New Delhi: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has extended the PwD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) assessment facility for NEET UG 2026 Round 3 candidates. The Primary Medical Assessment Board window closed on September 26 at 5 PM, but the Appellate Boards will keep doing re-assessments till September 28 at 10:30 AM.

This extra time matters a lot for PwD candidates in Round 3, because you need an eligibility certificate to access PwD-reserved seats during choice filling. Here’s what to know before the choice-filling deadline on September 28, 12 noon.

Why this extension is worth paying attention to

MCC reserves 5% of seats horizontally for PwD candidates, across every category — general, EWS, OBC, SC, and ST. But to actually claim one of these seats, you need a PwBD Eligibility Certificate from an MCC-designated assessment board.

Here’s the timeline in short:

  • Primary Assessment (closed): ended September 26, 5 PM
  • Appellate Re-Assessment (open): available till September 28, 10:30 AM
  • Choice-Filling Deadline: September 28, 12 noon — just 1.5 hours after re-assessment closes

Note that this extension only applies to the PwD assessment timeline. It doesn’t change the Round 3 registration deadlines, which remain September 27, 3 PM for registration and 6 PM for payment.

Who actually needs to go through PwD assessment?

  • If you’re a first-time PwD candidate, you’d need to complete either the primary assessment (now closed) or the appellate re-assessment (open till September 28).
  • If the Primary Board earlier rejected your PwD eligibility, you can appeal and go through re-assessment at an Appellate Board.
  • If you already hold a valid MCC-issued PwBD Eligibility Certificate, you don’t need to go through re-assessment at all.

Without a valid certificate, though, PwD-reserved seats simply won’t show up in your choice-filling list.

How to go through appellate re-assessment, step by step

If the Primary Board declared you ineligible, here’s what to do:

  1. Submit an appeal Email your appeal to disabilityappeal-chair@gov.in and disabilityappeal-convener@gov.in, and mention which Appellate Board you’d prefer — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, or Varanasi.
  2. Wait for your assessment schedule The Appellate Board’s nodal officer will email you the date, time, and venue for your assessment.
  3. Show up for re-assessment Carry your original documents — UDID card, NEET scorecard, affidavit, and medical reports. The board will re-evaluate your disability as per DEPwD guidelines.
  4. Get your eligibility certificate If you’re approved, you’ll receive a PwBD Eligibility Certificate, which lets you select PwD-reserved seats in Round 3.

Remember the deadline: September 28, 10:30 AM, before choice filling closes at 12 noon.

Documents you’ll need for the assessment

Make sure you have:

  • Your NEET UG 2026 scorecard (as proof of eligibility)
  • Your permanent UDID card, issued by DEPwD, Government of India
  • A self-certified affidavit declaring your functional abilities
  • Disability-specific medical reports, if applicable

A word of caution: submitting a fake UDID card or affidavit can lead to your seat being cancelled, along with legal action.

How this affects your Round 3 choice filling

  • Without a PwBD certificate, PwD-reserved seats simply won’t appear in your choice list.
  • With a valid certificate, you can select PwD seats alongside your general choices.
  • Since the appellate re-assessment deadline is just 1.5 hours before choice filling closes, it’s best to get this done as early as you can.

If you’re still waiting on your re-assessment result, it’s a good idea to fill in choices for non-PwD seats too, as a backup, so you don’t miss the deadline altogether.

The 5% PwD reservation, in brief

  • It’s a horizontal reservation, meaning 5% of seats in every category — general, EWS, OBC, SC, and ST — are set aside for PwD candidates.
  • Only candidates with an MCC-issued PwBD certificate can claim these seats.
  • For state-quota seats, you may need a separate state-level PwD assessment.

Quick checklist for PwD candidates in Round 3

  • If you’re already certified, go ahead with choice filling.
  • If you were found ineligible in the primary assessment, submit your appeal immediately for re-assessment.
  • If you’re waiting on your re-assessment result, keep non-PwD choices ready as a backup.
  • Make sure your choice filling is done by September 28, 12 noon — there’s no extension on this one.

In short: this PwD assessment extension is time-sensitive, so it’s worth acting now to lock in your eligibility before choice filling closes.

Official sources: - MCC UG Medical Counselling 2026 — https://mcc.nic.in/ug-medical-counselling/ - MCC PwBD Assessment Notice (July 30, 2026) - MCC Appellate Board Notice (August 7, 2026)