NEET UG Counselling 2025 Schedule

Each year, lakhs of medical aspirants across India — fresh out of class 12 — eye admission into medical and dental courses through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Undergraduate (NEET UG). After the examination and result declaration, the next crucial step is the NEET UG Counselling 2025 Schedule. The counselling process determines which candidate gets which medical or dental college seat based on merit, category, reservation, and preferences filled by the candidates.

For 2025, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and respective state authorities have released the official counselling schedule for UG medical admissions, covering MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing, and other related courses. This blog aims to provide a complete and detailed breakdown of the entire counselling timeline, phases, dates, procedures, documentation, eligibility, and expert tips to navigate the process successfully.

Overview of NEET UG Counselling

Before diving into the dates and schedule, it’s important to understand how NEET UG counselling works.

NEET UG 2025 counselling has two primary streams:

All India Quota (AIQ) Counselling
Conducted centrally by the MCC, AIQ counselling allocates 15% of seats in government medical and dental colleges across India. It also handles counselling for deemed universities, central universities like AIIMS and JIPMER, and some institutional quota seats.
State Quota Counselling
Conducted by respective state authorities, this allocates 85% of seats in state government medical and dental colleges and other seats under state regulations.

Depending on the category, rank, score, and preferences, candidates choose whether to participate in AIQ, state quota, or both. Unlike the entrance exam itself, the counselling process is multi-phased and requires careful attention to detail, deadlines, and documentation.

How Many Rounds of Counselling Are There in 2025?

The NEET UG counselling process in 2025 will be conducted in multiple rounds to ensure seats are filled effectively. The common structure followed by the MCC and states is:

Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Stray Vacancy Round
(If required) Additional rounds or mop-up rounds may be held to fill leftover seats.

This multi-round system gives candidates multiple opportunities to secure a good seat based on their merit and preferences.

Key Dates and Schedule – MCC (All India Quota)

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) released the counselling schedule for NEET UG 2025. Candidates who qualified NEET UG 2025 are eligible to participate in this process which includes MBBS, BDS, BSc Nursing, and other UG medical courses under the AIQ, deemed universities, central universities, AFMC/ESIC, and institutional quotas.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the schedule released for each round:

Round 1 – MCC Counselling

Verification of Seat Matrix by NMC and Colleges: Mid July 2025
Registration & Fee Payment Window: July 21 to July 28, 2025
Choice Filling (College/Quota Preferences): July 22 to July 28, 2025
Choice Locking: July 28, 2025 (Afternoon to Night)
Seat Allotment Processing: July 29 to July 30, 2025
Round 1 Seat Allotment Result Declaration: July 31, 2025
Reporting to Allotted Institutes: August 1 to August 6, 2025
Verification of Documents at Institutes: August 7 to August 8, 2025

During the first round, candidates must register, pay the counselling fee, and lock their choices within the given timeline. All these steps must be completed before the deadlines, failing which eligibility for seat allotment may be affected.

While the initial schedule indicated these dates, in some cases authorities extended the first round registration to allow more candidates to participate.

Round 2 – MCC Counselling

Round 2 is crucial because it gives another chance to candidates who didn’t get a seat in Round 1 or wish to upgrade their college or course.

The revised Round 2 counselling dates as released by the MCC are as follows:

Verification of Tentative Seat Matrix: September 3, 2025
Registration & Fee Payment: September 4 to September 14, 2025
Payment Deadline: Up to mid-day on September 15, 2025
Choice Filling: September 5 to September 15, 2025
Choice Locking: From afternoon of September 14 to early morning of September 15, 2025
Seat Allotment Processing: September 15 to September 16, 2025
Round 2 Seat Allotment Result: September 17, 2025
Reporting to Allotted Institutes: September 18 to September 25, 2025
Verification of Joined Candidates’ Data: September 26 to September 27, 2025

It’s imperative for candidates to fill and lock choices within the given timeline. Otherwise, they risk missing this opportunity to secure a better seat.

Round 3 – MCC Counselling

Following the conclusion of Round 2, MCC conducts Round 3 to fill further seats available due to withdrawals or unfilled seats from previous rounds.

Round 3 schedule typically follows soon after the closure of Round 2, and its timeline generally includes registration, choice filling, seat allotment result declaration, and reporting to allotted institutes. The exact dates for Round 3 in 2025, as per the broader counselling notification, were planned toward late September to early October, with seat allotment results and reporting scheduled in that period.

Stray Vacancy / Mop-Up Round

After all main rounds, a stray vacancy round may be conducted to fill any leftover seats. This round includes registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and reporting. It serves as the last centralised opportunity for candidates to secure a seat under the MCC’s purview.

In 2025, this round was planned to take place in November 2025.

State Counselling Schedule 2025

In addition to the AIQ conducted by MCC, each state has its own counselling schedule for NEET UG 2025 seats under State Quota. The schedule varies from state to state.

Typically, the state counselling schedule begins around:

Round 1: July 21 to July 30, 2025
Round 1 Reporting Deadlines: Early August
Round 2: August 12 to August 20, 2025
Reporting Deadlines: Late August
Round 3: Late September to early October
Final Date of Joining: Early October

These dates may slightly differ based on state notifications, and candidates need to follow their respective state counselling portals for exact timelines.

Eligibility Criteria for NEET UG Counselling 2025

To participate in NEET UG counselling, candidates must:

Have qualified the NEET UG 2025 examination with a valid score.
Possess original documents and certificates for verification.
Fulfill category and reservation criteria as per government norms.
Complete online registration and choice filling within the stipulated timelines.
Pay the applicable counselling fees.

Only after completing these steps can a candidate participate in seat allotment and proceed with reporting to allotted colleges.

Important Documents for Counselling

Every NEET UG counselling participant must prepare the following documents for verification at the time of reporting (and sometimes at registration):

NEET UG 2025 Scorecard
NEET UG 2025 Admit Card
Class 10 and Class 12 Certificates and Mark Sheets
Identity Proof (Aadhar Card, Passport, etc.)
Category Certificate (if applicable for SC/ST/OBC/EWS)
PwD/Disability Certificate (if applicable)
Passport Size Photographs
Domicile Certificate (for state quota counselling)
Other Relevant Certificates as per counselling authority instructions

Keeping these documents organised in advance is crucial to avoid last-minute problems during verification.

Counselling Process Explained

Step 1: Registration

Candidates start by registering on the official MCC or respective state counselling portal. This includes filling personal details, NEET score, category information, and uploading scanned documents.

Step 2: Payment of Counselling Fees

After successful registration, candidates must pay the requisite counselling fees online within the given timeline.

Step 3: Choice Filling

Once the fee is paid, candidates fill their preferences for colleges and courses. It is advisable to fill choices wisely based on rank, category, and seat availability.

Step 4: Choice Locking

After filling preferences, candidates must lock their choices before the deadline. Choices not locked by the candidate may be auto-locked by the system as per the final time.

Step 5: Seat Allotment

The counselling authority processes the seat allotment based on candidate merit rank and choices filled. Seat allotment results are usually declared after the processing of choices.

Step 6: Reporting to Allotted College

After the seat allotment result, candidates must report to their allotted institute within the given reporting window for document verification and admission confirmation.

Tips for NEET UG Counselling Success

Track Deadlines Carefully: Missing a deadline can cost you a preferred seat. Always set reminders for important dates.
Fill Genuine Choices: Do not overcrowd your preference list with unrealistic options. Balance dream colleges with realistic options.
Keep Documents Ready: Have physical copies and scanned backups ready for use during counselling.
Stay Updated: Counselling schedules may undergo revisions or extensions; monitoring official portals regularly is crucial.
Seek Guidance if Needed: If uncertain about choice filling strategy, seek help from experienced mentors or counsellors.

NEET UG counselling 2025 is the centralized admission process for MBBS, BDS, and other undergraduate medical courses in India. It is conducted to allocate seats based on NEET UG ranks, category, and preferences filled by candidates. The Medical Counselling Committee conducts counselling for All India Quota seats, deemed universities, central universities, and ESIC institutions. State authorities conduct separate counselling for state quota seats. The process includes registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and reporting to colleges for document verification and admission confirmation.

NEET UG counselling 2025 is expected to begin in July 2025 after the declaration of NEET UG results. The counselling process is conducted in multiple rounds and continues until all available seats are filled. The exact dates are released through official notifications by the counselling authorities. Candidates must regularly check the counselling portal for updates related to registration, choice filling, seat allotment, and reporting timelines to avoid missing any important deadline during the admission process.

NEET UG counselling 2025 is conducted in multiple rounds to ensure maximum seat allotment. Generally, there are four rounds: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, and the Stray Vacancy Round. Each round allows candidates to participate based on seat availability and eligibility. Candidates who are not allotted a seat or wish to upgrade their allotted seat can participate in subsequent rounds. This multi-round system provides flexibility and fair opportunity for students to secure admission.

All India Quota counselling covers 15 percent seats in government medical and dental colleges across India and is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee. State quota counselling covers 85 percent seats in government colleges and all seats in private colleges of a state and is conducted by the respective state authority. AIQ allows students to compete nationally, while state quota mainly benefits domicile candidates. Candidates can participate in both depending on eligibility.

To register for NEET UG counselling 2025, candidates must visit the official counselling portal and complete online registration using their NEET roll number and personal details. After registration, they must pay the counselling fee and proceed to choice filling. Registration is mandatory for each round if required. Candidates must ensure that all information entered is correct and matches their official documents to avoid issues during verification and admission.

Candidates must carry important documents such as NEET UG scorecard, admit card, class 10 and 12 certificates, identity proof, passport-size photographs, and category certificate if applicable. Domicile certificate is required for state quota counselling. All documents must be original along with photocopies. These documents are verified during reporting at the allotted college. Any discrepancy or missing document can lead to cancellation of the allotted seat.

Choice filling is the process where candidates select and arrange their preferred colleges and courses in order of priority. Candidates should choose options based on their NEET rank, category, and previous year cut-offs. It is advisable to fill as many realistic options as possible to improve the chances of seat allotment. Choices must be locked before the deadline; otherwise, the system may auto-lock them, which may not match the candidate’s preferences.

After the seat allotment result is declared, candidates must download the allotment letter and report to the allotted college within the specified time period. At the college, document verification is conducted and admission formalities are completed. Candidates must also pay the required admission fee. If a candidate fails to report within the deadline, the allotted seat may be forfeited and offered to another candidate in the next counselling round.

Yes, candidates can participate in multiple rounds of NEET UG counselling 2025. If a candidate is not allotted any seat in Round 1, they can participate in Round 2 and subsequent rounds. Candidates who are allotted a seat but wish to upgrade can also participate in later rounds, subject to counselling rules. However, once a candidate joins a seat and chooses not to upgrade, they may not be eligible for further rounds.

The stray vacancy round is the final round of NEET UG counselling conducted to fill any remaining vacant seats after all regular rounds are completed. This round is conducted online and includes fresh registration and choice filling. Only eligible candidates who are not holding any seat can participate. It is considered the last opportunity for candidates to secure admission in MBBS or BDS courses for that academic session.

Conclusion

NEET UG counselling 2025 is a multi-layered process involving thoughtful decision-making at each step, strict adherence to timelines, and strategic planning. Whether you are participating under All India Quota or State Quota, understanding the schedule, documentation, and counselling phases is vital for securing a medical or dental college seat. Stay informed, stay prepared, and make the most of every opportunity in this journey toward fulfilling your medical dream.

Overview of NEET UG Counselling

How Many Rounds of Counselling Are There in 2025?