NATIONAL

NEET UG 2026 Counselling Schedule Unveiled, First Round Starts August 4

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG 2026 counselling timetable has been released, outlining multiple rounds for All India Quota, State Quota and deemed‑university seats. The first round of AIQ and deemed‑university counselling begins on August 4, while the academic year for MBBS and BDS starts on September 8.

By Open Vaartha Desk · 2026-08-01

TL;DR

NEET UG 2026 counselling begins on August 4, with multiple AIQ and State Quota rounds leading up to classes starting September 8.

Key points

First round of AIQ and deemed‑university counselling runs 4‑17 August; State Quota first round runs 13‑22 August
Second round AIQ: 24 August‑2 September; State Quota: 31 August‑8 September
Third round AIQ: 10‑18 September; State Quota: 16‑26 September
Stray‑vacancy AIQ: 28 September‑3 October; State Quota: 3‑5 October
MBBS and BDS classes for 2026‑27 start on 8 September

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has published the official schedule for NEET UG 2026 counselling, setting the timeline for admissions to MBBS, BDS and other undergraduate medical programmes across India.The first round of All India Quota (AIQ) and deemed‑university counselling is slated for 4 – 17 August, with the State Quota counterpart following from 13 – 22 August. Candidates will be able to register, fill their preferences, receive seat allotments, verify documents and report for admission during these windows.The second round of AIQ counselling is scheduled for 24 August – 2 September, while State Quota counselling for the same round runs from 31 August – 8 September. A third round of AIQ counselling will take place between 10 September and 18 September, and the State Quota third round will run from 16 September to 26 September.To address any remaining vacancies, a stray‑vacancy round for AIQ seats is set for 28 September – 3 October, followed by a State Quota stray‑vacancy round from 3 October to 5 October.According to the schedule, regular MBBS and BDS classes for the 2026‑27 academic session will commence on 8 September. Authorities have urged aspirants to monitor the official counselling portals regularly for updates on registration, choice filling, seat allotment, document verification and reporting deadlines.