NEET UG 2026: NEET UG counselling concludes with over 400 MBBS seats remaining vacant; high fees of ₹30–35 lakh prove daunting..
NEET UG Counselling 2026: All rounds of the NEET UG 2026 counselling process have concluded, bringing the race for MBBS admissions to an end. While this year once again witnessed intense competition for MBBS seats, 411 seats remained vacant even after five rounds of counselling. In the 'special stray vacancy round,' only 537 out of 948 available seats were filled. Reports suggest that the high cost—exceeding a crore—is a key reason for these vacancies; however, the allotment data does not explicitly state why candidates chose not to accept the offered seats.
A report by The Times of India, citing an official from the Ministry of Health, noted that only 60–70 MBBS seats remained vacant last year. The official mentioned that although the Supreme Court had mandated four rounds of counselling, a fifth round was also conducted—yet, more than 400 seats remained unfilled.
Why did seats remain vacant?
The Health Ministry official explained that in many institutions, fees have risen from approximately ₹15 lakh to between ₹25 lakh and ₹35 lakh. While seats in government medical colleges and prominent private institutions are being filled, vacancies have persisted in certain other private colleges. These institutions need to re-evaluate their fee structures, the quality of education they provide, and their infrastructure.
Scope of Admissions via the MCC
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), operating under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), conducts counselling for 15% of the 'All India Quota' seats in state medical colleges, 100% of the seats in deemed universities, and all MBBS seats in central institutions such as AIIMS, JIPMER, and BHU.
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