MCC NEET UG 2026 Stray Round Extended to Oct 16; Registration Ends 4 PM

The Medical Counselling Committee has extended the NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy Round schedule, giving candidates additional time on October 16, 2026 to complete registration, payment and choice-related activities. According to MCC's official notice dated October 14, 2026, Stray Round registration will remain available until 4 PM on October 16, while the reset-registration facility closes at 3 PM and payment remains open until 6 PM. Choice filling will continue until 11:55 PM, with choice locking available from 7 PM to 11:55 PM. All times are based on MCC server time.  MCC has scheduled seat-allotment processing for October 17 and 18, the Stray Round result for October 19, and reporting at allotted institutions from October 19 to October 26, 2026. 

MCC NEET UG Stray Round 2026: Revised Schedule

MCC specifically states that these timings are as per server time. 

MCC Extends NEET UG Stray Round Registration

Candidates eligible to participate in the MCC Stray Vacancy Round now have until 4 PM on October 16 to complete registration under the revised schedule. Candidates using the reset-registration option have an earlier cutoff of 3 PM. Payment can be completed until 6 PM. These are separate deadlines, so candidates should not assume that the 6 PM payment deadline also extends registration itself.

Choice Filling Open Till 11:55 PM on October 16

The revised timetable keeps choice filling open until 11:55 PM on October 16. Choice locking is available only from 7 PM to 11:55 PM the same day. 

Candidates should therefore distinguish between:

• choice filling — entering and arranging available preferences;
• choice locking — formally locking the submitted preference list during the prescribed window.

Candidates should check the live counselling system and MCC's candidate instructions before relying on assumptions about saved or unlocked choices.

MCC Releases Stray Round Clear-Vacancy Matrix

MCC's official UG counselling page currently lists a Clear Vacancy Stray Vacancy Round matrix covering:

• MBBS;
• BDS;
• B.Sc Nursing. 

The official document runs to 64 pages and provides institute-, quota-, branch-, category- and seat-wise information. 

Candidates should not choose an institute simply because its name appears in the matrix. They should check the relevant:

• course;
• quota;
• category;
• institution;
• number of listed vacancies;
• their individual eligibility.

MCC Candidate Activity Board Shows Registration Link

The official UG counselling page currently displays a “New Registration for UG Counselling 2026” link under its Candidate Activity Board.  However, when that link was tested during verification for this update, it redirected to the National Informatics Centre's error page displaying:

“Something went wrong. Please try again.” mcc.admissions.nic.in

This should not be interpreted as proof that registration has formally closed. MCC's extension notice still lists registration as available until 4 PM on October 16.  The portal error confirms only that the public link was not successfully loading at the time of that check.

What Should Candidates Do If the MCC Portal Shows an Error?

Candidates should first retry through the official MCC UG counselling page, rather than through an old bookmarked or third-party registration link. The MCC page currently advises candidates needing immediate assistance to use its 24×7 toll-free contact option, and it also lists helpline number 7824848020 and email mcc2026@gov.in.  If access problems occur close to a deadline, candidates should retain relevant evidence such as screenshots showing the date/time and error message and use MCC's official support channel for guidance. A technical error does not by itself create or imply an extension.

Who Can Participate in the MCC Stray Vacancy Round?

Candidates should verify their individual Stray Round eligibility from the revised MCC Information Bulletin and their live candidate account before registration or choice filling. Eligibility rules can depend on a candidate's status in previous counselling rounds, so candidates should not infer eligibility merely because a vacancy appears in the seat matrix.

When Will the MCC NEET UG Stray Round Result Be Released?

MCC has scheduled the NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy Round result for October 19, 2026. Seat processing will take place on October 17 and 18.  Candidates allotted seats will then move to the reporting stage.

MCC Stray Round Reporting Dates

Reporting for the Stray Vacancy Round is scheduled from October 19 to October 26, 2026. 

Candidates receiving an allotment should follow the official allotment letter and institute-specific instructions for:

• physical/required reporting;
• original-document verification;
• payment;
• admission formalities;
• joining confirmation.

The exact reporting requirements should be taken from the final allotment instructions rather than an unofficial generic checklist.

Candidates Should Ignore Older Stray Round Dates

Because MCC has issued an extension, candidates should use the October 14 revised notice rather than older schedule screenshots or stale registration articles.

The current authoritative timeline is:

Registration → Oct 16, 4 PM
Payment → Oct 16, 6 PM
Choices → Oct 16, 11:55 PM
Result → Oct 19
Reporting → Oct 19–26.