Choice-filling “extension” announcement for NEET PG 2025 Round 1 withdrawn

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has plunged NEET PG 2025 aspirants into chaos after a temporary announcement of a '2-3 day extension' for Round 1 choice filling was swiftly withdrawn. This communication blunder has intensified anxiety among doctors vying for the 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats. The officially revised schedule now mandates that choice filling and locking must be completed by November 21, 2025 (12:00 Noon), with the Round 1 result expected on November 22, 2025. Candidates must ignore circulating unofficial notices and strictly adhere to the final, tight deadline on mcc.nic.in.

The NEET PG 2025 counselling cycle, governed by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for the 50% All India Quota (AIQ) and seats in Deemed/Central Universities, has been plagued by continuous uncertainty and delays. On November 20, 2025, the anxiety among lakhs of medical aspirants peaked when an unofficial or temporarily released notice from the MCC hinted at a further '2-3 day extension' for the crucial Round 1 choice filling process.

​However, this supposed extension was swiftly withdrawn from the official website, leaving candidates confused and frustrated. This communication lapse is the latest in a series of administrative adjustments—primarily driven by the National Medical Commission (NMC) revising the seat matrix—that have disrupted the admission timeline. While the reason for the delays (incorporating newly sanctioned seats and removing ineligible ones, such as certain DNB seats) is beneficial to the aspirants, the lack of consistent communication from the MCC has created a crisis of confidence. Aspirants are now urged to adhere only to the final revised schedule, which indicates that the choice filling window closes on November 21, 2025, at 12:00 Noon, with the Round 1 result scheduled for November 22, 2025.

​ Source of Uncertainty: Seat Matrix Revisions and Communication Gaps

​The underlying cause of the frequent schedule changes and the recent communication blunder is the continuous flux in the official seat matrix, a scenario common in every counselling cycle, but seemingly amplified this year.

• ​Inclusion of New Seats: The most frequent reason for postponing deadlines is the need to integrate newly approved postgraduate seats into the counselling roster. 
  • ​The NMC recently granted approval for hundreds of new MD/MS seats, particularly in Deemed Universities and various private institutions.
  • ​For instance, in the last revision, 239 new PG seats were reportedly added to the Round 1 matrix, necessitating an extension to allow candidates to include these new options.
• ​Exclusion of Seats (DNB): Simultaneously, the MCC has been required to remove certain seats, notably a significant number of DNB seats which were reportedly withdrawn due to non-compliance or procedural issues. The withdrawal of over 235 DNB seats from the matrix forced a complete recasting of the allotment roster.
• ​The Withdrawn Notice: The temporary announcement and subsequent withdrawal of the 2-3 day extension caused widespread alarm. Experts and aspirant associations took to social media, criticizing the MCC for the lack of clarity, which directly impacts the career decisions of thousands of doctors. This incident highlights the need for a more stable and verifiable communication system from the counselling body.

​ The Final MCC AIQ Deadline: What Aspirants Must Do Now

​Given the withdrawn extension and the critical nature of the All India Quota (AIQ) allotment, candidates must focus solely on the confirmed, final deadline released on the MCC's website.

• ​Choice Filling Closes: November 21, 2025 (12:00 Noon): This is the absolute final time limit for all candidates to submit their options for the 50% AIQ, Central University, and Deemed University seats. All candidates who have registered must log in and lock their choices. Unlocked choices may or may not be auto-locked by the system; relying on auto-locking is a high-risk strategy.
• ​Allotment and Reporting Dates: 
  • ​Seat Allotment Result: The result is now expected on November 22, 2025.
  • ​Reporting/Joining: Candidates allotted a seat must report to the respective institutes between November 23 and December 1, 2025. This window includes time for fee payment and essential document verification.
• ​Strategic Choice Refinement: Candidates who secured a high rank should re-evaluate their selection based on the updated seat matrix, ensuring they have listed all highly sought-after clinical branches (like MD Radiodiagnosis or MD General Medicine) in premier institutions (like AIIMS, JIPMER, or Maulana Azad Medical College) at the top of their list.

​ Domino Effect: Impact on State Counselling

​The continuous revisions in the MCC schedule have a direct and disruptive domino effect on the 85% State Quota counselling processes being conducted by the respective State Directorates of Medical Education (DMEs).

• ​State Alignment: State counselling authorities (like CEE Kerala, DGME UP, and DME Chhattisgarh) are legally and procedurally required to align their schedules with the MCC's AIQ timeline. This ensures that candidates who secure a seat in the AIQ Round 1 have time to decide whether to resign/not join AIQ and pursue a better option in the State Round 1.
• ​State Extensions: The MCC's last-minute changes have compelled nearly all major State Counselling Committees to announce simultaneous extensions for their respective Round 1 registration and choice filling deadlines. Many states have extended their choice filling windows to November 24, 2025, to accommodate the MCC's delayed final result (now November 22).
• ​Aspirant Confusion: The simultaneous but non-identical extensions across multiple portals (mcc.nic.in, cee.kerala.gov.in, upneet.gov.in, etc.) place a heavy administrative burden on candidates who must track several websites and deadlines, increasing the risk of missing a critical step.

​Conclusion

​The confusion surrounding the temporarily announced and withdrawn extension for NEET PG 2025 Round 1 choice filling underscores the procedural hurdles aspirants face. The period between November 20 and November 22, 2025, is the most decisive phase of the counselling cycle. Aspirants must exercise extreme caution, ignore all unverified social media information, and focus solely on the confirmed final deadlines. The key is to ensure choices are locked on the MCC portal by November 21, 2025 (12:00 Noon) to participate in the allotment expected on November 22.

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