MCC Adds 138 New MBBS Seats to NEET UG Round 3 Seat Matrix

In a significant announcement that offers a crucial lifeline to thousands of medical aspirants in the final stages of the admission process, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has officially confirmed the addition of 138 new MBBS seats to the Round 3 seat matrix of the NEET UG Counselling 2025. This last-minute addition comes as candidates anxiously await the allotment results for the penultimate phase of the All India Quota (AIQ) counselling.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), operating under the MCC, released an official notice confirming the seat augmentation. These newly included seats stem from intimations received from various Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical Colleges and select Government Medical Colleges across several key states, increasing the overall opportunities for admission to the most sought-after undergraduate medical courses for the academic year 2025.

State-Wise Breakdown of New MBBS Seats

The addition of 138 seats is spread across six institutions in six different states, which is excellent news for candidates targeting government-affiliated colleges in major regions:

• Delhi (NCT): ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Basaidarapur, saw the largest increment with a notable addition of 42 seats. This expansion will ease the competition pressure slightly for aspirants seeking admission in the National Capital Region.
• Gujarat: ESIC Medical College, Naroda, Ahmedabad, has added 25 seats to its capacity.
• Maharashtra: ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Andheri, Mumbai, also added 25 seats, providing relief in one of the country's most competitive metropolitan areas.
• Punjab: ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana, contributes a further 25 seats to the new matrix.
• Haryana: ESIC Medical College, Faridabad, has announced an addition of 14 seats.
• Uttar Pradesh: The Autonomous State Medical College, Amethi, has added 7 seats under the Government Medical Colleges category.

This total of 138 seats forms a substantial boost, especially in Round 3, which precedes only the Stray Vacancy Round. Candidates who exercised their Choice Filling and Locking options before the deadline on October 5 were automatically considered for these expanded seats.

Critical Round 3 Schedule Update

Today, October 7, 2025, marks the final day of the Processing of Seat Allotment for Round 3, a two-day technical exercise that finalizes the candidate-college mapping. Aspirants must prepare for the next steps:

As per the rules for the AIQ counselling scheme, candidates who are allotted a seat in Round 3 must report and join the allotted institute. Once a seat is joined in this round, the candidate cannot resign and will not be eligible to participate in any further rounds of counselling, including the Stray Vacancy Round. This makes the choice-filling and subsequent joining process for Round 3 a decisive step in securing a medical seat.

In addition to these clear vacant positions, the MCC has also noted that a total of 4,921 clear vacant seats and 10,737 virtually vacant seats (for MBBS, BDS, and B.Sc Nursing) were up for grabs in Round 3. The newly added 138 seats further increase the total count, giving many more medical aspirants a chance to fulfil their dream this year.

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