Quick Summary: The state-level NEET counselling for the 85% state quota seats is likely to start at the end of July or early August. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will hold the counselling for 15% All India Quota seats. Counselling of 85% state quota seats will be on the lines of the state authorities. The counselling procedure includes registration, option filling, and seat allotment as per NEET scores. This blog talks about the schedule of the NEET State counselling 2026 so that students can have an idea as to how and when to be ready for counselling, so that they do not face any kind of problem during the counselling.
MCC NEET UG State Counselling 2026
The schedule will be released for NEET-UG 2026 state counselling and admissions, mentioning the important dates for all rounds of counselling under State and All India Quota (AIQ) Seats, including Deemed/ Central Universities. The seat allotment will be in four rounds – Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and a stray vacancy round, while the last expected date of joining is October 3.
NEET counselling 2026 is the gateway to admission to the undergraduate medical and dental courses in India. The NEET UG 2026 state counselling is conducted for 85% State Quota seats. The authorities will commence the NEET UG 2026 state counselling from July to August. The eligible candidates will have to apply for the state NEET counselling 2026 within the specified dates.
Read More:
- NEET Counselling 2026
-
MCC NEET 2026 Counselling Seat Matrix: College-wise MBBS and BDS Seats
- Top Medical Colleges in India Based on 2026 NIRF’s Ranking
- List of Medical Entrance Exams in India for 2027
When Will NEET 2026 Counselling Start?
The NEET 2026 result has been released on 16 July 2026. Now, candidates are awaiting the NEET 2026 counselling dates. According to reports, the counselling is scheduled to take (take with a grain of salt idiom synonym) place from August 5. There are 2 types of NEET counselling in India:
- There will be All India Quota (AIQ) Counselling for 15% seats in all government medical colleges, along with 100% seats in deemed and central universities like AIIMS, JIPMER, etc. The MCC does this counselling.
- State Quota Counselling for 85 % of seats in government medical colleges and 100% seats in state private medical colleges. The NEET counselling is held individually in each state.
NEET Cutoff Marks 2026: Qualifying Percentile
To be eligible for NEET 2026 Counselling, candidates must be qualified in the NEET 2026 Cutoff. The candidates can check the category-wise NEET 2026 Cutoff provided in the table below for reference and to get an idea of how to prepare for counselling.
| Category | Score Range (Cutoff) | Minimum Percentile Required |
| General/EWS | 715 – 213 | 50th Percentile |
| OBC | 212 – 177 | 40th Percentile |
| SC | 212 – 177 | 40th Percentile |
| ST | 212 – 177 | 40th Percentile |
| General/EWS – PwBD | 212 – 194 | 45th Percentile |
| OBC – PwBD | 193 – 177 | 40th Percentile |
| SC – PwBD | 193 – 177 | 40th Percentile |
| ST – PwBD | 191 – 177 | 40th Percentile |
Check Out: How Many Marks are Required in NEET 2026 for MBBS
NEET Cut off 2026 for MBBS Government College (Expected)
Before applying for the AIQ Quota to get admission in Government MBBS Colleges, students should have a look at the NEET Cut off for MBBS given in the table below:
| Reservation Category | State Quota Score Range | AIQ Score Estimate |
| General | Around 570 – 620+ | Nearly 620 – 680+ |
| OBC | Approx. 550 – 590 | Roughly 590 – 610 |
| SC | Between 420 – 490 | Close to 520 – 550 |
| ST | Between 420 – 490 | Close to 520 – 550 |
| EWS | Around 570 – 620+ | Nearly 620 – 680+ |
Check Out: How Many Marks are Required in NEET for MBBS Government Medical Colleges?
State-Wise NEET Seat Matrix 2026: PDF Download
| State | Available Seat Matrix PDF |
| Karnataka | Karnataka NEET UG 2026 MBBS Seat Matrix PDF |
| Karnataka NEET UG 2026 BDS Seat Matrix PDF | |
| Bihar | Bihar NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix PDF |
| Chhattisgarh | Chhattisgarh NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix PDF |
| Madhya Pradesh (MP) | MP NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix PDF |
| Rajasthan | Rajasthan NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix PDF |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix PDF |
| Gujarat | Gujarat NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix – MBBS PDF |
| Gujarat NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix – BDS PDF | |
| West Bengal | West Bengal NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix – PDF |
| Maharashtra | Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix – PDF |
| Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix AU-Region – PDF |
| Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix SUV Region – PDF |
| Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh NEET UG 2026 Seat Matrix SWI Region – PDF |
State-wise NEET 2026 Counselling Registration Dates
| State/Conducting Body | Registration Dates |
| West Bengal (WBMCC) | August 20, 2026, to August 23, 2026 (up to 6:00 PM) |
| Karnataka (KEA) | 17 July 2026 to 30 July 2026 |
| Rajasthan (RUHS) | 17 August 2026 |
| Tamil Nadu (DME) | 29 June 2026 to 27 July 2026 |
| Uttar Pradesh (DGME) | 07 August 2026 to 12 August 2026 |
| Maharashtra (CET Cell) | 06-Aug-2026 to 12-Aug-2026 up to 11.59 pm |
| Bihar (UGMAC) | 10 August 2026 |
| Chhattisgarh (CGDME) | 9 August 2026 |
| Gujarat NEET Counselling 2026 (ACPUGMEC) | 31 July to 12 August 2026 |
| Telangana NEET Counselling 2026 (KNRUHS) | 5 August to 12 August 2026 |
| MP NEET Counselling 2026 (DME) | 5 August to 13 August 2026 |
| Kerala NEET Counselling 2026 (CEE) | 23 July to 27 July 2026 |
| AP NEET Counselling 2026 (NTRUHS) | 5 August to 12 August 2026 |
NEET UG 2026 All India Quota & State Quota Counselling Schedule
Aspirants can check the important dates related to the NEET UG All India Quota & State Quota Counselling Schedule 2026 in the table given below:
| Schedule for Admission | All India Quota/ Deemed &Central Universities | Verification of joined candidates’ data by MCC | State Counselling | Verification of joined candidates’ data by state DMEs/ State Counselling Authorities* |
| 1st Round of Counselling | 4th August 2026 to 21st August 2026 | 1st September 2026 | 13th August 2026 to 27th August 2026 | 6th September 2026 |
| Last date of Joining | 31st August 2026 | – | 5th September 2026 | – |
| 2nd round of Counselling | 3rd September, 2026 to 11th September 2026 |
19th September 2026 | 7th September 2026 to 11th September 2026 | 19th September 2026 |
| Last date of joining | 18th September 2026 | – | 18th September 2026 | – |
| Round-3 | 10th September 2026 to 18th September 2026 | 27th September 2026 | 16th September 2026 to 26th September 2026 | 2nd October 2026 |
| Last date of joining | 26th September 2026 | – | 1st October 2026 | – |
| Stray Vacancy | 28th September 2026 to 3rd October 2026 | Data of allotted candidates will be shared by MCC on 3rd October 2026 | 3rd October 2026 to 5th October 2026 | – |
| Last date of joining | 10th October 2026 | – | 10th October 2026 | – |
| Commencement of Academic Session for UG Courses | 15th September 2026 | |||
NEET State Counselling 2026 Process
The counselling process for 85% State Quota seats is as follows:
- Registration process for NEET 2026 state-level counselling: NEET-qualified candidates need to visit (idioms dictionary) the official websites of the concerned states and enter their details as asked by the authorities to participate in the NEET UG counselling process. Candidates can finalise the registration process by submitting the counselling fee to complete the application process. The login credentials that you created in the course of registration should be preserved.
- Choice filling and locking: All the registered candidates have to log in to the counselling websites using their user ID and password for choice filling and locking. While making the NEET choice filling, aspirants have to enter as many options of courses and colleges as possible so that the probability of getting a seat in the medical and dental courses in the states increases. Allocation of choices entered but not saved will be automatically done during the locking period.
- Allocation of seats in NEET UG state counselling rounds: The seat allotment of NEET UG is based on the merit list, choice preference of the candidates, reservation category of the applicants, and the availability of seats in the colleges. The PDF of the seat allotment result is also published separately for each round by the state counselling authorities on their respective state medical council websites.
- Joining and reporting at the assigned medical college: After obtaining seat allotment, the candidates who are allotted seats are required to report to the allotted college with necessary documents in order to complete the admission process within the stipulated dates, specifically provided to them. If not reported at the Allotted College, then the admission will stand cancelled.
Check Out: Total Medical Seats in India for MBBS 2026-27
NEET 2026 Counselling Fees
| Category | AIQ/Deemed Counselling Fee | State Counselling Fee (Approx.) |
| General/OBC | ₹1,000 – ₹5,000 | ₹500 – ₹2,000 |
| SC/ST/PwD | ₹500 – ₹5,000 | ₹250 – ₹1,000 |
| Security Deposit (Refundable) | ₹10,000 (Govt.) / ₹2,00,000 (Deemed) | ₹10,000 – ₹25,000 |
NEET UG state counselling 2026: Documents required
Candidates must keep the following documents ready for NEET UG 2026 state counselling:
- NEET scorecard
- NEET admit card
- 10th class or SSLC certificate (as birth date proof)
- 12th marksheet
- Proof of nativity/residence
- Aadhaar card
- Community certificate (for SC/ST categories)
- PwD certificate (if applicable)
- Special reservation proof (original certificate)
- Medical certificate (self-attested, for PH candidates)
- Other documents as specified by the counselling authority
When Will The Academic Session for 2026 Start?
As per the official schedule, the academic session for undergraduate courses of MBBS and BDS will commence from September 1.
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has issued a notice stating that all participating institutes/colleges of the NEET counselling process will observe Saturday, Sunday, & Gazetted holidays as working days, so as to speed up the counselling process as per the scheduled time (race against time phrase meaning) frame. As per the official notice, candidates are requested to visit the official state counselling websites and the MCC website (idioms website) to know about the updates and complete information and details related to registration, choice filling, allotment, and joining.
Conclusion
Candidates who have qualified for NEET 2026 are required to actively participate in NEET UG counselling 2026 to get admission in MBBS and BDS courses. Whether you target government or private colleges, state or All India Quota, it will be good to know the expected counselling dates, process, and the fees so you can be ready accordingly.
Author: Saumya Sarin
Content Team: Motion Academic Team
Reviewed by: Senior NEET Faculty – Motion Education
Last Updated: September 2026
FAQs on NEET State Counselling Schedule 2026
Q1. When will NEET UG 2026 counselling begin?
The NEET UG 2026 counselling conducted by MCC began on August 5, 2026, with Round 1 registration for MBBS, BDS, and B.Sc Nursing seats. Round 1 choice filling is currently underway.
Q2. Is there a state quota available in NEET 2026?
The NEET 2026 counselling can be divided into two types: 15 per cent All India Quota (AIQ) seats and 85 per cent State Quota (SQ) seats. While MCC conducts the counselling process for the AIQ seats, State Counselling authorities conduct the NEET State Counselling process.
Q3. How can I find out my NEET state rank?
To obtain your NEET state rank, you need to qualify for NEET, register for state-level counselling, and then check the state merit list released by the respective state authorities. The state rank is determined by your NEET score and your position among all candidates from that state.
Q4. What is considered a safe rank in NEET 2026?
A “safe rank” in NEET-UG depends on the category and the type of college (government or private) a candidate desires. Generally, a score of 600 or above is considered good for general category students aiming for government medical colleges, while a score of 650+ is a strong target for top institutions like AIIMS. For OBC, SC, and ST categories, the required scores are lower, with 580+ for OBC and 500+ for SC/ST candidates being considered good for government colleges.
Q5. Which state has the lowest cutoff for MBBS admission?
Several states in India offer MBBS admissions with relatively lower NEET cutoffs, making them more accessible to students with lower scores. Mizoram, Nagaland, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are among the states with the lowest NEET cutoffs.
Q6. What is the cost of participating in NEET state counselling?
For the AIQ seats and Central Universities, the fee for the General category candidates is INR 1,000, and for the SC, ST, OBC and PwD category candidates, the fee is INR 500. For participating in the NEET counselling process for Deemed Universities, the registration fee for all category candidates is INR 5,000.
Q7. Can I register for both the state quota and all India quota counselling?
Yes, it is generally possible to apply for both All India Quota (AIQ) and State Quota seats in NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) counseling. However, candidates need to register separately for each counseling process.
Q8. Which state offers the most affordable private MBBS colleges?
States like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh have private medical institutions with lower fees as compared to others.
Q9. Which documents are needed for NEET UG 2026 counselling?
For NEET UG counselling 2026, candidates need to have several documents ready, including the NEET admit card, scorecard, Class 10 and 12 mark sheets and certificates, a valid photo ID, and passport-sized photographs. If applicable, they should also have caste and disability certificates. Additionally, the provisional allotment letter, if issued, is needed.
Q10. What is the minimum score needed for the NEET state quota?
For state quota seats in NEET, the required marks for MBBS admission vary by category and the specific state. Generally, candidates aiming for government medical colleges under the state quota need to score between 500-600+ marks. However, reserved categories like SC/ST may secure seats with scores around 420+.
