The National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved hundreds of additional postgraduate medical seats for the 2025–26 academic session. These new clinical and non-clinical seats are being integrated directly into the Round-3 seat matrix by the MCC to expedite the admission process. Check the updated state-wise list and specialty-wise breakdown for MD, MS, and DNB courses.

As of February 1, 2026, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has significantly expanded the postgraduate seat matrix by approving a fresh batch of additional medical seats. Following successful appeals by various institutions, the First Appeal Committee has cleared over 500 new positions across several clinical and para-clinical specialties. This move is designed to address the specialist doctor shortage and ensure that no viable training capacity remains underutilized during the current admission cycle.

• Specialty Breakdown: Significant increases have been noted in high-demand branches, including General Medicine, Radio Diagnosis, and Anaesthesiology.
• Specialist Access: The official public notice confirms that 144 seats were added in General Medicine alone across 27 medical colleges after recent reviews.
• Institutional Coverage: Both government and private medical colleges across states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu have benefited from these sanctions.
• Streamlined Approvals: To prevent academic delays, the NMC has instructed that these additional seats be included in the counselling matrix even before the physical issuance of formal Letters of Permission (LoPs).

Integration into Round-3 and Stray Vacancy Rounds

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has already begun the technical integration of these new seats into the Round-3 choice-filling portal. This real-time update to the seat-matrix allows candidates who were previously on the borderline of their preferred specialties to revise their options. With the residency joining deadline set for later this month, this rapid integration ensures that the expanded capacity is filled without extending the overall admission timeline.

Candidates participating in the ongoing PG counselling are advised to re-examine the updated seat-matrix regularly. The inclusion of these seats is expected to slightly lower the closing ranks for several premium clinical branches, providing a strategic advantage during the final allotment phases

Conclusion

The proactive measures taken by the NMC to approve and verify these additional seats before the final rounds of admission represent a significant shift toward a more flexible medical education system. By bypassing procedural bottlenecks and focusing on immediate integration, the commission aims to maximize the number of specialist doctors entering the workforce by mid-2026. Aspirants should ensure their profile on the MCC portal is updated and their choice list reflects the latest available vacancies in the seat-matrix. As the February joining window approaches, these new opportunities mark the final major expansion for the current academic year.