NEET UG Counselling 2026: Round 1 Choice Filling Closes Tomorrow At 6 PM; Choice Locking Begins At 10 AM On August 17

NEET UG Counselling 2026: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will close the choice-filling facility for Round 1 of NEET UG Counselling 2026 tomorrow, August 17. Candidates who have registered for the counselling process must submit their preferred colleges and courses by 6 PM on August 17, 2026.

The choice-locking window will open tomorrow, August 17, from 10 AM to 6 PM. Candidates are advised to carefully review their preferences and lock their choices within the stipulated deadline.

Direct Link To Check Notice

Direct Link for Choice Filling And Choice Locking

The revised MCC schedule covers counselling for 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats and 100% seats of deemed and central universities, AFMC, AIIMS institutes and JIPMER (Puducherry and Karaikal) for MBBS, BDS and B.Sc Nursing courses.

Candidates should not wait until the last minute to complete the process, as technical issues or heavy traffic on the counselling portal could affect the submission process.

NEET UG Counselling 2026: Important Dates

Registration and Payment: August 5 to August 15, 2026

Last Date For Registration: August 15, 2026, up to 2 PM

Last Date For Payment: August 15, 2026, up to 5 PM

Choice Filling: August 6 to August 17, 2026

Last Date For Choice Filling: August 17, 2026, up to 6 PM

Choice Locking: August 17, 2026, from 10 AM to 6 PM

Processing of Seat Allotment: August 18, 2026

Round 1 Seat Allotment Result: August 19, 2026

Reporting and Joining: August 20 to August 25, 2026

Verification of Joined Candidates' Data: August 26, 2026

NEET UG Counselling 2026: How To Fill Choices And Lock Choices 

Candidates can follow these steps to complete their choice-filling and locking process:

Step 1: Visit the official MCC counselling portal and sign in with the credentials used during registration.

Step 2: Open the candidate dashboard and check whether the choice-filling facility is active. Also, go through any instructions or alerts displayed on the page.

Step 3: Ensure that the applicable counselling fee has been successfully paid before proceeding.

Step 4: Select ‘Available Choices’ to view the colleges and courses for which the candidate is eligible. Use the available filters to find specific institutes or programmes.

Step 5: Click on ‘Choice Filling’ and enter the required login details to access the facility.

Step 6: Complete the OTP verification using the registered mobile number or email ID, as applicable.

Step 7: Add the desired colleges and courses to the preference list. Arrange them according to the priority in which the candidate wants them considered for seat allotment.

Step 8: Click ‘Save and Continue’ to save the choices. Candidates can also use ‘Save and Go to Home’ to save the preferences and return to the dashboard.

Step 9: Review the complete list through ‘View Filled Choice(s)’. Check the order of preferences carefully before proceeding to lock them.

Step 10: After finalising the preferences, select ‘Choice Locking’ and follow the instructions displayed on the screen. Candidates will need to complete the required password and OTP verification.

Step 11: After locking the choices, check the dashboard to confirm that the status is displayed as ‘Locked’.

Step 12: Candidates can select ‘Print Locked Choice(s)’ to download or save a copy of their final preference list and locking details for future reference.

What Happens After Choice Locking?

After the choice-filling and locking window closes, MCC will process the seat allotment on August 18, 2026. The NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 seat allotment result is scheduled to be announced on August 19, 2026.

Candidates allotted seats in Round 1 will have to complete the reporting and joining process between August 20 and August 25, 2026.

Candidates are advised to regularly check the official MCC website for the latest counselling updates and avoid relying on unofficial information regarding deadlines or seat allotment.