NEET MDS Counselling 2026 Dates & Schedule Released: Round 1 Registration from August 18
Published 15 Aug 20263 min read
The wait is over for NEET MDS qualifiers — the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has finally released the full counselling schedule, and registrations for round 1 kick off on August 18, 2026. The counselling will be conducted for 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats, and the MCC has also put out the information bulletin, which is available for download on mcc.nic.in for anyone who wants to go through the complete scheme in detail.
There will be four rounds in total this year — round 1, round 2, round 3, and an online stray vacancy round at the end to mop up any seats that are still lying vacant. Every candidate looking to secure a PG dental seat needs to complete registration and choice filling within each round's window to stay in the running for allotment.
NEET MDS Counselling 2026 Schedule, Round by Round
Here's how the dates are laid out across all four rounds:
| Round | Registration Dates | Choice Filling & Locking | Seat Allotment Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | 18 Aug – 23 Aug 2026 | 19 Aug – 23 Aug 2026 | 26 Aug 2026 |
| Round 2 | 03 Sep – 08 Sep 2026 | 05 Sep – 09 Sep 2026 | 11 Sep 2026 |
| Round 3 | 22 Sep – 27 Sep 2026 | 23 Sep – 28 Sep 2026 | 30 Sep 2026 |
| Stray Vacancy Round | 12 Oct – 14 Oct 2026 | 12 Oct – 15 Oct 2026 | 16 Oct 2026 |
Round 1 is the one to watch right now — registration is open from August 18 to 23 (till 3:00 PM, with fee payment allowed till 6:00 PM), while choice filling and locking run from August 19 to 23. The result will be declared on August 26, followed by institute reporting from August 27 to September 1, and a verification window for joined candidates on September 2.
What Happens in Each Round
Every round of MDS counselling follows the same four-stage pattern:
- Release of the seat matrix
- Registration and choice filling
- Seat allotment result
- Institute reporting
How to Register for NEET MDS Counselling
Getting registered is fairly straightforward:
- Go to the official MCC website — mcc.nic.in
- Select the 'MDS' option
- Click on 'New Registration'
- Enter your NEET MDS roll number, application number, date of birth, and other basic details
- Fill out the complete application form
- Pay the non-refundable registration fee
- Submit the form and save a copy for your records
Documents You'll Need
Before you sit down to register, keep these ready — you'll need them at various stages of the process:
- NEET MDS 2026 scorecard
- Admit card
- BDS degree certificate
- Internship completion certificate
- Registration certificate
- Academic certificates
Registration Fee Structure
Going by last year's information bulletin, here's what candidates paid for registration — both the non-refundable processing fee and the refundable security deposit:
| Category | Non-Refundable Fee (₹) | Refundable Deposit (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| 50% AIQ / Central Universities — General | 1,000 | 25,000 |
| 50% AIQ / Central Universities — SC/ST/OBC | 500 | 10,000 |
| Deemed Universities — All Categories | 5,000 | 2,00,000 |
The exact fee for this year is expected to mirror these figures, though candidates should double-check the current information bulletin on mcc.nic.in once they begin registration, just to be safe.
With round 1 registration opening in just a few days, candidates who've cleared NEET MDS should start gathering their documents and keep an eye on mcc.nic.in for any further updates on the seat matrix and choice-filling window.