The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has officially reopened the registration for NEET PG 2025 Round-3 counselling following a significant reduction in qualifying cut offs. Eligible doctors can now register and fill their choices on the official portal. This phase marks a crucial opportunity for postgraduate medical aspirants to secure MD and MS seats under the revised eligibility criteria.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduates (NEET PG) 2025 admission process has reached a definitive stage as the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) initiates the Round-3 registration process. Following the recent decision by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to lower the qualifying percentile across all categories, a new pool of candidates has become eligible for the remaining 28,469 seats.

• Revised Timeline: The registration facility for the third round of the All India Quota (AIQ) counselling is currently active and is scheduled to remain open until January 26, 2026.
• Impact of Cutoff Reduction: General category candidates with a score as low as 103 marks (7th percentile) are now permitted to participate in the counselling process.
• Seat Matrix Availability: The official seat matrix released on the MCC portal indicates over 10,000 clear vacancies and approximately 18,000 virtual vacancies across various medical specialties.
• New Candidates: Applicants who did not qualify under the original criteria are now rushing to complete their documentation and choice-filling before the Monday deadline.

Seat Allotment and Choice Filling Procedures

With the registration window closing soon, the focus for aspirants has shifted toward the choice-filling and locking mechanism. The seat allotment for this round is particularly significant as it incorporates nearly 300 newly added MD and MS seats that were recently sanctioned by the National Medical Commission.

• Choice Locking Schedule: Candidates can exercise their choices until 11:55 PM on January 26, with the choice-locking facility becoming available from 4:00 PM on the same day.
• Eligibility Rules: Candidates who have already joined a seat in Round-1 or Round-2 and opted for upgradation are eligible to participate in this round without fresh registration.
• Forfeiture Clause: It is important to note that if a candidate is allotted a seat in Round-3 and fails to join the respective institute, their security deposit will be forfeited, and they will be barred from further rounds.

Key Dates for NEET PG 2025 Round-3 Counselling

Conclusion

The 2025-26 medical counselling cycle is witnessing an unprecedented extension of eligibility, allowing thousands of additional doctors to compete for postgraduate specialization. As the state-level authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra also align their schedules with the central allotment timeline, the coming week remains the final major window for seat acquisition before the stray vacancy rounds begin. The significant reduction in cutoffs has ensured that fewer seats will remain vacant, potentially concluding one of the longest admission sessions in recent years.