The waiting game is finally over for thousands of Maharashtra medical aspirants. The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has declared the selection list for the first round of the NEET UG 2026 stray vacancy counselling today, October 19, 2026, opening up the last real window for MBBS and BDS admissions in the state this year.
Students who filled fresh preferences between October 17 and 18 can now log into the official CET Cell portal and see whether a medical or dental college has been allotted to them. Those who make the cut have just two days, October 20 and 21, to physically report at their allotted college and complete the admission formalities.
What the stray vacancy rounds are about
After three rounds of the Centralised Admission Process (CAP), a total of 10,395 students had secured MBBS and BDS seats across Maharashtra for the 2026-27 academic year, filling 90.93% of the 11,431 available seats. That left 1,036 seats still vacant, and the stray vacancy rounds are the CET Cell’s final push to fill them before the admission deadline set by the Medical Counselling Committee.
The revised schedule, announced through a press release on October 16, lines up three online rounds back to back. The split between government and private institutions is stark. Government medical colleges have nearly finished their intake, with 5,045 of 5,065 MBBS seats taken, a fill rate of 99.60%. Private medical colleges still have 506 MBBS seats open, and private dental colleges have the largest gap, with 484 of their 2,300 BDS seats still waiting for takers.
The complete Round 1 to Round 3 schedule
- Round 1: Choice filling October 17 to 18 (till 11.59 pm). Selection list declared today, October 19. Physical reporting on October 20 and 21, by 5.30 pm.
- Round 2: Choice filling October 21 to October 22 (till 11 am). Selection list on October 22. Reporting between October 23 and 24.
- Round 3: Choice filling October 24 to October 25 (till 11 am). Selection list on October 25. Physical joining by October 26, the final date fixed by the MCC.
The CET Cell has instructed all participating colleges to remain operational on Saturdays, Sundays and gazetted holidays so that the compressed admission calendar is not derailed by a day off.
Who is eligible, and the fine print that matters
Only candidates who qualified NEET UG 2026, registered for the state admission process and were not allotted a seat up to CAP Round 3 can take part. There are no fresh registrations in the stray rounds, so anyone who never entered the state counselling cannot jump in now.
A few rules deserve close attention. Preferences filled during CAP Round 3 stand cancelled, which means every candidate must submit fresh preferences for each stray vacancy round. Anyone allotted a seat in Round 1 becomes ineligible for the later rounds. And joining is mandatory: the CET Cell has told candidates to list only those colleges and courses where they genuinely want to study.
Fees can be paid through demand draft or NEFT/RTGS transfer, and candidates must submit all original documents during physical reporting. Keeping at least two sets of photocopies ready can save a lot of scrambling at the college counter.
How to check the selection list
- Visit the Maharashtra CET Cell official website and open the NEET UG 2026 counselling section.
- Look for the Round 1 selection list link for MBBS and BDS stray vacancy admissions.
- Log in with your application credentials or download the list and search for your application number.
- Download the allotment letter if a seat has been allotted to you.
- Report to the allotted college on October 20 or 21 with original documents and the fee.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Maharashtra NEET UG stray vacancy Round 1 selection list declared?
The CET Cell declared the Round 1 selection list on October 19, 2026, after the choice-filling window closed on October 18 night.
What is the last date to report at the allotted college?
Allotted candidates must complete physical reporting and admission formalities on October 20 or 21, by 5.30 pm on both days.
Can I participate if I did not register for state counselling earlier?
No. Fresh registrations are not accepted for the stray vacancy rounds. Only previously registered candidates who remained unallotted up to CAP Round 3 are eligible.
What if I miss Round 1?
Two more rounds follow. Round 2’s selection list comes out on October 22 and Round 3’s on October 25, with reporting windows running through October 26.
How many MBBS and BDS seats are still open?
After CAP Round 3, 1,036 seats remained vacant out of 11,431. Government medical colleges are nearly full, while private colleges account for most of the open seats.
For the aspirants who have been refreshing their browsers since morning, this is the moment that decides whether the dream of a white coat becomes real this year. Report on time, carry every document, and double-check the fee payment. In a round this tight, small mistakes cost seats.
