State counselling authorities will begin Round 1 of NEET UG 2026 counselling for 85% state quota MBBS and BDS seats from August 13, and eligibility will be decided by each state’s domicile rules, not by NEET rank alone. The Medical Counselling Committee’s NEET-UG Schedule 2026 fixes state counselling Round 1 from August 13 to August 22, with August 28 as the last date of joining.
Key Highlights
- State quota Round 1: August 13–22, 2026; AIQ Round 1: August 4–17, 2026.
- Round 2 runs August 31–September 8; Round 3 from September 16–26; stray vacancy round October 3–5.
- The UG academic session for 2026-27 begins September 8, 2026.
- Domicile rules remain legally valid for MBBS, unlike PG medical admissions.
- Domicile status and caste or EWS reservation are separate claims.
- NTA declared the NEET UG 2026 result on July 16, 2026, with 11.21 lakh candidates qualifying.
How the Seat Split Works
MCC conducts counselling for 15% All India Quota MBBS and BDS seats of the states, plus central university, ESIC and deemed institution seats. States fill the remaining 85% of government seats and most private college seats. AIQ and deemed seats carry no residence condition.
Legal Position in 2026
The Supreme Court in January 2025 declared domicile-based reservation unconstitutional for postgraduate medical courses, while recording that residence-based benefit can be extended to a limited degree in MBBS courses. In September 2025, a bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran upheld Telangana’s four-year study or residence rule as neither exclusionary nor constitutionally invalid.
State-Wise Domicile Rules 2026
| State / UT | State Quota Eligibility Condition |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | Closed state, only Maharashtra domicile holders qualify; outsiders limited to 15% institutional quota in private colleges |
| Uttar Pradesh | Valid UP domicile certificate from competent authority; domicile and reservation treated as separate conditions |
| Rajasthan | Parents resident 10 years with candidate studying 5 years in the state; or bonafide residents studying outside; or children of state government, cadre, defence and para-military personnel |
| Karnataka | 7 years study in Karnataka (Class 1–12); or Class 11–12 in Karnataka with parents having studied 7 years there; or Kannada/Tulu/Kodava mother tongue with parents domiciled in Karnataka |
| Telangana | 4 consecutive academic years of study in the local area ending with the qualifying exam, or 4 years of residence immediately preceding it |
| Andhra Pradesh | Local status split between Andhra University and Sri Venkateswara University areas |
| Kerala | Keralite and non-Keralite tiers |
| Puducherry | Candidate or parent resident for 5 continuous years, or 5 consecutive years of schooling in the UT |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 80% seats for APST category, 20% for non-APST |
| Delhi, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh | Schooling-location based rather than residence certificate alone |
| Assam, Haryana | Minimum number of residency years |
| Odisha | Permanent natives, or children of All India Civil Service officers of the Odisha cadre |
| Punjab | Bonafide residents only, with limited exceptions |
| West Bengal | Multi-route system with several qualifying paths |
Options for Non-Domicile Candidates
Rajasthan’s Clause XI allows non-domicile candidates to register, with NRI seats open in all rounds and private college vacancies from Round 3, while government and RajMES seats stay closed. Closed states such as Maharashtra offer no such route.
Official Websites
mcc.nic.in, neet.nta.nic.in, nmc.org.in, and the respective state DME, DGME or CET portals.
Note: Clauses are revised annually. Candidates must confirm their eligibility clause against the 2026-27 information brochure of their state before locking the application form.
