Medical aspirants enter the mop-up and stray vacancy rounds for NEET PG and UG 2025. Explore seat vacancy trends, eligibility rules, and final admission steps.

As the primary phases of medical admissions conclude, thousands of aspirants are now focusing on the final opportunities to secure a seat through the mop-up and stray vacancy rounds. With the academic session for many postgraduate courses having already commenced in late December, these concluding rounds serve as a "last call" to fill residual vacancies in government and private medical colleges. According to recent updates from the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), the transition from Round 3 to the final counselling stages is expected to intensify over the next two weeks.

Understanding the Mop-Up Round Dynamics

The mop-up round is often considered the most strategic phase for candidates who did not receive an allotment in the initial stages. Unlike the first two rounds of counselling, this stage operates under specific "no-exit" conditions to prevent seat wastage across both All India and State quotas.

• Fresh Choice Filling: Even if they were previously registered, aspirants are required to submit fresh choices for the mop-up round, as previous preferences are no longer valid in the system.
• Seat Availability: Vacancies typically arise from candidates who were allotted seats in Round 2 but failed to report, or those who opted for a seat surrender within the permitted timeline.
• Institutional Scope: This round covers a wide array of institutions, including Deemed Universities, Central Universities, and 15% All India Quota seats, making it a critical juncture for those with mid-range ranks.
• Eligibility Filter: Only those who do not hold a seat in any previous round of AIQ or State counselling are permitted to participate, ensuring that seats are allocated to those still awaiting admission.

Counselling Milestones and Remaining Vacancies

The following table highlights the current status of the concluding counselling phases for both UG and PG medical admissions as of January 2026:

The Final Hurdle: Stray Vacancy Procedures

For many aspirants, the stray vacancy round represents the absolute final chance to enter a medical college for the 2025-26 academic year. This round follows a much more decentralized format compared to the earlier centralized counselling procedures.

• College-Level Allotment: In many instances, especially for Deemed Universities, the list of eligible candidates is forwarded to the colleges, which then conduct the admission process based strictly on merit.
• No Fresh Registration: Typically, no fresh registrations are allowed for the stray round; only candidates who registered for the previous rounds but remain unallotted are considered for the timeline.
• Strict Joining Rules: Candidates allotted a seat in this final phase must report immediately with all original documents and fees, as there is zero flexibility for resignation or seat upgrading.
• Document Readiness: Aspirants are advised to keep their NEET scorecards, identity proofs, and original academic certificates ready for on-the-spot verification at the allotted institutes.

Conclusion

The move into the mop-up and stray vacancy rounds marks the culmination of an arduous counselling journey for the 2025-26 batch. While the number of available seats is significantly lower than in the initial rounds, the shifting timeline often creates unexpected openings in highly sought-after branches. For the remaining aspirants, success in these final stages depends on a combination of merit, alert monitoring of vacancy matrices, and swift administrative action. As the MCC and State authorities aim to conclude all admissions by January 31, the coming days will be the final determining factor for those looking to fulfill their medical career ambitions this year.