The Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB) has started the Stray Vacancy Round reporting stage for NEET UG 2026 admissions. As per the ongoing schedule, document verification and admission have begun from October 6, 2026. Candidates who have been allotted a seat must finish their joining formalities within the given window, which ends on October 10, 2026.

There is one important thing to understand here. JCECEB's office order dated 28 September 2026 is about the Third Round while the Stray Vacancy Round is a separate counselling phase. Mixing up the two can make you miss a deadline.

Key highlights (status on Oct 6)

  • Counselling authority: JCECEB, Jharkhand
  • Courses covered: MBBS, BDS, BHMS
  • Stray Vacancy Round: Reporting/document verification began on Oct 6
  • Provisional allotment letter download: Oct 5 to Oct 10
  • Last date for admission/verification: Oct 10, 2026
  • JCECEB website footer shows: Last Update: 05-Oct-2026 (this helps you see which items were uploaded most recently)

What to do today (if you are allotted a seat in the Stray Vacancy Round)

If you are part of the Stray Vacancy Round and have received (or are receiving) an allotment:

  • Check your allotment status on the counselling portal
  • Download the Provisional Seat Allotment Letter
  • Report to the allotted institute for document verification and admission before Oct 10
  • Read the allotment letter carefully for college-specific instructions, timings and reporting format

Stray Vacancy Round timeline (quick look)

The Stray Vacancy phase broadly runs in this order:

  • Online application window for new candidates (late September)
  • Merit list and vacant seat matrix published (early October)
  • Choice filling window (early October)
  • Allotment letter download (Oct 5-10)
  • Document verification & admission (Oct 6-10)

If you have not downloaded your allotment letter yet, do not wait for the last day. Institutes may take time to verify documents and confirm your seat.

Third Round vs Stray Vacancy Round: why you should not confuse them

The JCECEB website currently lists Third Round/"तृतीय चक्र" documents dated 28 September 2026. It also has revised merit/"not eligible" lists and revised seat matrices in the Downloads section. All of these belong to the Third Round counselling cycle.

The Stray Vacancy Round, on the other hand, is held after the earlier rounds as a separate phase to fill the seats that are still empty. The simple takeaway for students:

  • Third Round documents (28 Sept) = Round-3 matters
  • Stray Vacancy activities (Oct 5-10) = allotment letter + reporting happening now

Documents to keep ready for verification/admission

Requirements can differ from one institute to another, but you should usually carry originals and photocopies of:

  • NEET UG 2026 score/rank details and admit card (if required)
  • Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets/certificates
  • Photo ID proof
  • Domicile/residential certificate (if applicable)
  • Category certificate / PwD certificate (if applicable)
  • Passport-size photographs
  • Counselling/allotment documents (allotment letter, portal printouts)

Tip: Make sure your category/domicile/PwD certificates match what you claimed during counselling. A mismatch can affect your admission.

Also running at the same time: Round 3 choice filling (a separate track)

On the NEET UG counselling portal (for MBBS/BDS/BHMS), you may also see Round 3 activity with its own deadlines, including choice filling and revised vacancy updates. This is separate from Stray Vacancy reporting. So always check which round your dashboard or notice is talking about before you act.