NEET PG 2025 State Counselling Transitions Toward Mop-Up and Stray Vacancy Rounds

As of January 30, 2026, NEET PG 2025 state counselling has reached its final stages. With the conclusion of Round 3, state authorities are transitioning toward Mop-Up and Stray Vacancy rounds to fill remaining MD/MS seats. This report details the eligibility rules for final-leg admissions, the strict physical reporting deadlines, and the crucial document verification process required by January 31.

The prolonged admission cycle for post-graduate medical courses in India is nearing its finality. As January comes to a close, various State Medical Counselling authorities have officially moved beyond the standard three rounds of seat allotment, transitioning into the critical Mop-Up and Stray Vacancy phases. For thousands of doctors still awaiting a clinical or para-clinical seat, these final rounds represent the last opportunity to secure admission for the 2025-26 academic session before the national deadline of January 31, 2026.

Final Rounds: Mop-Up and Stray Vacancy Dynamics

The transition to these final stages is marked by a shift from centralized allotment to more localized seat filling, often involving a mix of online processing and physical attendance at designated institutes.

• Mop-Up Mechanics: The Mop-Up round serves as the final chance for fresh registrations in several states. It is specifically designed to "mop up" seats that remained vacant after Round 3 or were vacated due to non-reporting or resignations by previously allotted candidates.
• Stray Vacancy Process: Unlike earlier rounds, the Stray Vacancy round is often conducted directly by the medical colleges or through a state-centralized merit list without the option for fresh choice filling. The focus here is strictly on filling the absolute last vacancies in government and private institutions.
• Seat Conversion: In these final stages, many states implement seat conversion rules, where unfilled reserved category seats (such as SC, ST, or PwD) may be converted to unreserved categories to ensure that no medical seat goes to waste.
• State-Specific Timelines: While the All India Quota (AIQ) Stray Vacancy round concluded its allotment on January 21, states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka are currently wrapping up their respective stray rounds to meet the month-end cutoff.

Eligibility and Strict Participation Rules

To maintain the integrity of the medical admission process, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and state bodies have enforced rigorous eligibility criteria for these concluding rounds.

• Non-Allotted Status: Only those candidates who have not been allotted any seat in Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3 of either the AIQ or State Quota are eligible to participate.
• Joining Constraints: If a candidate was allotted a seat in earlier rounds and failed to join or resigned after the stipulated "free exit" period, they are generally barred from participating in the Stray Vacancy round.
• Security Deposit Forfeiture: Participation in the final rounds often comes with a "forfeit" clause. Candidates who are allotted a seat in the Stray Vacancy round but fail to join will have their security deposit forfeited and may be debarred from the NEET PG exam for the next academic year.
• Merit-Based Allocation: Allotments in these rounds remain strictly based on the NEET PG 2025 rank, ensuring that even the last available seats are granted to the most deserving candidates on the merit list.

NEET PG 2025 Final Admission Timeline & Requirements

The following table outlines the critical deadlines and the mandatory document checklist for candidates participating in the final reporting phase ending tomorrow.

Conclusion

The current transition toward Mop-Up and Stray Vacancy rounds signals the end of a marathon journey for the medical fraternity. With the academic session already in progress, state authorities are under significant pressure to conclude all admissions by the January 31 deadline. The focus for aspirants today is the rapid completion of physical reporting and document verification to avoid the cancellation of their allotted seats. As the portal prepares to shut, this final-leg selection ensures that the healthcare system maximizes its intake of specialists for the upcoming year. The conclusion of this cycle will finally allow the focus to shift entirely to the academic training of the 2025-26 batch and the preliminary preparations for the next entrance cycle.