Big news for medical students: NEET PG seats rise to nearly 58,000

The seat matrix for NEET PG 2026 counseling has been released. According to data issued by the NMC and MCC, the number of seats for MD, MS, and other PG medical programs has risen to approximately 58,000 for the 2026-27 academic session.

There is good news for aspirants awaiting NEET PG studies. The seat matrix for NEET PG 2026 counseling has been released. Data from the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) indicates that the number of seats for MD, MS, and other PG medical programs has increased to nearly 58,000 for 2026-27. Last year, this figure stood at 52,173, marking an overall increase of approximately 11 percent. This rise in seats has occurred across government, private, and deemed medical institutions. Notably, the number of seats in private and deemed universities has increased by about 32 percent, while government medical colleges have seen a rise of approximately 10 percent.

The new seat matrix for NEET PG 2026 includes an expansion of seats across several key specializations. These include Anesthesia, Ophthalmology, ENT, Pathology, Psychiatry, and Respiratory Medicine. Regarding seats available in government medical colleges, there are 3,205 seats in Anesthesiology, 3,201 in General Medicine, and 2,805 in General Surgery. Additionally, 2,635 government seats are listed for OBG (Obstetrics and Gynecology), 2,176 for Pediatrics, and 1,833 for Pathology. There are 1,603 seats in Orthopedics, 1,223 in Ophthalmology, 1,192 in Community Medicine, and 1,182 in Radio-diagnosis.

Changes possible even after the release of the seat matrix

While releasing this seat matrix, the NMC clarified that the published matrix is ​​subject to change if necessary. The current list does not include additional seats associated with pending applications; requests have been made to increase seats in existing PG courses or to start new ones. Any seats or new programs approved subsequently will be included in an updated seat matrix. All medical colleges have been instructed to conduct admissions strictly based on the number of approved seats. If any discrepancies in the seat matrix are detected during counseling, the matter will be referred to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB).

Process for PwBD candidates to begin on October 1

The registration portal for Round 1 of the NEET-PG counseling for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates will open on October 1, 2026. Candidates will be able to register and fill in their choices via the MCC website, mcc.nic.in. Medical assessments for PwBD candidates will also be conducted within the scheduled timeframe. The process for the primary medical assessment board will run from 5:00 PM on October 1 until October 9. Meanwhile, the appellate medical board will be available for appeals from 10:00 AM on October 5 until 5:00 PM on October 12.