataka has its own fee structure.
    • Deemed universities only through MCC. There is no state counselling route to deemed university seats.
    • Round 1 free exit in both. Both MCC and Maharashtra state counselling allow free exit after Round 1 with no penalty.

    You can register for both MCC and state counselling, participate in both tracks, and choose the better allotment if you receive offers from both. Our AIQ vs state quota guide covers this comparison in depth.

    Our data for AIQ colleges

    neet2seat tracks 359 medical colleges under All India Quota across 267 cities, with allotment data from 2023, 2024, and 2025. Our database contains 2,381 cutoff summaries covering 10 reservation categories and 16 seat types.

    The 359 colleges break down as: 112 government, 239 private (including deemed through MCC), and 8 classified as deemed. Cutoff data covers all three rounds (R1, R2, R3) across three years.

    As a reference point: AIIMS New Delhi had a closing AIR of 48 for the OPEN category (OS seat type) in Round 1 of 2025, down from 57 in 2023. You can explore all AIQ closing ranks using our cutoff analyzer for All India Quota.

    FAQ

    Can I register for MCC counselling and state counselling at the same time?

    Yes. Registration with MCC does not affect your state counselling participation, and vice versa. If you receive allotments from both, you choose one and vacate the other within the reporting window. The exception: joining in Round 3 of either track may bar you from further rounds in the other.

    Is there a limit on how many choices I can fill in MCC counselling?

    No. Fill as many college-course combinations as you want. More choices give you better odds of getting an allotment. You can reorder and modify your list until the locking deadline.

    What happens to my security deposit if I am not allotted a seat?

    It is refunded in full, typically within 30 days of the final counselling round. The registration fee (Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 depending on category and seat type) is non-refundable regardless.

    Do AIQ government college seats have the same fee as state quota seats?

    Generally yes. The tuition fee at government medical colleges is set by the state government or fee regulatory authority, and AIQ students pay the same structure as state quota students at the same college. Minor differences exist in some states (for example, Kerala charges Rs 33,500 for AIQ versus Rs 53,865 for state quota at certain government colleges), so check the specific college’s fee notification.

    Do unfilled AIQ seats return to the state?

    Government AIQ seats that remain unfilled after MCC’s stray vacancy round revert to the state. Maharashtra’s 2025 Information Brochure states that AIQ seats “will not be reverted back to the respective states” during the MCC counselling cycle itself. Per a Supreme Court direction from July 2022, no AIQ seats revert to states before MCC completes its Round 3 and stray rounds.

    I have a state-level OBC category (like NT-C in Maharashtra or 3A in Karnataka). What am I in MCC counselling?

    Your MCC category depends on whether your specific caste appears in the central government OBC list. If it does, you participate as OBC-NCL in MCC counselling. If it does not, you participate as UR (General). State-level and central-level categories are determined independently.