The reporting window for INI CET January 2026 Round 2 is nearing completion. Candidates who secured seats in MD, MS, and MDS programs at AIIMS, JIPMER, and PGIMER must conclude their physical document verification and seat acceptance the January 15 deadline to avoid a ₹3 lakh penalty and seat forfeiture.

The physical reporting phase for the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) January 2026 session is officially drawing to a close. Following the seat allotment announcement on January 9, qualifying doctors have been visiting premier institutes like AIIMS, PGIMER, and JIPMER to formalize their admissions. As the January 15 deadline has just passed for the majority of administrative steps, the focus has shifted to the final verification of late-arriving candidates and the compilation of the vacant seat matrix for potential open rounds.

Final Seat Acceptance and Reporting Protocols

The AIIMS examination section has strictly enforced a "no-extension" policy for the Round 2 reporting window. Candidates were required to log into the official portal to exercise "Option A," signifying their acceptance of the allotted seat. Failure to do so by the specified cut-off resulted in the immediate cancellation of the provisional offer. For those who have successfully reported, the transition from an aspirant to a postgraduate resident is now nearly complete, pending the final approval of their professional credentials by the respective nodal officers.

• Mandatory Deadline: The window for physical reporting and online acceptance concluded at 5:00 PM on January 15, 2026.
• Penalty Clause: Candidates who accepted seats but failed to report in person are subject to a ₹3 lakh penalty fee.
• Option Selection: "Option A" was mandatory to retain the seat; "Option B" (upgradation) was not available in this final major round.
• Admission Status: Only those with a "Successfully Reported" status on the portal are eligible for the upcoming academic orientation.

Mandatory Documentation for Verification

During this final phase, the verification of original academic and category certificates remained the highest priority for the participating Institutes of National Importance (INIs). Every aspirant was required to produce their original MBBS or BDS degree along with a 12-month internship completion certificate. In cases where original documents were held by other institutions, AIIMS allowed a temporary provision where a security deposit of ₹3 lakh could be submitted via Demand Draft to secure the seat during the verification process.

• Academic Proofs: All professional marksheets and the internship completion certificate (valid until January 31, 2026).
• Identity Documents: The original INI CET admit card and a valid government ID (Aadhaar or Passport).
• Category Validity: SC/ST/OBC/EWS certificates were scrutinized strictly against the Central Government formats.
• Final Checks: Nodal officers at each AIIMS campus conducted a multi-layered verification to ensure no discrepancies existed in the candidate’s profile.

Summary of Round 2 Admission Milestones

As the session moves into the joining phase, the following table summarizes the critical dates and outcomes for the January 2026 Round 2 reporting cycle.

Conclusion

The near-completion of the Round 2 reporting cycle marks the beginning of the 2026 residency for thousands of medical graduates. With the administrative doors closing, the institutes are now preparing to welcome the new intake for clinical duties. Any candidate who successfully completed their reporting must now await the final joining instructions from their specific department. The AIIMS examination section is expected to release the final list of admitted students and the remaining vacancy matrix by early next week, determining the feasibility of an open round for this intake.

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