Punjab NEET UG 2026 Stray-Round Schedule Out; Registration on October 16–18

Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, has released the Punjab NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy Round schedule for MBBS and BDS admissions. Fresh online registration will run from October 16 to October 18, 2026. BFUHS has also published the latest vacancy position after Round 3. Candidates planning to participate should check their eligibility carefully because upgradation is not allowed in the Stray Vacancy Round, and candidates already holding or having joined a seat through MCC or any state up to Round 3 are not eligible. 

Punjab NEET UG Stray Round 2026: Important Dates

These dates are from BFUHS's official Stray Vacancy Round schedule dated October 15. Candidates should continue checking the university counselling page for amendments. 

Fresh Registration Opens October 16

Fresh applicants can register online from October 16 to October 18, 2026. BFUHS states that fresh candidates must complete the online registration/application and pay the applicable application fee through the University Payment Portal. 

The application fee is:

• General category: ₹5,900, including GST
• SC candidates: ₹2,950, including GST. 

The schedule does not display a separate closing hour for the October 18 fresh-registration deadline, so candidates should avoid assuming a late-night cutoff unless BFUHS specifies one separately.

Registration Alone Is Not Enough

Freshly registered applicants must also complete the required willingness and security-deposit process to participate in the Stray Round. BFUHS warns that if a fresh candidate fails to submit willingness and/or the prescribed security deposit within the applicable period, the candidate will not be considered for the Stray Round. 

The security deposit shown in the official schedule is:

Candidates should save payment receipts and any acknowledgement generated after submitting willingness.

Who Must Register Afresh?

The schedule specifically states that candidates who did not join a seat allotted in Round 1 or Round 2 and were not allocated a seat in Round 3 are required to register afresh for the Stray Round and deposit the applicable security amount again.  Candidates should read the original BFUHS wording alongside their own counselling history before paying, because individual eligibility remains subject to all applicable counselling conditions.

Who Is Not Eligible for Punjab NEET UG Stray Round?

BFUHS lists the following candidates as ineligible:

• candidates who have not registered for the Stray Vacancy Round;
• candidates who have already joined or are holding any seat up to Round 3 through MCC or any state counselling;
• candidates who were allotted a seat in Punjab State Round 3 but did not report for joining. 

BFUHS further states that candidates who have joined through any state or MCC counselling will be weeded out before provisional seat allotment. Candidates outside these excluded categories may participate, subject to fulfilment of all other eligibility requirements. 

Is Upgradation Allowed in the Stray Round?

No.

BFUHS explicitly states that upgradation is not permitted during the Stray Vacancy Round. This means the round should not be treated as an opportunity for candidates already holding a seat to move to another college.

Punjab MBBS/BDS Stray Round Vacancy Position

BFUHS has published the official vacancy position after the third counselling round as of October 15, 2026. 

The document lists:

• 9 MBBS seats
• 51 BDS seats
• 60 vacancies in total

These are spread across different institutions, categories and quotas. 

For example, some vacancies are specifically earmarked for:

• Scheduled Caste;
• PwD/Handicapped categories;
• NRI;
• Minority quota;
• defence categories;
• migrants from Jammu and Kashmir;
• Backward Classes;
• other prescribed reservation categories. 

Candidates should therefore not interpret the total vacancy count as an open-merit seat count.

NRI Candidates Have an Earlier Deadline

Candidates applying under the NRI Quota must submit their admission application form by 4 PM on October 16, 2026. Candidates applying through NRI quota should therefore make sure they complete the correct process rather than assuming one form covers both requirements.

Christian Minority Verification on October 19

Candidates applying under Christian Minority Quota must report to Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, for minority-status verification by 3 PM on October 19 where verification is still pending.  Candidates whose Christian Minority status was already verified during Round 1, 2 or 3 do not need to undergo verification again. Those who registered previously under the minority quota but could not complete verification may report for verification for participation in the Stray Round. 

Provisional Merit List on October 19

BFUHS will display the provisional merit list on October 19, 2026. Candidates should check the merit list before proceeding to choice filling and confirm that their candidature and applicable category have been reflected correctly.

Punjab Stray Round Choice Filling on October 20–21

Eligible candidates can fill online choices for:

• course;
• college;
• quota;
• category

from October 20 to October 21, 2026, through the BFUHS counselling portal. Candidates should compare the latest vacancy position with their eligibility and submit only choices they are genuinely prepared to accept.

Provisional Allotment Result on October 22

Seat-allotment processing and the provisional Stray Round allotment/result are scheduled for October 22, 2026.  This is followed by an objection window before the reporting process begins.

How Can Candidates Challenge the Provisional Allotment?

Candidates can submit objections to the provisional seat allotment until 3 PM on October 23. However, BFUHS has imposed a specific submission method.

Objections must be:

• submitted in person by the candidate;
• filed at the Admission Branch, BFUHS, Faridkot;
• accompanied by relevant supporting records/documents. 

BFUHS explicitly says that objections sent through email, post or any other mode will not be entertained.

College Reporting From October 24 to 26

Provisionally selected candidates must report to their allotted college between October 24 and October 26, 2026 to complete admission and joining formalities. After the college verifies documents and determines eligibility, the candidate must pay the balance amount of the six-month fee after adjustment of the security deposit already paid, using the University Payment Gateway. 

Candidates should preserve their:

• allotment letter;
• document-verification acknowledgement;
• fee-payment receipt;
• joining/admission acknowledgement.

Special Rule for Leftover BDS Seats

BFUHS has included an additional provision for leftover BDS seats. The schedule states that if an adequate number of candidates is not available for the BDS course, candidates who are not eligible for 85% State Quota seats may be considered. Candidates should wait for any BFUHS implementation notice rather than assuming this provision automatically makes them eligible for every currently vacant BDS seat.

What Should Candidates Do Now?

Candidates considering the Stray Round should first review the October 15 vacancy matrix and check whether available seats match their category/quota.

They should then:

• verify Stray Round eligibility;
• complete fresh registration if required;
• pay the applicable application fee;
• complete willingness/security-deposit formalities;
• check NRI or minority-specific requirements if applicable;
• review the October 19 merit list;
• submit choices on October 20–21;
• save all payment and submission confirmations.

Because BFUHS states that future amendments issued by the Punjab Government, Government of India or MCC will also apply, candidates should recheck the official site before every major counselling step.