NEET PG Counselling: AIQ vs State Quota, Deemed and DNB Explained

Who runs what

The NBEMS bulletin says NEET-PG is the single entrance for MD, MS and PG Diploma admission for the 2026-27 session, covering the All India 50% quota, state quota seats in every state and union territory, all private and deemed colleges, the Armed Forces Medical Services institutions, and post-MBBS DNB, direct 6-year DrNB and NBEMS Diploma courses. It lists the institutes that are not covered, and says no other entrance examination at the state or institution level is valid for MD, MS or PG Diploma admission.

On the state side, NBEMS hands over raw data only: scores and ranks, without applying the state's eligibility or reservation. The state then draws its own merit list and category lists (NBEMS notice of 27 August 2025). That is why your state rank can look nothing like your all-India rank: the state has removed candidates who are not eligible under its rules.

Reservation in MCC counselling

For All India quota seats, MCC applies the central reservation: SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC (non-creamy layer, central list) 27% and EWS 10%, with 5% horizontal reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities. State quotas follow each state's own reservation policy, which can differ in both categories and percentages. For OBC seats in the AIQ, MCC uses the central list (non-creamy layer); a state's own OBC list governs only that state's quota.

Seats left unfilled in a category do not simply stay empty. The 2025 MCC bulletin prints a conversion order applied in Round 3: a PwD seat reverts to its parent category (ST-PwD to ST, SC-PwD to SC, UR-PwD to UR, OBC-PwD to OBC); ST converts to SC; SC to UR; EWS to UR; and NRI, Jain minority and Muslim minority seats to UR.

The four MCC rounds

Since 2021-22 MCC has run four rounds of AIQ counselling, following a Supreme Court direction: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 (earlier called the mop-up round) and a stray vacancy round. Each round has its own registration, choice filling and locking, a published result, and physical reporting at the allotted college with original documents. The rules for leaving or upgrading a seat differ sharply by round; our guide on seat-leaving rules covers them one by one.

How long the 2025 cycle took

There is no 2026 schedule yet, so the best guide to timing is what happened in 2025. The exam was on 3 August 2025 and the result on 19 August. MCC's Round 1 registration ran from 17 October to 5 November 2025 after an extension, the Round 1 result came on 22 November, and joining ran until 1 December. Round 2's final result followed on 17 December. MCC then told the states on 7 January 2026 to wait for a revised-percentile schedule; the qualifying cut-off was lowered on 13 January, Round 3 ran from 15 January to 6 February 2026, and the stray-round result file is dated 23 February 2026, a couple of days after the 20-21 February the schedule gave.

In other words, about six and a half months passed between sitting the 2025 exam and the last MCC allotment. For 2026 the result came on 24 September, and the only MCC document by 30 September was the PwD assessment notice for Round 1. If 2026 runs to a similar length after the result, counselling would stretch into the first months of 2027. That is an inference from one year, not a schedule; MCC's own notices are the only schedule.

What to do now

Download your scorecard (on or after 1 October 2026, available for six months). Watch mcc.nic.in for the 2026 PG bulletin, schedule and seat matrix, and read the bulletin in full before paying: fees, deposits and round rules are set there. Find your state's counselling authority and its notice for 2026, because the state quota runs on its own timetable and rules. If you are a PwBD candidate, the Round 1 assessment window opens on 1 October 2026 and closes on 9 October, with appeals to 12 October.

Plan for both sides at once. MCC and the states share lists of joined candidates between rounds, so a seat you hold on one side will filter you out of the other's later rounds. The 2025 rules on free exit in Round 1 and forfeiture from Round 2 onward decide how long you can keep both options open.

Nothing here is legal or admission advice. For your own case, write to NBEMS through its communication portal or call its helpline (011-45593000, as printed in the 24 September 2026 result notice), and for counselling read the MCC bulletin for your round.

Who conducts NEET PG counselling?

MCC of DGHS counsels the All India 50% quota, deemed universities, central universities and DNB seats. Each state's counselling authority handles its state quota. NBEMS only conducts the exam and publishes results.

What is the difference between AIQ and state quota in NEET PG?

AIQ is 50% of seats in state government colleges, open to candidates from any state and counselled by MCC with central reservation. State quota is the rest, counselled by the state under its own domicile, eligibility and reservation rules.

Do I need domicile for deemed or DNB seats?

No. Deemed-university seats and DNB seats are counselled by MCC at 100% all-India, without a domicile condition. Deemed universities have a 15% NRI quota.

How many rounds are there in MCC PG counselling?

Four: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 (earlier the mop-up round) and the stray vacancy round, per the MCC PG bulletin 2025.

When will NEET PG 2026 counselling start?

MCC had not published the 2026 schedule on 30 September 2026. Its only 2026 notice then was that the PwD portal for Round 1 opens on 1 October 2026.

Are AIIMS seats filled through NEET PG?

No. The NEET-PG bulletin lists AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru and SCTIMST Thiruvananthapuram as outside NEET-PG.

How long did NEET PG 2025 counselling take?

From the exam on 3 August 2025 to the stray-round result file of 23 February 2026 was 204 days (our count), about six and a half months.