According to the newly released schedule dated October 30, 2026, the committee will conduct a Special Stray Vacancy Round for MBBS admissions, along with the fifth round of counselling for BDS and BSc Nursing seats. Additionally, MCC has announced a sixth round of counselling exclusively for vacant BDS and BSc Nursing seats.

The latest announcement is significant for candidates who could not secure admission during the earlier rounds of NEET UG counselling and for institutions that still have vacant seats to fill. Candidates must carefully follow the registration, fee payment, choice-filling, choice-locking, seat allotment and reporting deadlines to avoid missing this additional admission opportunity.

The detailed schedule has been issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Candidates are advised to check the official MCC portal regularly for notices, seat matrices and further instructions.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Special Stray Vacancy Round: Important Dates

MCC has announced separate timelines for the MBBS Special Stray Vacancy Round and the fifth round of BDS and BSc Nursing counselling, followed by another round for BDS and BSc Nursing candidates.

1. MBBS Special Stray Vacancy Round and BDS/BSc Nursing Round 5

The registration process for the MBBS Special Stray Vacancy Round and the fifth round of BDS and BSc Nursing counselling will begin on November 2, 2026.

Important: Registration closes at 3:00 PM on November 4, whereas the payment facility remains open until 6:00 PM on the same day. Candidates should not confuse the two deadlines.

2. MCC NEET UG 2026 BDS and BSc Nursing Round 6 Schedule

MCC has also announced a sixth round of counselling for BDS and BSc Nursing seats. This round will provide another opportunity to fill the remaining vacant seats in these programmes.

Candidates participating in this round should carefully observe the shorter choice-filling window and ensure that their preferences are submitted and locked within the prescribed period.

What Is the MCC Special Stray Vacancy Round?

The Special Stray Vacancy Round is an additional counselling exercise conducted to fill seats that remain vacant after the regular counselling rounds and the earlier stray vacancy process.

Medical and dental colleges may have vacant seats because of non-joining, withdrawal, cancellation of admission or other counselling-related circumstances. Rather than allowing these seats to remain unfilled, MCC conducts additional rounds wherever permitted under the applicable counselling rules.

For NEET UG 2026, the latest announcement introduces a separate Special Stray Vacancy Round for MBBS admissions and additional rounds for BDS and BSc Nursing seats.

The important distinction is that the November 2–16 schedule covers MBBS Special Stray Vacancy counselling and BDS/BSc Nursing Round 5, while the November 17–28 schedule is exclusively for BDS and BSc Nursing Round 6.

Courses Covered Under the Newly Announced Schedule

The latest MCC notification covers the following programmes:

1. MBBS: The Special Stray Vacancy Round will provide an additional opportunity to fill vacant MBBS seats in participating institutions covered by MCC counselling.

2. BDS: Candidates seeking admission to Bachelor of Dental Surgery programmes can participate in the fifth and sixth rounds, subject to the applicable eligibility conditions and availability of seats.

3. BSc Nursing: Eligible candidates can participate in the fifth and sixth counselling rounds for available BSc Nursing seats.

Candidates should note that the sixth round does not include MBBS seats. It is specifically intended for BDS and BSc Nursing admissions.

How to Register for MCC NEET UG 2026 Special Stray Vacancy Counselling?

Eligible candidates can complete their registration online through the official MCC website. The process generally involves the following steps:

1.    Visit the official MCC website: https://mcc.nic.in/

2.    Open the UG Medical Counselling section.

3.    Locate the relevant NEET UG 2026 Special Stray Vacancy or BDS/BSc Nursing counselling registration link.

4.    Log in using the required credentials or complete fresh registration, as applicable.

5.    Enter the necessary personal, academic and NEET UG examination details.

6.    Pay the prescribed counselling registration fee and security deposit, wherever applicable.

7.    Complete the choice-filling process by selecting preferred colleges and courses.

8.    Arrange the choices in order of preference.

9.    Lock the choices within the specified time window.

10.                   Download or retain the registration and choice-filling confirmation for future reference.

Candidates should ensure that all details are accurate before submitting the application. They should also retain payment receipts and other relevant confirmation documents.

Choice Filling and Choice Locking: Why Are They Important?

Choice filling is one of the most important stages of the NEET UG counselling process. The preferences entered by candidates play a crucial role in determining their seat allotment, depending on their NEET UG rank, category, eligibility, available seats and applicable reservation rules.

Candidates should consider the following points:

• Review the available seat matrix before selecting colleges.

• Include only those colleges and courses in which they are genuinely interested.

• Arrange preferences carefully, keeping the most preferred options at the top.

• Check the course, college, quota and category details before submission.

• Complete choice locking within the designated time window.

• Do not wait until the final minutes, as technical issues or heavy website traffic may create difficulties.

Candidates must remember that simply filling choices may not be sufficient if the prescribed locking procedure is not completed.

MCC NEET UG 2026 Seat Allotment Result

The seat allotment results for the two newly announced counselling schedules will be published separately.

• MBBS Special Stray Vacancy Round and BDS/BSc Nursing Round 5: November 7, 2026.

• BDS/BSc Nursing Round 6: November 20, 2026.

Seat allotment will depend on several factors, including NEET UG merit rank, candidate category, choices submitted, reservation policies and the availability of seats in participating institutions.

Candidates should visit the MCC website after the result announcement and download their allotment letters, wherever applicable.

Those who receive an allotment must follow the prescribed reporting instructions and complete admission formalities within the stipulated period.

Reporting to Allotted Colleges: Important Instructions

Reporting and joining are essential components of the counselling process. Candidates who receive seats must report to their allotted institutions within the prescribed deadline.

For the November counselling schedules, the reporting deadlines are:

• MBBS Special Stray Vacancy Round and BDS/BSc Nursing Round 5: November 16, 2026, up to 5:00 PM.

• BDS/BSc Nursing Round 6: November 28, 2026, up to 5:00 PM.

Candidates should download their allotment letters and contact the allotted college to understand its admission and document-verification requirements.

They should keep the following documents ready, as applicable:

• NEET UG 2026 admit card.

• NEET UG 2026 scorecard or rank letter.

• MCC seat allotment letter.

• Class 10 certificate and marksheet.

• Class 12 marksheet and passing certificate.

• Valid identity proof.

• Passport-size photographs.

• Category certificate, wherever applicable.

• PwD certificate, if applicable.

• Other documents specified by MCC or the allotted institution.

The final document requirements may vary according to the institution and the applicable admission rules. Candidates should therefore check the official instructions before reporting.

Important Instructions for NEET UG 2026 Candidates

The latest schedule requires candidates to remain particularly careful about deadlines and eligibility conditions.

1. Check eligibility before registering: Candidates must verify whether they are eligible to participate in the relevant round under the latest MCC counselling rules.

2. Check the latest seat matrix: The availability of seats may differ across colleges, courses, quotas and categories. Candidates should refer to the official vacancy list before filling choices.

3. Complete fee payment on time: Registration and payment have different closing times in the first schedule. Candidates must complete both within their respective deadlines.

4. Lock choices within the specified window: Choice locking is mandatory wherever prescribed. Candidates should not assume that their preferences will automatically be locked.

5. Follow the reporting deadline: Failure to report within the specified period may result in cancellation of the allotted seat or other consequences under the applicable counselling rules.

6. Read the official information bulletin: Participation restrictions, security deposit conditions, eligibility requirements and consequences of non-joining must be checked in the official MCC instructions.

7. Monitor official announcements: MCC may issue further notices or revised schedules. Candidates should rely on the latest official updates rather than older counselling calendars.

Where to Check MCC NEET UG 2026 Counselling Updates?

Candidates can access the latest counselling notifications, schedules, registration links, seat matrices and allotment results through the official Medical Counselling Committee portal.

Official website: https://mcc.nic.in/

Candidates should navigate to the UG Medical Counselling section and check the relevant notifications for the Special Stray Vacancy Round, BDS/BSc Nursing Round 5 and Round 6.

Conclusion

The release of the MCC NEET UG 2026 Special Stray Vacancy Round Schedule is an important development for candidates seeking MBBS admission and those pursuing BDS and BSc Nursing programmes.

With MBBS Special Stray Vacancy counselling and BDS/BSc Nursing Round 5 scheduled from November 2, followed by BDS/BSc Nursing Round 6 from November 17, candidates have additional opportunities to secure admission against available vacant seats.

The most important dates to remember are November 7, 2026, for the first allotment result and November 20, 2026, for the BDS/BSc Nursing sixth-round result. Candidates must also ensure that they complete registration, fee payment, choice filling and reporting within the respective deadlines.

A careful review of the official schedule, eligibility requirements and seat matrix will help candidates avoid mistakes during this crucial final phase of NEET UG 2026 counselling.