As of February 2, 2026, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has officially integrated hundreds of additional postgraduate medical seats into the current admission cycle. These new MD and MS vacancies, approved via the First Appeal Committee, are now reflected in the active seat matrix for the ongoing Round 3 counselling. Aspirants can now access higher-demand clinical specialties across 27 medical colleges without waiting for individual Letters of Permission (LoPs).This expansion, combined with the recently reduced qualifying percentile, significantly improves the chances for candidates on the borderline of their preferred branches. The official MCC and NMC portals are providing real-time updates on the branch-wise distribution of these 171 newly sanctioned seats.

National Medical Commission (NMC) has completed a significant expansion of the postgraduate medical seat matrix. In a move to maximize seat utilization for the current academic session, the commission’s Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) has integrated several newly sanctioned Positions into the national database. These additional Seats, granted through a series of successful appeals by various medical colleges, are now actively being used by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to finalize the Round 3 allotment lists. Aspirants can verify the updated institution-wise vacancies on the Official NMC Public Notice section.

Integration of Appeal-Based Vacancies

The current 2026-27 admission cycle has seen an unprecedented level of regulatory flexibility. The NMC has directed that the newly approved Positions must be included in the choice-filling process immediately, bypassing traditional administrative bottlenecks. This ensures that valuable training Seats are not lost due to delays in issuing physical paperwork.

• Appeal Success: The current expansion follows meetings of the First Appeal Committee held in late December 2025 and January 2026.
• Specialty Breakdown: High-demand branches such as General Medicine, Radio Diagnosis, and Pediatrics have received the bulk of the new Positions.
• Regional Impact: Medical colleges in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu have emerged as major beneficiaries of these updated Seats.
• Legal Validity: The NMC has clarified that the list uploaded on their website serves as a valid legal document for all state and central allotment processes.
• LoP Waiver: Counselling authorities have been explicitly told not to wait for formal Letters of Permission (LoPs) to include these vacancies in the active matrix.

Impact on Round 3 Counselling and Cutoffs

The reflection of these additional Positions in the active counselling planning is expected to have a direct impact on the closing ranks for the 2026 session. Combined with the recent reduction in the qualifying percentile, these Seats offer a vital lifeline to candidates who were previously ineligible for top-tier clinical branches.

• The updated seat matrix now features over 10,000 "clear vacancies" for the third round of the 2025-26 cycle.
• Candidates who are currently in the reporting phase for Round 3 must verify if their allotted institute is among those with newly increased Seats.
• State counselling authorities are also aligning their local schedules to reflect these national-level additions.
• Real-time seat tracking is available via the MCC PG Medical Counselling portal.

Procedural Updates for Aspirants

As the final rounds of the 2026 admission process approach, candidates are being urged to monitor the consolidated Seats closely. The presence of these additional Positions means that the "virtual vacancy" pool has also expanded, offering more opportunities for those seeking an upgrade.

[Image showing the growth of PG medical seats in India from 2014 to 2026]

• Choice Locking: Candidates should re-evaluate their preferences based on the 171 newly added vacancies.
• Security Deposits: Ensure that the registration status is active to qualify for the allotment of these fresh Positions.
• Reporting Deadlines: The reporting window for the current round remains open until February 6, 2026, to accommodate the increased volume of allotments.
• Stray Vacancy Round: Any of these Seats that remain unfilled after the current round will automatically move to the final online stray vacancy phase.

Conclusion

The reflection of additional PG seats in the 2026 counselling planning marks a significant milestone in India's medical education regulatory framework. By allowing newly approved positions to be integrated into the system without waiting for formal letters of permission, the NMC has successfully streamlined a process that historically faced administrative delays. This proactive approach not only benefits individual aspirants by providing more clinical opportunities but also strengthens the national healthcare infrastructure by ensuring no specialized training seat goes vacant. As the February 6 reporting deadline approaches, candidates are encouraged to leverage this expanded matrix to secure their desired specializations for the 2026-28 academic session.