For thousands of medical aspirants still waiting for a seat, today is the last call. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will close registration for the NEET UG 2026 stray vacancy round tonight, October 14, ending what is effectively the final leg of this year’s All India medical admission counselling.
The registration window, which opened on October 12, has remained open for just three days. Eligible candidates can apply only through the official portal, mcc.nic.in. Anyone who has not registered by the end of today will miss the last shot at an MBBS or BDS seat through the All India counselling process for 2026.
A final chance at vacant medical seats
The stray vacancy round is the cleanup round of NEET UG counselling. After Round 3, seats that remain unfilled across medical and dental colleges, whether because candidates did not report, withdrew, or resigned, are pooled and offered again. For students who narrowly missed out in earlier rounds, this is often the difference between joining a medical college this year and preparing for another attempt.
Choice filling has been running parallel to registration since October 12 and continues till October 15. This means candidates should not wait until the last hour to register; they also need time to fill and arrange their college and course preferences carefully.
Key dates for the stray vacancy round
- Registration: October 12 to October 14, 2026 (closes today)
- Choice filling: October 12 to October 15, 2026
- Choice locking: October 14, 4 pm to October 15, 10 am
- Seat allotment processing: October 15 to October 16
- Seat allotment result: October 17
- Reporting to allotted colleges: October 19 to October 26
Who can, and cannot, apply
Every candidate must register afresh for this round, even if they registered earlier in the counselling process. But not everyone is eligible.
Candidates who already hold a seat or have joined a college are not eligible. Students who were allotted a seat in Round 3 but failed to report to the allotted college are also barred from this round. MCC has also said it will share candidate data with the Centre and the states after Round 3, and anyone whose name appears in an allotment list at either level will be excluded from the All India stray vacancy round.
In short, this round is meant for candidates who are still without a seat and have not blocked one anywhere else.
How to register on mcc.nic.in
- Go to mcc.nic.in and open the UG Medical Counselling section.
- Click the stray vacancy round registration link and complete fresh registration with your NEET UG 2026 roll number and other details.
- Pay the registration fee online and keep the payment receipt.
- Fill your choices of colleges and courses in order of preference.
- Lock your choices between October 14, 4 pm and October 15, 10 am. Unlocked choices may not be considered during allotment.
- Download and save the confirmation page for your records.
What to keep in mind today
Servers tend to slow down in the final hours of any counselling window, so candidates should finish registration well before midnight. Double check your personal details, category and rank credentials while filling the form, because errors here can disqualify the allotment later.
Also remember that the result of this examination of choices is binding in its own way: once a seat is allotted in the stray vacancy round and accepted, the usual rules about resignation and exit apply. Candidates should only lock choices they are genuinely willing to take.
FAQs
Q. When does NEET UG 2026 stray vacancy round registration close?
Registration closes today, October 14, 2026. It opened on October 12, and the window lasts only three days.
Q. Where do I register?
On the official MCC website, mcc.nic.in, under the UG Medical Counselling section. Fresh registration is mandatory for this round.
Q. I got a seat in Round 3 but did not report. Can I apply?
No. Candidates who were allotted a seat in Round 3 and did not report are not eligible for the stray vacancy round.
Q. When will the stray vacancy round result be declared?
Seat allotment processing happens on October 15 and 16, and the result will be published on October 17. Reporting runs from October 19 to October 26.
Q. Is this the last round of NEET UG 2026 counselling?
Yes, the stray vacancy round is the final All India round, covering seats left vacant after Round 3.
The next few hours decide who gets one last shot at a medical seat this year. If you are eligible and still waiting, finish your registration on mcc.nic.in today, fill your choices thoughtfully, and lock them in time.
