New Delhi, September 21, 2026: The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has entered the next stage of NEET UG Counselling 2026. On September 21, participating institutes are scheduled to verify the tentative seat matrix for Round 3. This is the first activity listed for Round 3 in MCC's official counselling timeline.

One important point for candidates: September 21 is not the registration date. The seat-matrix verification is being carried out by the participating institutes before candidates start the Round 3 registration and choice-filling process.

No separate new UG notice dated September 21 is listed

Candidates checking the MCC portal for daily updates should be careful with claims that a “new notice” was released on September 21. As per the current UG News & Events listing, there is no separate UG notice carrying the date September 21, 2026 visible in the list at present. The existing listing still includes Round 2-related updates, vacancy documents and other recent notices.

However, the Round 3 process does begin in the official timeline from September 21 because the schedule itself marks today as the first Round 3 activity.

MCC NEET UG Round 3 Registration: Dates and Deadlines

According to the MCC schedule, round 3 registration and fee payment will be available from September 22 to September 27, 2026.

  • Registration deadline: September 27, 2026, up to 3:00 PM (server time)
  • Payment facility: September 27, 2026, up to 6:00 PM (server time)

Candidates should pay attention to these separate cut-offs. Registration closes at 3:00 PM, while the payment facility remains open until 6:00 PM on September 27. Anyone registering close to the deadline should make sure the fee is also paid within the permitted payment window.

Choice Filling Starts September 23

MCC has kept registration and choice filling on separate dates. The Round 3 sequence is as follows:

  • September 21: Seat matrix verification by participating institutes
  • September 22: Registration and fee payment begins
  • September 23: Choice filling begins
  • September 23 to September 28: Choice filling window
  • September 28, 12:00 Noon: Choice filling closes (server time)

Choice Locking: Exact Window

Candidates will also get a specific window to lock their final choices. MCC has scheduled choice locking from September 27, 7:00 PM to September 28, 12:00 Noon (server time).

Round 3 Result and Reporting Dates

After choice filling and choice locking, the next stages of the Round 3 process are:

  • Seat allotment processing: September 28–29, 2026
  • Round 3 result: September 30, 2026
  • Reporting to the allotted institute: October 1–9, 2026
  • Joined candidate data verification by institutes: October 10, 2026

Which Seats and Courses Are Covered in Round 3?

As per MCC's counselling framework, Round 3 covers 15% All India Quota (AIQ) and seats under Deemed Universities, Central Universities, AFMC, AIIMS institutions and JIPMER (Puducherry & Karaikal) for undergraduate programmes including:

  • MBBS
  • BDS
  • B.Sc Nursing

Candidates should also keep in mind that MCC counselling and state quota counselling are separate processes, and their schedules can be different.

Has MCC Released the Round 3 Seat Matrix PDF Today?

September 21 is the official seat-matrix verification day, but candidates should not automatically assume that MCC has released the Round 3 seat matrix PDF on the same day. That claim should be made only if a fresh PDF link is clearly posted on the MCC portal.

For now, the schedule-aligned way to describe the update is: MCC is verifying the tentative Round 3 seat matrix on September 21 ahead of registration starting September 22.