The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has laid down a round-wise exit structure for NEET UG counselling 2026, allowing candidates a penalty-free exit only in Round 1 and shutting the door on resignation entirely from Round 3. The rules are set out in the MCC UG Information Bulletin and Counselling Scheme 2026, published on August 1, 2026, and apply to the 15% All India Quota, deemed universities, central universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC and B.Sc. Nursing seats handled by MCC. With Round 1 seat allotment due on August 17 and reporting open until August 22, candidates must decide early whether to hold a seat, upgrade, or walk away.
Key Highlights
- Round 1 offers a free exit; candidates who do not join keep their refundable security deposit and stay eligible for Round 2.
- From Round 2 onwards, leaving an allotted seat means losing the entire security deposit.
- Candidates who exit in Round 2 must pay the registration fee and security deposit again to enter Round 3.
- No resignation is permitted from a Round 3 seat, and joining Round 3 bars participation in any further counselling.
- Non-reporting in Round 3 leads to forfeiture and elimination from the Stray Vacancy Round.
- Stray Vacancy Round allotment is binding; non-joining costs the deposit and ends the candidate’s counselling.
- All resignations must be filed online. MCC does not accept offline resignations.
- New Freeze and Float categories change how candidates exit: Freeze candidates resign at the college; Float candidates resign through the MCC portal.
Round 1: The Only Free Exit
A candidate allotted a seat in Round 1 who chooses not to join is treated as a free exit. The refundable security deposit stays intact, and the candidate remains eligible for Round 2 without registering again, though fresh choices must be submitted.
Candidates who have already joined a Round 1 seat may also resign within the window notified by MCC and still take part in Round 2. The bulletin lists both free-exit candidates and Round 1 resignees among the groups eligible for second-round allotment.
Once a seat is surrendered, the candidate has no claim over it. The same applies to upgradation: a candidate upgraded in Round 2 is automatically relieved from the Round 1 seat and loses all claim to it.
Round 2: Exit With Forfeiture
The rules tighten sharply in the second round. If a candidate is allotted a seat in Round 2 and does not report, the security deposit is forfeited. The outcome is the same for a candidate who joins and then resigns.
MCC defines this as “exit with forfeiture”; the candidate may leave, but the deposit is gone.
Such candidates are not shut out of Round 3, but re-entry carries a cost. Those who resigned or did not report in Round 2 must fill fresh choices with full payment of the registration fee and security deposit again.
Joining a Round 2 seat does not block upgradation. A candidate who joins in Round 2 can still submit willingness for upgradation to Round 3 online. Only an outright resignation triggers forfeiture at this stage.
Round 3: No Exit Once Joined
Round 3 is the point of no return. MCC has advised candidates to take an informed decision before continuing into the third round, because resignation from a Round 3 seat of AIQ, deemed or central universities is not permitted.
Candidates who join in Round 3 also cannot participate in any counselling afterwards, including state counselling. MCC shares allotment data with states after Round 3, and any candidate appearing in either list is removed from the All India Stray Vacancy Round.
A candidate allotted a Round 3 seat who does not report exits with forfeiture of the security deposit and is eliminated from further rounds. The bulletin lists such candidates as ineligible for the Stray Vacancy Round.
Physical reporting after Round 3 is mandatory for all allotted candidates, and also for Float candidates from Rounds 1 and 2 who were not upgraded.
Stray Vacancy Round: Allotment Is Binding
Fresh registration is required for the Final Stray Vacancy Round. A candidate allotted a seat here must join. Non-joining results in forfeiture of the security deposit, and the candidate becomes ineligible for any subsequent round, if held.
How Freeze and Float Change the Exit Process
MCC has introduced Freeze and Float categories for 2026, and they determine how a candidate exits.
- Freeze candidates, those who accept the allotted seat and do not want upgradation, must physically visit the allotted institute and submit their resignation there within the period notified by MCC.
- Float candidates, those willing to upgrade, can log in to the MCC portal, select the Withdrawal (Resignation) option and submit the request online, without visiting the college. Both categories must upload scanned documents on the MCC portal once, valid for all rounds.
Other Grounds for Forfeiture
The security deposit is also forfeited if an admission is cancelled for reasons unrelated to exit. These include furnishing wrong information at registration, failing to produce required original documents within the stipulated time, or a mismatch between category claims and documents submitted.
Counselling Fees and Refund Timeline
NEET UG Counselling 2026 Refunds begin only after all rounds of counselling are complete. MCC publishes the list of eligible candidates on its portal, after which the Financial Custodian, HLL Lifecare Ltd, initiates the refund within 15 days and completes it within 30 days.
| Seat Type | Registration Fee (Non-Refundable) | Security Deposit (Refundable) |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ / Central Universities / AIIMS / JIPMER / ESIC / AFMC / B.Sc. Nursing — UR/EWS | ₹1,000 | ₹10,000 |
| AIQ / Central Universities / AIIMS / JIPMER / ESIC / AFMC / B.Sc. Nursing — SC/ST/OBC/PwD | ₹500 | ₹5,000 |
| Deemed Universities (all categories) | ₹5,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
Note: The amount is credited only to the card or bank account used for the original payment, so candidates must keep that account active. MCC does not pay interest on the deposit and advises against raising chargeback claims, which delay refunds further.
Official Website and Helpline
- MCC UG counselling portal: mcc.nic.in
- MCC toll-free helpline: 1800 102 7637 (9:00 AM to 8:30 PM)
- Refund and finance queries: financemcc@lifecarehll.com
