NEET UG Counselling 2026: Choice Filling Extended Till 11:59 PM Today

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has extended the deadline for choice filling in Round 1 of NEET UG Counselling 2026. Candidates can now submit their preferred colleges and courses until 11:59 PM today, August 18.

The decision was announced through a notice issued by MCC on August 17. According to the notice, choice locking for Round 1 began at 5:30 PM on August 17. Candidates who have already entered their preferences should review them carefully and lock their choices within the permitted window.

The counselling is being conducted for undergraduate medical and dental admissions through the official MCC website, mcc.nic.in. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official website for further updates. Since the choice list plays a key role in seat allotment, students should make sure their preferences are arranged in the order in which they actually want the seats.

Candidates should also verify their filled choices before locking them. Once choices are locked, changes may not be possible during the same choice-filling window. The Round 1 seat allotment process is scheduled to follow the extended choice-filling period, with the result expected on August 19.

The important dates for NEET UG Counselling 2026 are as follows: Choice Filling was from August 6 to August 18, 2026, with the last date for choice filling being August 18, 2026, up to 11:59 PM. Choice Locking started from August 17, 2026, at 5:30 PM. Processing of Seat Allotment will take place on August 18, 2026, and the Round 1 Seat Allotment Result is expected on August 19, 2026. Reporting and Joining will take place from August 20 to August 25, 2026, and Verification of Joined Candidates' Date is on August 26, 2026.

To fill and lock choices, candidates can follow these steps: visit the official website of MCC, sign-in using the credentials created during registration, go to the candidate dashboard, and look for the choice filling section. Ensure that the counselling fee is paid, go to ‘Available Choices’ for checking the colleges and courses available for choice selection, choose ‘Choice Filling’ and fill in the necessary information, and do OTP verification if required.

Candidates should fill in the desired colleges and courses into their choice list, arrange the choices in the priority order, and click on 'Save and Continue' or 'Save and Go to Home'. They should then go to 'View Filled Choice(s)' to view the choice list thoroughly, and once the choice list is finalised, click on ‘Choice Locking’. Complete the process of OTP verification and password verification, check the choice status from the candidate dashboard to see if it is ‘Locked', and print the locked choices from the section.

The extension of the choice-filling deadline provides candidates with more time to make informed decisions about their preferences. It is essential for candidates to carefully review and lock their choices to ensure they are considered for their preferred colleges and courses.

The NEET UG Counselling 2026 is a crucial process for candidates seeking admission to undergraduate medical and dental programs. The counselling process is designed to ensure that candidates are allocated seats in their preferred colleges and courses based on their merit and preferences.

In conclusion, the extension of the choice-filling deadline for NEET UG Counselling 2026 provides candidates with more time to make informed decisions about their preferences. Candidates should carefully review and lock their choices to ensure they are considered for their preferred colleges and courses. The counselling process is expected to continue with the Round 1 seat allotment result expected on August 19, 2026.