The National Medical Commission (NMC) has officially integrated over 125 additional postgraduate medical seats into the 2025–26 admission systems .Approved clinical and para-clinical specializations are being added to the Round 3 seat matrix. Counselling authorities have been instructed to proceed without waiting for formal Letters of Permission to expedite the residency joining process.

In a major move to expand postgraduate medical opportunities, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced the formal integration of newly sanctioned MD and MS seats into the ongoing counselling cycle. Following a series of review meetings by the First Appeal Committee, the apex medical regulator has cleared a fresh batch of over 125 seats across several key disciplines. These seats are currently being uploaded into the national and state allotment databases, providing a significant boost to aspirants participating in the third round of admissions for the 2025–26 academic session.

Strategic Expansion of Clinical Specializations

The latest integration of seats primarily focuses on high-demand clinical branches where competition has historically been intense. According to the public notice issued by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), specializations such as General Medicine, Radio Diagnosis, and Obstetrics & Gynaecology account for a substantial portion of the new intake. This expansion is designed to address the shortage of specialist doctors in both urban and rural healthcare sectors by allowing established medical colleges to enhance their existing capacities.

• General Medicine: Significant seat additions across institutes in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Emergency Medicine: A focused increase in seats to strengthen trauma care and emergency response residency programs.
• Para-Clinical Branches: Additions in Microbiology and Pharmacology to support diagnostic and research infrastructure.
• Validation: The NMC has clarified that the list of seats uploaded on their official portal serves as a valid document for the current admission round.

Operational Directives for Counselling Authorities

To ensure that no time is lost in the current academic calendar, the NMC has issued a specific instruction to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and all state-level nodal officers. Authorities have been told to include these additional seats in the Round 3 seat matrix immediately, without waiting for the physical issuance of formal Letters of Permission (LoPs). This streamlined approach aims to conclude the 2025–26 residency joining process by the national deadline of January 31, 2026.

• No Wait for LoPs: Counselling bodies are authorized to proceed based on the Appeal Committee's finalized list.
• Matrix Update: System integrators are currently working to reflect these changes in the choice-filling menus for newly registered candidates.
• Eligibility Impact: The addition of seats, coupled with the recent percentile reduction, is expected to significantly lower the closing ranks for several clinical branches.
• Institutional Compliance: Colleges must update their internal allotment software to accept students for these newly sanctioned positions starting next week.

Breakdown of Newly Integrated PG Seats by Region

The following table provides a snapshot of the regional distribution and the types of institutions receiving additional intake capacity for the 2026 admission cycle.

Conclusion

The integration of these additional seats marks the final major expansion of the 2025–26 postgraduate medical intake. By bypassing traditional administrative delays and utilizing the First Appeal Committee’s decisions directly for counselling, the NMC is ensuring that clinical vacancies are filled efficiently. As the MCC portal updates its choice-locking features today, candidates are encouraged to re-examine the revised seat matrix to capitalize on these new opportunities in their preferred specializations.

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