If you were following the earlier Round 3 or Stray Vacancy dates, please stop and read this first. On 14 October 2026, the Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB) issued two notices, Advertisement No. 98 and Advertisement No. 99. They change the counselling schedule in a big way, not just by a date or two.
The Board has said these notices replace earlier schedules to the extent mentioned in them. So please treat the 14 October notices as your main reference. Old brochures or earlier portal updates could make you miss a deadline and lose your seat.
Advertisement No. 98: Revised State Quota Schedule
This notice covers MBBS, BDS and BHMS admissions under the State Quota, along with designated All India Seats in specific Jharkhand institutions. Here is the schedule for State Quota candidates:
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14–16 October 2026: Fresh online applications (closed on 16 October at 9:00 AM).
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15 October 2026: Publication of the Vacant Seat Matrix, which shows seat availability across categories and institutions.
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16 October 2026: Form Editing window, 9:01 AM to 12:00 PM, for candidates who had registered earlier and need to correct errors.
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17 October 2026: Release of the State Merit List and start of Choice Filling.
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19 October 2026: Last time to submit choices is 6:00 PM, followed by a short modification window from 6:01 PM to midnight.
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21–26 October 2026: Issue of the Provisional Seat Allotment Letter.
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22–26 October 2026: Compulsory Document Verification and Admission at the allotted institution.
Please note: The portal for fresh State Quota applications has already closed. If you had registered earlier, the correction window on 16 October was your last chance to fix your form. Even if your name is in the earlier merit list, you still have to take part in choice filling and reporting.
Advertisement No. 99: Designated All India Seats
Advertisement No. 98 gives the main schedule. Advertisement No. 99 tells you which institutions are offering their designated All India MBBS and BDS seats through a separate stray vacancy process. The timeline is almost the same as the State Quota timeline:
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Merit List publication: 17 October
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Choice filling ends: 19 October
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Reporting and admission at the institution: 22 to 26 October
Important: The All India list here covers only fixed seats in specific Jharkhand colleges, based on NEET UG 2026 results. It is not a nationwide AIQ counselling round run by the central authority.
Which Medical and Dental Colleges Are Included?
Advertisement No. 99 lists the following colleges whose specific All India vacancies will be filled in this round.
MBBS Colleges
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College Name |
Location |
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Laxmi Chandravansi Medical College & Hospital |
Bishrampur, Palamu |
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Netaji Subhas Medical College and Hospital |
Adityapur, Seraikela-Kharsawan |
|
Sido Kanhu Medical College & Hospital |
Dumka |
|
Birsa Institute of Medical Sciences & Research |
Khunti |
BDS Colleges and Their Special Instructions
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College Name |
Special Instruction |
|
Vananchal Dental College & Hospital, Garhwa |
The remaining Non-State Quota BDS seats are being designated as All India Seats, as per official departmental directions. |
|
Awadh Dental College & Hospital, Jamshedpur |
50% of the total BDS intake is earmarked for allotment through the All India Merit List made from NEET UG 2026 results, as per the departmental letter dated 12 October 2026. |
A word of caution: For Awadh Dental College, the 50% allocation applies to the seats covered by this departmental directive, and not necessarily to the college’s entire seat pool. Also, BHMS courses are covered under the revised State Quota schedule in Advertisement No. 98, but they are not part of the All India Seat list in Advertisement No. 99. Please do not mix up the two lists.
Who Needs to Apply and Who Does Not?
Registration rules are one of the most confusing parts of a stray round. JCECEB has explained them as follows.
State Quota (MBBS / BDS / BHMS)
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If your name is already in the State Merit List published on 26 September 2026, you do not need to submit the application form again.
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You must still take part in Choice Filling and follow the revised reporting schedule.
Designated All India Seats
If your name appears in the relevant All India / NRI Merit Lists from an earlier round (Round 1, Round 2 or Round 3), you do not need to fill the Merit List Application Form again.
Candidates with an Incomplete Application
If your earlier application is unfinished, log in with your old credentials, complete the pending sections, and lock the form as per the instructions on the portal.
Remember: Not having to register again does not mean you can skip counselling. If your name is on the merit list but you do not fill your choices or you miss document verification (22–26 October), you will lose your seat.
Important Guidelines for Every Candidate
1. Study the Seat Matrix (15 October)
The Vacant Seat Matrix published on 15 October shows category-wise and college-wise vacancies. Do not fill your choices blindly. Plan your preferences according to the actual numbers in the official matrix.
2. Understand How BDS Seats Are Converted
Under the revised notice, if eligible candidates are not available in a reserved category for State Quota BDS seats, the vacant seats will be given to other categories as per the Jharkhand government’s departmental rules. This is a rule-based process, not a random one.
3. Use the Right Portal
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State Quota: neetugcet.jceceb.co.in
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Designated All India MBBS Seats: lcmcneetugcet.jceceb.co.in
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All official notices: jceceb.jharkhand.gov.in
Always follow the instructions on the portal that matches your course and quota.
4. Do Not Skip Document Verification
The Provisional Allotment Letter (expected between 21 and 26 October) is not your final admission. You must report in person at the allotted college between 22 and 26 October with:
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NEET UG 2026 scorecard and admit card
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Original academic certificates and identity proof
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Category certificates, if you are claiming a reserved seat
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Any other documents mentioned in your allotment letter
5. Keep the Timelines Separate
The Choice Filling and Choice Modification windows are different. After 6:00 PM on 19 October, only the short modification window (6:01 PM to midnight) remains. After midnight, the portal is likely to freeze, so decide your preference order well in advance.
The Bottom Line: Act Carefully, Not in a Panic
The Jharkhand NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy Round is a real chance for many students to get a medical or dental seat in the state. JCECEB has given clarity through Advertisement No. 98 and 99, but the deadlines are tight and there is little room for mistakes.
Your action plan:
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Confirm that your name is on the right Merit List (State or All India).
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If you registered earlier with errors, check whether you corrected them during the 16 October window.
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Keep a close watch on the Choice Filling portal from 17 October.
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Keep your documents ready for verification between 22 and 26 October.