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Why NEET UG Counselling 2026 Was Postponed
According to the official MCC notice, choice locking has not yet started, and the time will be announced soon. Candidates are advised to keep in touch with the MCC website rather than assuming the earlier notified schedule remains unchanged.
This update comes at a critical stage of MCC Round 1 Counselling 2026, since choice locking finalises a candidate's preferences before seat allotment is processed. MCC has offered a total of 31,728 MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing seats for this round.
NEET UG Counselling 2026 Choice Locking: What Candidates Should Know
The NEET UG Counselling 2026 choice locking step allows candidates to lock their submitted preferences so they cannot be edited further. Since this postponement affects timing rather than the process itself, candidates should continue monitoring the official website closely for the updated choice locking window.
Candidates who have already filled their choices are advised not to assume the process is complete until they have actively locked their preferences within the revised window.
NEET UG Counselling 2026: Round 1 Schedule So Far
| Activity | Date |
| Round 1 choice locking | Delayed; new time to be announced |
| Round 1 provisional seat allotment result | August 17, 2026 |
| College reporting | August 18 to 22, 2026 |
Despite the delay in choice locking, MCC has confirmed that the round 1 provisional seat allotment result will still be announced on August 17, with reporting to allotted colleges scheduled from August 18 to 22.
Other Recent Updates in MBBS BDS Counselling 2026
Alongside the choice locking postponement, MCC has also published a supplementary list for the CW category under the 85 percent quota, covering children and widows of armed forces personnel. Candidates under this category can check their names to verify their eligibility for MBBS BDS Counselling 2026.
Separately, MCC has released an additional list of candidates eligible under the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Puducherry and Karaikal internal quota. A total of 5,407 students have been found eligible under this quota.
What MCC NEET UG Counselling 2026 Covers
MCC conducts the NEET UG counselling process for admission to 15 percent All India Quota seats, 100 percent open seats at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), along with several other medical colleges across the country.
Given the scale of this counselling process, even short delays like the one seen in choice locking can affect thousands of candidates simultaneously, which is why MCC has urged applicants to rely only on official communication for the latest timeline.
What Candidates Should Do Now
With the exact choice locking time still pending, candidates are advised to check the MCC website at regular intervals and avoid last-minute changes to their preferences once the window opens. Since the seat allotment result date of August 17 has not been revised, candidates should treat choice locking as urgent once available, rather than assuming there is ample buffer time before the next stage begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why was NEET UG Counselling 2026 round 1 choice locking postponed?
MCC has not specified an exact reason, but confirmed that choice locking has not yet started and a new time will be announced soon.
2. Will the NEET UG Counselling 2026 round 1 seat allotment date change due to this delay?
As per the current schedule, the provisional seat allotment result is still expected on August 17, 2026.
3. How many seats has MCC offered for NEET UG round 1 counselling 2026?
MCC has offered a total of 31,728 MBBS, BDS, and BSc Nursing seats for round 1 counselling.
4. Where can candidates check the latest NEET UG Counselling 2026 update?
Candidates should check the official website, mcc.nic.in/ug-medical-counselling/, for the latest update on choice locking timing.
