NEET UG 2026 Stray Round Counselling Opens 12 October

Medical aspirants who are still without a seat get one more chance. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has released the schedule for the stray round of NEET UG 2026 counselling, with online registration starting on 12 October, according to education portal Shiksha.

The schedule reported so far is:

The sources we reviewed did not state the stray-round seat allotment result date clearly, so candidates should check the official MCC website for that and for any change to the schedule.

The stray round follows the main counselling rounds. Round 3 ran from 22 September to 9 October, and MCC released the Round 3 seat allotment result on 30 September, according to Shiksha. State-level counselling is also continuing in parallel, with states such as Rajasthan publishing provisional merit lists for their quotas in early October.

The stray round exists to fill seats that remain vacant after the regular rounds, including seats surrendered or left unclaimed by earlier candidates.

Eligibility for a stray round is set each year in MCC's information bulletin. In previous years, rules have often restricted candidates who already joined a seat in an earlier round, while allowing others who qualified in NEET UG to register. Because conditions can change, candidates should read this year's bulletin carefully before paying any fee.

For many candidates this is the last realistic chance in the national process to secure an MBBS or other medical course seat this year. Vacant seats in the stray round often include a mix of government and private institutions, so choices should be made with fees and location in mind.

Dates are reported by Shiksha and may change. Always confirm with MCC's official notices.