All NEET aspirants are eagerly waiting for counselling lists, and after the release of the Round 1 list, aspirants are looking forward to the 2nd Round list. And finally Round 2 of NEET UG 2026 counselling, conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for All India Quota (AIQ) and other seats under its jurisdiction, is now underway with a revised schedule.

 

Here's a complete breakdown of what aspirants must know about registration, choice filling, choice locking and seat allotment.

Round 1 Recap

To understand the Round 2 paper pattern, we must understand about Round 1, MCC has released the 1st round on August 24, 2026, with a total of 29,946 MBBS and BDS seats allotted based on candidates' NEET rank, category, and submitted choices. Candidates who received the seat were given only a short span of time I.e. until 31 August, 2026. Till this date candidates must visit their allotted institute for verification.

 

Round 1 registration had opened on August 5 and closed on August 15, with choice filling running from August 6 to 17.

 

Round 2: Revised Schedule (AIQ, Deemed & Central Universities)

MCC's Round 2 dates moved more than once before settling into the current schedule — candidates should always rely on the latest notification published at mcc.nic.in, since dates can shift close to the deadline. As per the most recent revision, covering All India Quota, Deemed Universities and Central Universities:

•Registration and fee payment: September 3 to 8, 2026

 

•Choice filling and locking: September 3 to 9, 2026

 

•Seat allotment result: September 11, 2026

Last date to join the allotted institute: September 18, 2026

 

Earlier drafts of the schedule had circulated different dates — an August 24 start with a September 5 result, among others — but the version above, with registration ending September 8, choice locking on September 9, and the result on September 11, is MCC's current published schedule. Always cross-check the live schedule PDF on the official portal before making decisions, since a further revision is always possible this close to the deadline.

 

State Quota Counselling: How It's Different

State counselling is conducted by a separate governing body not by MCC and every state publishes their own schedules. 

 

Key differences from AIQ(All India Quota) counselling:

 

Conducting body: State counselling authorities, not MCC, for the 85% state quota; MCC only handles the 15% AIQ seats plus 100% of Deemed and Central University seats

 

Timing: State Round 2 schedules typically run a few days to a couple of weeks after the AIQ Round 2 schedule, and dates vary state by state

 

Eligibility rules: Domicile requirements, reservation categories, and upgrade/retention rules differ from state to state

 

Registration: Candidates must register separately on their respective state counselling portal — AIQ registration does not carry over to state counselling

 

Candidates eligible for both AIQ and their home state's counselling can participate in both processes simultaneously, but need to track two separate schedules, portals, and choice-filling windows. 

 

Check your state's medical education department or DME website for the exact Round 2 dates, since MCC's portal generally only links out to these rather than hosting the state schedule directly.

 

A few patterns worth noting:

Round 2 has consistently landed in early-to-mid September across the last three years, generally starting two to three weeks after the Round 1 result.

 

Schedule revisions are the norm, not the exception. Both 2024 and 2026 saw MCC push out a revised Round 2 schedule after the initial one was announced — 2024's registration window was extended by over a week, and 2026's was tightened by a few days. Don't treat the first announced schedule as final.

 

State quota Round 2 dates lag AIQ dates. In 2024, for instance, several states (Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana) ran their Round 2 counselling from mid-to-late September, roughly one to two weeks after the AIQ Round 2 process, with reporting deadlines stretching into early October.

Who Can Participate in Round 2

 

Round 2 is open to:

•Candidates who did not receive a seat in Round 1 and want to try again

Candidates who received a Round 1 seat and wish to upgrade to a better college or course.

 

If you already have a Round 1 seat and are considering Round 2, read MCC's upgradation and retention rules carefully before filling choices — the consequences of participating differ depending on the type of seat you currently hold (for example, whether it's a government or private/deemed seat, and whether it was allotted in Round 1 or a later round). Don't rely on social media advice alone for this decision.

 

How to Register for Round 2

•Visit the official MCC counselling website — mcc.nic.in

 

•Click on the registration link for Round 2 counselling

 

•Fill in personal, educational, and NEET 

result details

 

•Upload your scanned photograph and signature

 

•Pay the registration fee

 

•Take a printout of the registration confirmation page

 

•Candidates need to complete a fresh registration and choice filling exercise for Round 2, even if they already submitted choices in Round 1.

 

Choice Filling Strategy

Once registration is complete, candidates can log in to fill and reorder their preferred colleges and courses based on the seat matrix MCC releases for Round 2. A few points to keep in mind:

•The seat matrix for Round 2 reflects vacancies created after Round 1 allotment and reporting — so it will look different from the Round 1 matrix

 

•Choices should be locked before the deadline (September 9); unlocked choices may not be considered

 

•Round 2 isn't only about securing any MBBS or BDS seat — it's also a chance to reconsider whether a particular college and course combination is worth prioritising over a seat you may already hold

 

After Choice Locking: Processing and Result

Once the choice-locking window closes, MCC processes seat allotment centrally, factoring in NEET rank, category, locked choices, and seat availability across participating institutions. The result is published on the official portal, after which allotted candidates must follow MCC's and the concerned institute's reporting instructions within the specified reporting window.

Where to Check for Updates

Everyday you can get a new guideline, counselling schedule. So, stay connected with the official website of MCC mcc.nic.in regularly to stay updated with accurate and reliable information about:- 

•The latest activity-wise schedule (registration, choice filling, processing, result, reporting)

 

•The Round 2 seat matrix

Category-wise and institute-wise seat allotment results

 

•Reporting and document verification instructions

 

•Candidates are advised to keep checking the portal regularly through early September, as further schedule revisions cannot be ruled out.