MCC NEET PG Round 3: Choice Filling Concludes as Aspirants Eye Final Seats in MD, MS, and DNB Programs
Today, January 28, 2026, marks a high-stakes moment for the medical fraternity as the NEET PG Round 3 counselling cycle approaches its final verdict. With the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) processing the final choices of thousands of specialists-in-the-making, the national healthcare landscape is set for a significant reshuffle of resident doctors. This phase is particularly intense due to the recent percentile revision, which has brought a fresh wave of competition into the fray.
The window for choice filling and locking for the NEET PG 2025 Round 3 (All India Quota) has officially drawn to a close, setting the stage for the seat allotment results. This round represents the last major opportunity for candidates to secure seats in prestigious government and private medical colleges before the process moves into the unpredictable Stray Vacancy round. Following the recent directive from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to lower the qualifying percentile to effectively zero for certain categories, this round has seen a record number of active participants.
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Understanding the Round 3 Dynamics
Round 3, historically referred to as the Mop-up round, serves a dual purpose: it allow candidates from previous rounds to upgrade their specializations and provides a first-time entry point for those newly qualified under the revised criteria. Unlike Rounds 1 and 2, the rules for Round 3 are significantly more stringent to ensure that medical seats do not go to waste.
| Feature | Round 2 Rules | Round 3 Rules |
| Exit Option | Free Exit/Exit with Forfeiture | No Free Exit |
| Upgradation | Allowed to Round 3 | Final Allotment for many |
| Security Deposit | Refundable if joined | Forfeited if not joined |
Key Statistics for the Current Session
The MCC has updated the seat matrix to reflect 156 newly added seats across various clinical and non-clinical branches. These additions include seats in high-demand specializations like Radio-diagnosis, General Medicine, and Pediatrics. However, candidates were also cautioned that 10 seats were removed from the initial Round 3 matrix due to institutional surrenders or court mandates.
Post-Choice Filling: What Happens Next?
Now that the choices are locked, the MCC will utilize its automated algorithm to match candidate ranks with their preferred institutions.
- Processing of Allotment: Jan 27 – Jan 28, 2026.
- Result Declaration: Expected tomorrow, January 29, 2026.
- Reporting Phase: Candidates will have a window from January 30 to February 6, 2026, to physically report to their allotted medical colleges.
Essential Checklist for the Reporting Phase
Aspirants are advised to keep their original dossiers ready. Forgetting a single document can result in the immediate cancellation of the allotment:
- NEET PG 2025 Admit Card & Score Card.
- Provisional Allotment Letter (to be downloaded from the MCC portal).
- MBBS Degree/Provisional Certificate.
- Internship Completion Certificate (proving completion by the cut-off date).
- State/National Medical Council Registration.
- Valid Category Certificate (EWS/OBC/SC/ST/PwD) as per Central format.
Aspirants must remember that if they are allotted a seat in Round 3 and fail to join, they will be ineligible for any further rounds of counselling, including the Stray Vacancy round. For comprehensive analysis and "what-if" scenarios regarding the final cut-offs, follow Only Education News.