The Jharkhand NEET UG Counselling 2026 process has just entered an important phase — Round 3 choice filling begins today, September 28. At the same time, fresh registrations for the Stray Vacancy Round have also opened, giving another chance to candidates who hadn’t registered earlier but still want to compete for the leftover MBBS/BDS seats.

The state counselling is handled by JCECEB (Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board), and the entire process — registration, choice filling, allotment updates, and notices — runs through the official portal, jceceb.jharkhand.gov.in. Candidates should keep a close eye on the dates and have their documents ready for verification and admission.

Round 3: Who Should Fill Choices Now?

Round 3 is mainly meant for candidates who are already registered on the JCECEB portal and fall into one of these two categories:

  • They didn’t get any seat in Round 1 or Round 2, or
  • They had opted for an upgrade and are still eligible to take part further (as per the counselling rules).

If you fall into either category, choice filling is open from September 28 to October 7, 2026 (usually till evening, as per the schedule updates). During this window, you’ll need to arrange your preferred colleges and courses in the right order and lock your choices before time runs out — only locked choices get considered for allotment.

Key Round 3 dates (Jharkhand):

  • Choice filling: 28 Sept – 7 Oct 2026
  • Provisional seat allotment letter: 9 – 14 Oct 2026
  • Document verification & admission at allotted college: 10 – 14 Oct 2026

Stray Vacancy Round: Fresh Registration Starts (Sept 28–30)

Alongside Round 3, the state has also opened fresh registration for the Stray Vacancy Round, running from September 28 to September 30, 2026. This round is usually meant to fill seats that remain vacant after the regular rounds, and in many cases, candidates who didn’t register earlier get a chance to apply during this special window.

Key Stray Vacancy Round dates (as per counselling updates):

  • Fresh online application (new candidates): 28 – 30 Sept 2026
  • Stray merit list + vacant seat matrix: 2 Oct 2026
  • Stray choice filling: 3 – 4 Oct 2026
  • Provisional allotment letter: 5 – 10 Oct 2026
  • Verification & admission: 6 – 10 Oct 2026

Keep in mind that eligibility for the Stray Round often depends on things like your NEET UG 2026 qualification and Jharkhand domicile status, and the exact rules can vary from round to round. It’s worth reading the latest JCECEB notice carefully before applying.

What Candidates Should Keep Ready

For reporting and admission, you’ll generally need:

  • NEET UG 2026 admit card and scorecard
  • Class 10- and 12-mark sheets/certificates
  • Jharkhand domicile certificate
  • Category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS), if applicable
  • Photo ID and passport-size photographs

It’s also worth checking the notification for the counselling fee and security deposit, since the amounts differ for government and private colleges.

Important Advice

If you’re already registered, your priority should be finishing Round 3 choice filling and locking between September 28 and October 7. If you haven’t registered at all, don’t miss the September 28–30 Stray Round fresh registration window. For the final word on dates and rules, always rely on jceceb.jharkhand.gov.in.