Over 800 MBBS Seats Remain Vacant After NEET-UG: Why Are Students Not Enrolling?

Even after the conclusion of the final round of the NEET-UG counseling process, more than 800 MBBS seats remain vacant. The fact that these seats have stayed unfilled—even following the 'stray vacancy round'—has become a matter of serious concern.

Despite the NEET-UG counseling process—conducted for admissions to medical colleges across the country—reaching its final stage, over 800 MBBS seats remain unoccupied. In a country where lakhs of aspirants work incredibly hard to secure even a single MBBS seat, the existence of 837 unfilled seats—even after the stray vacancy round—is a major cause for concern among medical candidates. According to official data released by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), the majority of these vacant seats are in deemed medical universities located in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, where annual tuition fees can reach into the crores of rupees.

Where and how many seats remain vacant?

Following the final round of counseling, a total of 837 MBBS seats across the country remain vacant. Of these, 824 seats are in institutions within Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Specifically, there are 188 vacant seats at Sri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai; 117 at Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute, Kanchipuram; 92 at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry; 82 at Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai; 12 at Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute; and one seat at AIIMS Madurai.

The heavy burden of tuition fees is the primary obstacle.

According to experts, the main reason for these seats remaining vacant is the exorbitant tuition fees charged by these deemed universities. Unlike government medical colleges and typical private colleges, 'deemed universities' are not subject to fee caps, which results in significantly higher tuition costs. Annual tuition fees at these universities range from ₹21 lakh to ₹35 lakh. When additional expenses—such as hostel, mess, and other miscellaneous costs—are included, a student's annual expenditure can reach ₹21 lakh to ₹30 lakh, or even more. Consequently, the total cost for the entire four-and-a-half-year MBBS course, covering both tuition and hostel fees, can range from ₹94.5 lakh to ₹1.57 crore. In contrast, the average fee at private colleges in other states across the country is around ₹17 lakh.

Financial constraints as a barrier for students

The high fees charged by deemed universities and the resulting vacant seats have raised questions regarding the NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) process. Education experts point out that high-achieving, meritorious students often avoid selecting these expensive deemed universities during the counseling process due to financial constraints. Conversely, students with lower scores—who possess the necessary financial means—often secure these seats, or the seats remain entirely unfilled. This undermines the fundamental objective of a merit-based examination conducted at the national level.

Will there be a special counseling round?

Following the announcement of the results for the final round of counseling, remaining candidates are now waiting to see whether a special counseling round will be organized to fill the vacant seats. According to reports, such a special round can only take place if it receives approval from the central government and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).