Meta Title: NEET UG 2026 State Counselling Dates: Live Schedule

Meta Description: Live-updated NEET UG 2026 state counselling dates and schedule for every state — Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and more, plus predictor tools.

Slug: neet-ug-2026-state-counselling-dates-live

NEET UG 2026 State Counselling Dates: State-Wise Schedule (Updated Live)

Last updated: 20th July 2026

The NEET UG 2026 result cycle is now in full swing, and the question on every aspirant's mind has shifted from "what's my score" to "what happens next." The honest answer: NEET UG/PG Counseling 2026 runs on two parallel tracks — the All India Quota (AIQ) counselling conducted centrally, and state counselling, run independently by each state's own Directorate of Medical Education (DME) or designated authority. Understanding how these two tracks interact — and how the state-wise schedule differs across every single state — is the difference between a smooth admission and a missed round.

This is a live-tracked NEET counseling guide: as official state counselling dates are notified, this page reflects the latest structure so you don't have to hunt across dozens of state portals. Below, we break down NEET Counseling 2026 for every state in India — including Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and all others — plus how deemed and private colleges fit into the picture, and exactly where to check your NEET rank vs college standing before each round.

AIQ vs State Counselling: The Two Tracks You Must Track Separately

Before diving into state counselling dates, it's important to understand why there are two separate schedules in the first place.

• All India Quota (AIQ) counselling is conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), for 15% of government medical college seats, all deemed university seats, all Central/ESIC institute seats, and INI seats like AIIMS and JIPMER.

• State counselling is conducted independently by each state for the remaining 85% state quota seats in government medical colleges, as well as most seats in state-run private medical colleges.

Because these are separate bodies with separate calendars, NEET UG 2026 state counselling dates are notified state-by-state, usually a short window after the AIQ schedule is released by MCC. This is exactly why a single national "counselling date" doesn't exist — and why every aspirant needs to track their specific state's Directorate of Medical Education (or equivalent body) directly, alongside the central MCC portal.

The General Structure Every State Counselling Follows

While the exact state-wise schedule and dates vary, almost every state — and the central AIQ process — follows a broadly similar round structure as part of NEET Counseling 2026:

1. Registration and Choice Filling — Candidates register on the respective counselling portal, fill in their preferred government and private medical colleges, and lock their choices.

2. Round 1 Seat Allotment — Seats are allotted based on NEET rank, category, and choices filled. Allotted candidates report to the college or confirm online, depending on the state's process.

3. Round 2 Seat Allotment — Candidates who didn't get a seat, or who want to upgrade, participate again with fresh or modified choices.

4. Mop-Up Round — Remaining vacant seats (including those vacated by candidates who didn't report) are offered in this round.

5. Stray Vacancy Round — The final round, offering any seats still vacant after mop-up, often with relaxed eligibility or on-spot allotment in some states.

Because official NEET UG 2026 counselling dates for each state are notified progressively by the respective authorities after the AIQ schedule is out, the smartest approach is to keep this framework in mind and check your specific state's DME notification as soon as results are declared, rather than waiting for a single unified announcement.

State-Wise Counselling: What to Expect in Every State

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh conducts its state counselling through NTR University of Health Sciences (NTRUHS). The state has a substantial mix of government and private medical colleges, and its process typically includes convener-quota and management-quota seats handled through separate rounds, so aspirants should check which category their target college falls under before choice filling.

Arunachal Pradesh

With a very limited number of government medical colleges, Arunachal Pradesh's state counselling is handled directly by the state's Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and covers a comparatively small quota. Most aspirants from the state also lean heavily on AIQ and neighboring-state private and deemed colleges to widen their options.

Assam

Assam's state counselling is conducted by the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Assam. The state's medical seat pool has grown steadily with new government medical colleges across different districts, giving in-state aspirants more realistic and safe choices within state quota than in previous years.

Bihar

Bihar conducts its state counselling through the Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB). With a relatively smaller pool of government medical colleges compared to its aspirant base, competition for state-quota government medical seats in Bihar is intense, and many candidates end up relying on private and deemed colleges — both within the state and via AIQ — to secure an MBBS seat. Domicile certificates and state-specific document verification are typically mandatory, so aspirants targeting Bihar should have their paperwork ready well before choice filling opens.

Chandigarh

As a Union Territory with a single major government medical college (GMCH-32), Chandigarh's seats are largely folded into the central AIQ counselling process conducted by MCC, rather than a separate independent state-wise schedule.

Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh conducts its state counselling through the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Chhattisgarh. The state has been adding new government medical colleges in recent cycles, which has gradually expanded realistic choices for in-state candidates competing for state-quota medical seats.

Delhi

Delhi's state counselling is run by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Delhi. Because Delhi has a relatively small number of government medical colleges compared to the sheer volume of aspirants applying, competition for state-quota seats is extremely high, making private and deemed colleges via AIQ an important backup for many candidates.

Goa

Goa conducts counselling through its Directorate of Medical Education, covering a single government medical college and a very limited quota. Given the small seat count, this is one of the more competitive state-wise schedules on a per-seat basis.

Gujarat

Gujarat's state counselling is managed by the Admission Committee for Professional Undergraduate Medical Educational Courses (ACPUGMEC). The state has a healthy balance of government and private medical colleges, including several GMERS institutions, giving aspirants a reasonably wide spread of realistic and safe choices.

Haryana

Haryana conducts its state counselling through the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Haryana. The state has a growing number of both government and private medical colleges, and domicile-based reservation plays a significant role in how state-quota seats are allotted.

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh's state counselling is handled by the state's Directorate of Medical Education. With a modest number of government medical colleges, competition for state-quota seats remains high, and many aspirants also track AIQ rounds closely as a parallel option.

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir's state counselling is conducted by the J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (JKBOPEE). The union territory has its own reservation and domicile framework, so candidates should verify eligibility rules carefully before relying on state quota alone.

Jharkhand

Jharkhand's state counselling, conducted by the Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB), is comparatively smaller in scale, with fewer total seats than larger states. This means realistic and safe choices for Jharkhand-based aspirants often need to extend into deemed and private colleges in neighboring states through the AIQ route, in addition to the state's own government medical colleges. Tracking both the Jharkhand state notification and the central MCC calendar closely is especially important here.

Karnataka

Karnataka's state counselling is conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA). The state has one of the largest concentrations of private and deemed medical colleges in India, alongside a solid base of government medical colleges, making it a major target state for out-of-state aspirants relying on AIQ and management-quota seats.

Kerala

Kerala's state counselling is run by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala. The state has a well-established mix of government and private medical colleges, with a structured merit-list and allotment process that closely mirrors the central NEET Counseling framework.

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh conducts its state counselling through the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), MP, typically via the MP Online portal. The state has been steadily increasing its government medical college count, which has improved realistic choices for in-state candidates in recent cycles.

Maharashtra

Maharashtra has one of the largest medical seat pools in the country across both government and private medical colleges, giving aspirants meaningfully more flexibility in choice filling. Maharashtra's state counselling, conducted by the State CET Cell, typically runs multiple rounds in close succession given the sheer number of seats and colleges involved, so staying updated on each round's specific dates is critical to avoid missing an upgrade opportunity.

Manipur

Manipur's state counselling is conducted by the state's Directorate of Medical Education, covering a small number of government medical colleges. Given the limited quota, many aspirants from the state also plan around AIQ and deemed college options.

Meghalaya

Meghalaya conducts its state counselling through the Directorate of Medical Education, with a very limited number of government medical colleges, making thorough planning around AIQ and neighboring-state options essential.

Mizoram

Mizoram's state counselling, handled by the state DME, covers one of the smallest medical seat quotas in the country, so aspirants here should treat AIQ and out-of-state private colleges as core parts of their strategy rather than a backup.

Nagaland

Nagaland conducts counselling through its Directorate of Medical Education, with a small in-state quota that makes AIQ participation especially important for most aspirants from the state.

Odisha

Odisha's state counselling is run by the Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET), Odisha, through the SAMS (Students' Academic Management System) portal. The state has a growing number of government medical colleges, alongside a handful of established private colleges.

Puducherry

Puducherry's state counselling is conducted by the Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC). With several well-regarded institutions for a small union territory, competition for state-quota government medical seats here tends to be high relative to population.

Punjab

Punjab conducts its state counselling through Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS). The state has a solid mix of government and private medical colleges, with domicile-based reservation shaping much of the state-quota allotment process.

Rajasthan

Rajasthan's state counselling is managed by the state's NEET UG Counselling Board (commonly coordinated through RUHS). The state has a large number of both government and private medical colleges, making it a significant target state within the broader NEET counseling guide for many aspirants.

Sikkim

Sikkim conducts a small state-level counselling process alongside hosting a well-known deemed university medical college, which is counselled separately through AIQ. The state's own government quota remains limited in size.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu runs one of the most tightly structured state counselling systems in India, managed by the Directorate of Medical Education, Tamil Nadu. The state has a strong mix of government and private medical colleges, and Tamil Nadu's counselling has historically included specific provisions around language-medium of study and long-term domicile, which directly affects eligibility for state-quota seats. Aspirants targeting Tamil Nadu medical colleges should verify eligibility criteria carefully alongside tracking the state-wise schedule.

Telangana

Telangana's state counselling is conducted by Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS). The state has a large and rapidly growing pool of government and private medical colleges, making it one of the more dynamic state-wise schedules to track year over year.

Tripura

Tripura conducts its state counselling through the state Directorate of Medical Education, with a modest number of government medical colleges supplemented by a couple of established private colleges.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh's state counselling is run by the Directorate General of Medical Education and Training (DGME), UP, based in Lucknow. As the state with the single largest number of medical colleges in India, Uttar Pradesh offers one of the widest ranges of realistic and safe choices across both government and private medical colleges.

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand conducts its state counselling through the Directorate of Medical Education, with a smaller but steadily expanding pool of government and private medical colleges.

West Bengal

West Bengal's state counselling is conducted by the West Bengal Medical Counselling Committee (WBMCC). The state has a well-established base of government medical colleges alongside a growing number of private colleges, and its counselling process closely follows the standard round structure used nationally.

Note: exact conducting-authority names, portals, and quota splits can be revised by state governments between cycles, so always cross-verify the current state-wise schedule and authority on the respective state's official DME or counselling portal before registering. This page will continue to reflect the latest structure as official NEET UG 2026 state counselling dates are notified.

Deemed and Private Medical Colleges: A Separate but Parallel Track

It's a common misconception that deemed and private colleges are only accessible through state counselling. In reality, all deemed university seats in India are counselled centrally through MCC, alongside the AIQ rounds — not through individual states. Private medical colleges, on the other hand, largely participate in state counselling, though management-quota and NRI-quota seats within them may follow separate, college-specific timelines announced after the main state-wise schedule.

Given how many deemed and private colleges now exist in India's expanding medical seat landscape — including a wave of newly approved institutions this cycle — it's worth reviewing the latest list of upcoming medical colleges before finalizing your target list, since several of these won't have historical NEET closing ranks to reference yet.

How Many Medical Seats Are Actually at Stake?

Context matters when planning your NEET UG 2026 counselling strategy. India's total number of medical seats spans well over a hundred thousand MBBS seats across government and private medical colleges, split roughly down the middle between the total government medical seats and the total private medical seats available nationwide. This scale is exactly why a structured, tiered choice filling approach — rather than a handful of top picks — matters so much across every round of state counselling and AIQ, whether you're targeting Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, or any other state.

Using Rank and College Predictors Before Every Round

Because NEET closing ranks shift from round to round as seats fill and vacate, checking your NEET rank vs college standing isn't a one-time task — it should happen before Round 1, again before Round 2, and again before mop-up. A reliable medical college predictor India trusts makes this fast:

• Run your score through the NEET rank predictor to get your All India Rank and category-wise rank before Round 1 choice filling opens.

• Use the NEET UG 2026 rank predictor to map your rank against government and private medical colleges across every state you're eligible for.

• If your rank is close to the 5,000 mark, this rank 5,000 college breakdown shows what's realistically in play this year, and this detailed look at 2026 rank inflation at a 650 score explains why comparable scores are landing at different ranks compared to previous years.

• For a full walkthrough of how a free NEET rank and college predictor actually works this season, this guide on the free NEET rank & college predictor 2026 is worth reading before you register for counselling.

Rank-Wise Resources to Check Before Every Round

Since NEET closing ranks shift across states and rounds, it helps to check exactly where colleges have closed historically for a rank band close to yours before finalizing choices in any round:

• Around rank 10,000 — see the rank 10,000 college data

• Around rank 15,000 — see the rank 15,000 breakdown

• Around rank 25,000 — see the rank 25,000 resource

• Around rank 75,000 — see the rank 75,000 data

• Around rank 300,000 — see the rank 300,000 resource

These rank-band breakdowns are especially useful when comparing state counselling options across Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra, since the same rank can land very differently depending on the state and quota you're applying under.

Don't Forget PG, INI CET, and AYUSH Counselling Calendars

If you're also tracking NEET UG/PG Counseling 2026 for postgraduate or specialized seats, remember these run on entirely separate calendars from NEET UG state counselling:

• MDS aspirants should check standing directly using the MDS predictor.

• Candidates eyeing seats at AIIMS, JIPMER, and other Institutes of National Importance should track the INI CET predictor.

• If MBBS doesn't work out within a comfortable rank band, AYUSH courses (BAMS, BHMS, BUMS) remain a strong, often underused, path — check your standing with the AYUSH college predictor.

MBBS Fees India-Wise: Factor This Into Every Round

State counselling isn't only about rank — it's also about affordability. MBBS fees India-wide vary drastically between government medical colleges (often just a few thousand rupees a year) and private or deemed colleges (which can run into several lakhs annually). Before locking a private or deemed college into any counselling round, check whether it fits your budget. Aspirants looking for cost-effective options should review this breakdown of medical colleges within a ₹30 lakh total budget — a genuinely useful safe-tier filter when private-college fees are a real concern.

Final Checklist Before State Counselling Opens

1. Confirm your NEET rank and category-wise rank using a NEET rank predictor 2026 calibrated for this year's pattern.

2. Track both the central MCC/AIQ calendar and your specific state's DME notification — they are not the same schedule.

3. Build a tiered choice list covering government, private, and deemed colleges, plus AYUSH as a backup.

4. Verify domicile, category, and document requirements specific to your target state (Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, or any other state).

5. Cross-check MBBS fees India-wise for every private or deemed college before ranking it in your list.

6. Re-check your NEET rank vs college standing before every single round — not just Round 1.

Conclusion

NEET UG 2026 state counselling isn't a single event — it's a layered, live-evolving process running across AIQ and 28 individual state-wise schedules, each with its own rounds, deadlines, and eligibility rules. Whether your target is Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, or any other state on this list, the winning strategy is the same: track official dates closely, keep your NEET rank vs college data current every round, and build a choice filling list that spans government, private, deemed, and AYUSH options — not just your top picks.

Get Your Real Rank and College Match Before Counselling Opens

Every guess costs you a round. Head to MedicalSeat.com and run your score through a rank and college predictor that's actually calibrated for this year's re-exam pattern — MBBS, MDS, INI CET, and AYUSH, all in one place.

Talk to a counselling expert directly: 📞 +91 97517 95765 📧 support@medicalseat.com

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