NEET MDS 2025: Stray Vacancy Round Commences for 149 Seats

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has begun the final stray vacancy round for NEET MDS 2025 counselling, offering a last chance for aspirants to secure a seat.

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has set the stage for the final phase of the dental admissions cycle with the commencement of the online stray vacancy round for NEET MDS 2025 counselling. This fourth and final round is the last opportunity for eligible aspirants to secure a seat in a Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) program for the current academic year. Following a brief postponement from its original August 19 schedule, this crucial round began on August 26, 2025, bringing an end to weeks of uncertainty for many candidates.

According to the official list released by the MCC, a total of 149 seats are available for allotment in this round. These seats are distributed across various dental colleges, including All India Quota, Deemed, and Central Universities. The availability of these seats provides a fresh opportunity for thousands of aspirants who have not yet secured a seat in the previous three rounds of counselling.

Eligibility and Important Deadlines

Participation in the stray vacancy round is not open to all candidates. It is strictly limited to those who have not been allotted a seat in any of the previous rounds and those who are registering for the first time. Candidates who were allotted and joined a seat in a prior round are not eligible to participate.

Aspirants must adhere to a strict and condensed timeline to complete the process:

• Registration & Choice Filling: The registration and choice-filling window is open from August 26, 2025, and will close at 12 noon on August 31, 2025. It is imperative for candidates to fill their choices carefully and in order of preference, as the seat allotment will be based solely on these choices and the candidate's NEET MDS rank.
• Choice Locking: The choice locking facility will become available on August 31, 2025, from 4 PM onwards. Candidates who fail to lock their choices will have them automatically locked by the system at the deadline.
• Result & Reporting: The results of the stray vacancy round are scheduled to be announced on September 2, 2025. Successful candidates must then report to their allotted dental colleges for the admission and document verification process between September 2 and September 5, 2025.

Candidates must be prepared to pay the security deposit as part of the registration process. It is important to note that this deposit will be forfeited if an allotted seat is not joined. This final round is a do-or-die situation for many aspirants. For regular updates on admission processes and to ensure you do not miss a single deadline, follow Only Education News to get the latest announcements directly from the MCC.