🔴 UP NEET UG 2026

REGISTRATION ALERT: UP NEET UG 2026 Round 1 registration and prescribed payment process closes today, August 12, at 5 PM. Candidates should complete registration and security-fee payment before the deadline.

UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 Registration: Last Date Today

UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 registration is closing today, August 12, 2026. Candidates seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses through Uttar Pradesh state counselling must complete the registration process and prescribed fee/payment requirements within the deadline.

The official UP NEET counselling portal is upneet.gov.in, where candidates can access UG registration, fee payment and counselling-related services.

UP NEET UG 2026 Registration Deadline

• Round 1 Registration Started: August 7, 2026
• Registration Last Date: August 12, 2026
• Registration/Payment Deadline: 5:00 PM
• Courses: MBBS & BDS
• Counselling Authority: Directorate General Medical Education & Training, Uttar Pradesh
• Official Portal: upneet.gov.in

UP NEET UG 2026 – Important Update

Candidates who have qualified NEET UG 2026 and meet the applicable eligibility conditions can participate in UP state counselling. Candidates must complete the registration, fee payment and required security deposit within the notified deadline.

The counselling process will subsequently move towards merit list, choice filling, seat allotment and reporting, as per the schedule issued by the Uttar Pradesh counselling authority.

Candidates Should Complete These Steps Today

• Visit the official UP NEET counselling portal
• Complete UG registration
• Enter NEET UG 2026 details
• Upload required documents
• Pay the registration fee
• Pay the applicable security deposit
• Submit the application
• Download and save the registration/payment confirmation

Important: Candidates should complete the payment process before 5 PM today rather than waiting until the final minutes.

UP NEET UG 2026 State Counselling is currently underway.

The counselling is conducted by the Directorate General Medical Education and Training (DGME), Uttar Pradesh through the UP NEET portal. It is for admission to MBBS and BDS seats under the Uttar Pradesh state counselling process.

🔴 Current Round: Round 1

• Registration & document upload: Started August 7, 2026
• Registration deadline: August 12, 2026, 2:00 PM
• Registration fee + security money: Can be deposited until August 12, 2026, 5:00 PM
• Candidates who register must subsequently complete the choice-filling process as per the notified schedule.
• The Round 1 seat allotment is scheduled after the choice-filling period

UP NEET UG 2026 Counselling – Important Dates

Counselling Event	Date / Time	Status
UP NEET UG 2026 Round 1 Registration Begins	August 7, 2026, 12:00 PM	Started
Document Upload	August 7–12, 2026	Ongoing
Registration Last Date	August 12, 2026, 2:00 PM	Upcoming
Registration Fee & Security Money Payment Last Date	August 12, 2026, 5:00 PM	Upcoming
Choice Filling	As per Round 1 schedule	Upcoming
Choice Locking	As per notified schedule	Upcoming
Round 1 Seat Allotment	After choice filling	Upcoming
Reporting / Admission	After allotment	Upcoming
Round 2 Counselling	To be announced	Awaited
Round 3 / Mop-Up	To be announced	Awaited
Stray Vacancy Round	To be announced	Awaited

The currently available schedule confirms the August 7–12 registration window; therefore, don’t insert unconfirmed dates for later rounds into the article.

UP NEET UG Medical Counselling 2026 – Complete Overview

Uttar Pradesh NEET UG Medical Counselling 2026 is the centralised state-level admission process through which NEET UG 2026-qualified candidates are allotted MBBS and BDS seats in government, government-aided, private, minority, and autonomous state medical/dental colleges of Uttar Pradesh. The process is conducted entirely online by the Directorate General of Medical Education and Training, Uttar Pradesh (DGME UP), also referred to as DMET, Lucknow.

For the 2026-27 academic session, DGME UP started online registration for the First Round of Counselling for admission to First Year MBBS and BDS courses in Government/Private colleges on Friday, August 7, 2026, with the last date of registration fixed as August 12, 2026. This year’s cycle has run later than usual because NTA conducted a re-test of NEET UG 2026 on 21 June 2026 after the originally scheduled 3 May 2026 exam was cancelled over paper-leak allegations, compressing the entire national counselling calendar.

UP is one of India’s largest medical education states, with counselling covering 85% state quota seats in government colleges plus 100% of seats in private and minority colleges, while the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) separately manages the remaining 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government colleges.

Conducting Authority & Official Counselling Website

The UP NEET UG Medical Counselling is conducted by the Directorate General of Medical Education and Training, Uttar Pradesh (DGME UP), headquartered in Lucknow. The official website is dgme.up.gov.in, where candidates can register, check merit lists, and participate in Uttar Pradesh NEET UG counselling for MBBS/BDS admission.

The dedicated counselling portal for candidates is upneet.gov.in, where all registration, document upload, choice filling, and allotment-related activity takes place. Admissions to all government, private, and minority medical/dental colleges are conducted exclusively through the centralised online counselling process managed by DGME.

Manabadi advises candidates to rely only on these official DGME UP domains for dates, brochures, and merit lists, and to treat all third-party WhatsApp/Telegram forwards as unverified until confirmed on the official site.

Courses & Seats Covered – MBBS, BDS, Government & Private

UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 covers admission to the following undergraduate medical and dental programmes:

• MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) – 5.5 years including a compulsory rotatory internship, offered in government, government-aided, autonomous state medical colleges (ASMCs), private non-minority, and private minority medical colleges.
• BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) – 5 years including internship, offered in government and private dental colleges.

Based on the most recent confirmed figures (UP NEET counselling 2025), seat allotment was carried out for 6,428 MBBS and 2,251 BDS seats across 32 medical and 23 dental colleges in the state. Separately, other 2025 estimates put total state-participating MBBS seats even higher when counting all government, private and minority colleges together – around 6,578 government MBBS seats and 6,600 private MBBS seats for NEET UG 2025 across both AIQ and state quota combined.

Seat distribution by college type (2025 reference):

• Government Medical Colleges: Includes state-run medical colleges, Autonomous State Medical Colleges (ASMCs), central university colleges (IMS-BHU Varanasi, JN Medical College AMU Aligarh), AIIMS Gorakhpur & AIIMS Rae Bareli, and ESIC medical colleges.
• Private Non-Minority Medical Colleges: Seats split between State Quota and Management Quota.
• Private Minority Medical Colleges: Seats reserved for the specified religious/linguistic minority community plus open seats.

2026 figures (tentative, subject to official DGME UP notification): Candidates should refer to the official seat matrix once released on upneet.gov.in before finalising their choice list, as seat numbers change annually with new medical college recognitions and NMC-approved seat increases.

UP Medical Colleges & Dental Colleges – Complete List

Uttar Pradesh has one of the largest networks of medical colleges in India. As per the latest available figures, the state has around 48 government medical colleges, 41 private colleges, 2 AIIMS colleges, 2 ESIC colleges and 1 deemed university offering MBBS and postgraduate seats. A more detailed breakdown places this at 51 government medical colleges in total – including 45 state government colleges, 2 AIIMS (Gorakhpur and Rae Bareli), 2 ESIC medical colleges, and 2 central university colleges (IMS-BHU Varanasi and JNMC, AMU Aligarh) – offering around 5,825 MBBS seats.

Top Government Medical Colleges (State/Central):

• King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow
• Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), Lucknow
• Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU), Varanasi
• Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
• GSVM Medical College, Kanpur
• Moti Lal Nehru (MLN) Medical College, Prayagraj (Allahabad)
• S.N. Medical College, Agra
• L.L.R.M. Medical College, Meerut
• Maharani Laxmi Bai (MLB) Medical College, Jhansi
• Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, Gorakhpur
• AIIMS Gorakhpur
• AIIMS Rae Bareli
• ESIC Medical College, Faizabad and ESIC Medical College, Noida
• Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida
• Numerous newly established Autonomous State Medical Colleges (ASMCs) across districts including Shahjahanpur, Shamli, Kushinagar, Mirzapur, Etah, Jalaun, Kannauj and others, opened to expand district-level medical education.

Top Private Medical Colleges (partial list):

• Sharda University, Greater Noida
• Shri Ram Murti Smarak Institute of Medical Sciences (SRMS), Bareilly
• Rohilkhand Medical College, Bareilly
• Subharti Medical College, Meerut
• Era’s Lucknow Medical College, Lucknow
• Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow (Barabanki)
• Rama Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Hapur/Kanpur
• Heritage Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi
• K.D. Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Mathura
• Saraswati Institute of Medical Sciences, Hapur
• Career Institute of Medical Sciences & Hospital, Lucknow
• GS Medical College and Hospital, Hapur
• Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences, Noida
• Rajshree Medical Research Institute, Bareilly
• Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow

Dental (BDS) Colleges: Include King George’s Medical University Dental Faculty, Babu Banarasi Das College of Dental Sciences, Saraswati Dental College, and other private dental institutions participating in state counselling — spread across roughly 23 colleges as of the 2025 cycle.

Important Dates & Complete Counselling Schedule

DGME UP has so far released only the Round 1 registration schedule for 2026. The remaining dates (merit list, choice filling, allotment result) have not yet been officially notified as of this writing.

UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 – Confirmed Dates:

Event	Date
Online Registration Start	August 07, 2026, from 12:00 PM
Last Date to Register	August 12, 2026, till 02:00 PM
Registration Fee & Security Money Deposit Window	August 07 to 12, 2026, till 05:00 PM
Round 1 Merit List	Will be notified later
Choice Filling/Locking	Will be notified later
Round 1 Seat Allotment Result	Will be notified later
Round 2 Registration/Dates	Will be announced later
Round 2 Seat Allotment Result	Will be announced later
Round 3/Mop-Up Round	Will be announced later
Stray Vacancy Round	Will be announced later

Reference – UP NEET UG Counselling 2025 Schedule (for pattern understanding only): In 2025, DGME UP’s Round 2 merit list was released around September 19, 2025, with choice filling closing around September 23, 2025 – giving a sense of typical gaps between rounds. The 2026 schedule is expected to broadly mirror this pattern but should be confirmed only via upneet.gov.in.

Eligibility Criteria – NEET, Domicile & Academic Requirements

To be eligible for UP NEET UG Medical Counselling 2026, candidates must satisfy the following:

a) NEET UG Qualification: Candidate must have a valid NEET UG 2026 score card and must have qualified with the minimum percentile prescribed by NTA/NMC for their respective category (General/EWS, OBC, SC, ST, PwD).

b) Academic Eligibility: Class 12 must have been passed with Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology and English as compulsory subjects, from a recognised board.

c) Age Criteria: As per NMC guidelines applicable to NEET UG 2026 (minimum 17 years as of admission year; upper age limit as per current NMC/Supreme Court directions).

d) Domicile Requirement (for 85% State Quota seats in Government Colleges): Candidates seeking the 85% state quota seats in government medical/dental colleges must hold Uttar Pradesh domicile. If a candidate has passed both High School and Intermediate from UP, a domicile certificate is not required. If one or both exams were passed from outside UP but the candidate is originally from UP, a domicile/residence certificate issued by the UP government must be submitted.

e) Registration Nodal Centre: At the time of registration, every candidate must select a nodal centre from a DGME-notified list — examples include Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow; S.N. Medical College, Agra; L.L.R.M. Medical College, Meerut; and Autonomous State Medical College, Shahjahanpur – for in-person or online document verification.

Candidates not meeting UP domicile requirements can still be considered for private/minority college seats and the AIQ 15% seats through MCC.

Who Can Apply Without UP Domicile?

Not every seat in Uttar Pradesh requires a domicile certificate. This is an important distinction that many candidates from outside UP overlook.

Private and Minority Colleges – No Domicile Required: For admission to private medical/dental colleges and minority institutions in UP, being a domicile of UP is NOT required – candidates from other Indian states are eligible. UP is one of the few large states where private medical college seats remain genuinely “open” to all-India applicants through the state counselling process. MBBSCouncil

AIQ (15%) Seats – No Domicile Required: The 15% All India Quota seats in government medical colleges, counselled separately by MCC (mcc.nic.in), do not require UP domicile – any NEET UG-qualified Indian candidate can apply for these seats regardless of home state.

85% State Quota Government Seats – Domicile Required: Only the 85% state quota seats in government/state-run colleges are restricted to candidates satisfying UP domicile conditions as detailed in Section 6.

Practical implication for non-UP candidates: Students from other states can register on upneet.gov.in specifically to compete for private/minority college seats and should select their college preferences (choice filling) accordingly, while separately registering with MCC for the 15% AIQ government seats.

Category-Wise Reservation & Eligibility Rules

Uttar Pradesh follows a well-defined vertical and horizontal reservation structure for its state quota seats.

A. Vertical Reservation (as per latest confirmed 2026 rules): SC (21%), ST (02%), OBC (27%), and EWS (10%) – applicable for UP-domicile candidates in the state quota. (Note: some earlier-year sources list SC at 21% and ST at 2%, matching UP’s specific state reservation policy, which differs from the central 15% SC/7.5% ST used in the AIQ.)

B. Horizontal Reservation: Freedom Fighter Dependents (02%), Ex-Servicemen (02%), PwD (05%), NCC Cadet (01%), and Women (20%) are applied horizontally across every vertical category.

C. Reservation in Private Minority Medical Colleges: 50% of seats are reserved for candidates belonging to that college’s specific religious minority, while the remaining 50% of seats are open to all candidates. For UP natives who converted to another religion, the minority certificate must be issued by a UP authority under the UP Prohibition of Conversion Act, 2021. Candidates from other states can also submit minority certificates issued by their respective state’s competent authority.

D. Certificate Validity Rule: Candidates claiming EWS and OBC-NCL reservation must submit valid certificates issued on or after July 1, 2026 (for the 2026 cycle). If a reservation certificate is invalid or not uploaded during document verification, the candidate will be considered under the Unreserved (UR) category. In the 2025 cycle, the corresponding cut-off date for OBC and EWS certificates was April 1, 2025 – confirming that DGME UP resets this validity date every counselling year, so candidates must check the exact 2026 date in the official brochure.

E. Horizontal reservation applies across all caste categories – meaning a woman candidate from SC category, for instance, can simultaneously avail SC vertical reservation and Women horizontal reservation.

UP NEET Counselling Seat Matrix & Quota System

The UP NEET UG seat matrix is published separately before every counselling round by DGME UP and typically changes round-to-round as vacant seats are added back.

Broad Quota Structure:

• Government Medical Colleges: 85% State Quota (counselled by DGME UP) + 15% All India Quota (counselled by MCC)
• Private Medical Colleges (Non-Minority): 100% counselled by DGME UP, internally split between State Quota and Management Quota
• Private Minority Medical Colleges: 50% Minority Quota + 50% Open Quota, both counselled by DGME UP

Based on one detailed 2024 estimate: Uttar Pradesh had 85 medical colleges offering MBBS as of June 2024, of which 48 were government medical colleges and 37 were private (31 non-minority + 6 minority). Total MBBS seats stood at 12,275 – comprising 5,725 seats in government colleges (859 under AIQ 15% and 4,866 under state government quota), plus 6,550 seats in private colleges (3,275 under state quota and 3,275 under management quota). Notably, UP has no separate NRI quota seats – a distinctive feature compared to many other states.

Factors determining the seat matrix each round (as per official pattern):

• Fresh NMC seat approvals/renewals for the academic year
• Seats vacated by candidates who did not report/joined elsewhere
• Category-wise vacancy carried forward from the previous round
• Any court directions or NMC inspection outcomes affecting specific colleges

The seat matrix for 2026 will be published on upneet.gov.in ahead of choice filling for each round; candidates must always refer to the round-specific matrix rather than the previous year’s numbers while finalising their preference list.

Government, Private, Management & NRI Quota Explained

Government Quota (State Quota – 85%): These are seats in state-run and state-affiliated government medical/dental colleges reserved for UP-domicile candidates, filled purely on state merit rank and category, at heavily subsidised government fee rates (see Section 25).

All India Quota (AIQ — 15% of government seats): Counselled separately by MCC (mcc.nic.in), open to candidates from any state, following central reservation norms (SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC-NCL 27%, EWS 10%, PwD 5%). Candidates wanting to be considered for AIQ seats must register separately on the MCC portal in addition to UP state counselling.

State Quota in Private Colleges: A defined share of private college seats is allotted through the same DGME UP counselling process based on merit rank, at DGME-notified private-college fee rates.

Management Quota: The remaining share of private college seats, filled by the college management itself (though the fee structure and eligibility floor are still governed by DGME UP norms). Management quota admissions in UP typically open only after the state counselling rounds conclude and vacant seats remain.

NRI Quota: Uttar Pradesh does not have a separate NRI quota for MBBS seats – unlike many southern and western states. NRI/foreign national candidates seeking admission in UP private colleges generally do so through the Management Quota category, subject to eligibility certificates and equivalence approvals.

Minority Quota: Applicable only in private minority-status medical/dental colleges, where 50% of total seats are earmarked for the specified religious minority (see Section 8).

Manabadi recommends non-UP-domicile candidates targeting private college seats to clearly understand which quota (state quota vs management quota) each round of counselling covers, since management quota seat allotment and fee negotiation often happens directly with the college after DGME UP rounds close.

Registration Process – Step-by-Step

Candidates must complete registration strictly on the official portal, upneet.gov.in. The step-by-step process, as per official DGME UP instructions, is as follows:

1. Visit the official website: upneet.gov.in.
2. Click on the “Registration” link for UP NEET UG Counselling 2026.
3. Login using your NEET UG 2026 roll number and application number.
4. Verify auto-filled details – name, parents’ names, and date of birth are auto-generated from the NEET application form and cannot be edited on the counselling portal.
5. Enter the Captcha code as displayed and click Submit.
6. Fill in additional details – category, domicile status, choice of nodal centre for document verification, and contact details.
7. Upload scanned documents as specified in the official checklist (see Section 12).
8. Pay the non-refundable registration fee of ₹2,000.
9. Pay the applicable security money/deposit based on the seat category you wish to be considered for (Government / Private Medical / Private Dental).
10. Complete online document verification or report to your chosen nodal centre as instructed.
11. Download and retain the registration confirmation receipt for future reference.

Candidates who registered in an earlier round of the same counselling year generally do not need to register again for subsequent rounds, unless specifically required – such as for the Stray Vacancy round, which requires fresh registration.

Documents Required for Registration & Admission

As per the latest official checklist, candidates must upload scanned copies during registration and carry originals at the time of admission:

• NEET UG-2026 Admit Card and Score Card
• High School (10th) Marksheet and Certificate
• Intermediate (12th) Marksheet and Certificate
• Domicile Certificate (if applicable)
• Reservation/Caste Certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS/Freedom Fighter/Ex-Army/NCC/PwD) issued by competent UP authorities (if applicable)
• Identity Proof (Aadhaar Card, Driving License, PAN Card, or Passport)
• Online Registration Receipt and Security Money Deposit Receipt
• Allotment Letter (at the admission stage)

Additional documents commonly required (based on established DGME practice):

• Passport-size photographs (as per specified dimensions/format)
• Transfer Certificate (TC) / Migration Certificate
• Character Certificate from last attended institution
• Medical fitness certificate (as prescribed)
• Minority certificate (only for minority-quota applicants, see Section 8)
• Gap year affidavit (if applicable)

Certificates for OBC/EWS must be dated on or after the specific cut-off notified for the 2026 cycle (Section 8); certificates issued before this date will not be accepted for reservation benefit, and the candidate will default to Unreserved category.

Manabadi advisory: Keep at least 3–4 sets of self-attested photocopies and one original set ready before document verification, as nodal centres and colleges frequently ask for physical originals even where online verification has been introduced.

Registration Fee, Security Deposit & Other Charges

Non-Refundable Registration Fee: ₹2,000, payable online during the registration window.

Refundable Security Deposit (paid as part of registration, based on 2025/2026 confirmed figures):

Seat Category Opted For	Security Deposit
Government Medical/Dental College seat only	₹30,000
Government + Private Medical (MBBS) seat	₹2,00,000
Government + Private Dental (BDS) seat	₹1,00,000

The security money is deposited as a CTS Bank Draft in the name of “Director General Medical Education & Training Uttar Pradesh” payable at Lucknow, though online payment gateways are also enabled through the portal for the online deposit component.

Refund Rule: If no seat is allotted, the security deposit is refunded to the source bank account; if admission is taken, it is refunded after admission is confirmed and the course is joined, subject to the free-exit and forfeiture rules explained in Section 23.

Stray Vacancy Round: Candidates who did not get a seat earlier can participate in the Stray Vacancy Round but must register afresh with a new ₹2,000 fee and a fresh security deposit.

Manabadi advises candidates to pay the security deposit from their own or a parent’s bank account, since refunds are credited back only to the same account used for payment.

Document Verification Process & Important Rules

Document verification is a mandatory step before a candidate’s name appears on the DGME UP merit list.

Process:

1. At registration, the candidate selects one nodal centre from the official list (such as Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences Lucknow, S.N. Medical College Agra, L.L.R.M. Medical College Meerut, or Autonomous State Medical College Shahjahanpur).
2. Scanned copies of all mandatory documents are uploaded on the portal within the stipulated window.
3. Verification officers cross-check uploaded documents against NEET application data and category certificates.
4. Discrepancies (name mismatch, unclear scans, invalid/expired reservation certificates) are flagged; candidates are typically given a limited window to re-upload corrected documents.
5. Once verified, the candidate’s record is marked eligible and included in the state merit list.

Important rules:

• Documents not uploaded or found invalid at verification result in the candidate being pushed to the Unreserved category for that certificate type (Section 8).
• Blurred, incomplete, or inconsistent scans can lead to queries or, if unresolved within the deadline, exclusion from that round’s merit list.
• Name, date of birth, and parents’ names on the counselling portal are auto-populated from the NEET application and cannot be edited — any error must be resolved through NTA/NEET correction channels, not the DGME portal.

Manabadi recommends uploading high-resolution, correctly oriented scans (as per the prescribed file size/format) well before the deadline to avoid last-minute rejection.

UP State Merit List – Preparation & How to Check

The UP NEET UG State Merit List is prepared by DGME UP strictly on the basis of:

1. NEET UG 2026 score/rank (as the primary criterion)
2. Category claimed (General/EWS/OBC/SC/ST, plus horizontal categories)
3. Domicile status (for state-quota-eligible candidates)
4. Successful registration and document verification

Only candidates who have completed registration, paid fees/security deposit, and cleared document verification are included in the merit list. The date and time for release of the merit list has not yet been confirmed by DGME UP for 2026.

How to check the UP NEET UG Merit List once released:

1. Visit upneet.gov.in.
2. Click on the “Merit List” link for the relevant round (Round 1 / Round 2 / Round 3 / Stray Vacancy).
3. The merit list is typically published as a downloadable PDF, sorted by merit rank, along with a roll-number/application-number search facility.
4. Candidates should note their rank and cross-check their category classification for accuracy.

A separate merit list is prepared for MBBS and BDS courses, and typically a fresh/updated merit list is released before each subsequent round to account for newly verified or corrected candidate records.

Choice Filling – Complete Step-by-Step Process

Once the merit list is published, eligible candidates must fill and lock their college/course preferences within the notified window.

Step-by-step process:

1. Login to upneet.gov.in using registered credentials.
2. Navigate to the “Choice Filling” section.
3. Browse the published seat matrix for the round (college-wise, course-wise, category-wise seat availability).
4. Add colleges/courses to your choice list in the order of your actual preference – there is generally no penalty for listing more choices, so candidates are advised to list as many colleges as possible.
5. Rearrange the order using up/down controls so the most-preferred option sits at the top.
6. Save the choice list at each stage (the portal usually allows editing until the lock deadline).
7. Preview the entire choice list carefully for errors.
8. Lock the choices before the deadline – without locking, the candidate will not be considered for seat allotment in that round.
9. Download/print the locked choice list confirmation for personal record.

Critical rule: Once locked, choices for that round generally cannot be edited. Candidates must therefore be completely certain before locking, since the allotment algorithm processes locked choices against the merit rank automatically.

Choice Filling Strategy – How to Arrange College Preferences

A well-planned choice list can be the difference between landing a preferred government seat and being pushed to an expensive private college. Manabadi recommends the following strategy:

1. List every college/course you would genuinely accept – including “backup” government and mid-tier private options — even if you rank them low, since a wider list only improves your odds and carries no downside.
2. Order strictly by genuine preference, not just “reputation.” Factor in your own priorities: government fee subsidy vs. private infrastructure, location/distance from home, hostel availability, and specific NMC-recognition status of the college.
3. Use previous years’ closing ranks as a guide, not a guarantee – always leave margin, since cutoffs can shift with the difficulty level and number of registered candidates each year.
4. Don’t leave gaps by skipping “safe” colleges just because they seem less prestigious – a candidate who only lists top-tier colleges risks missing Round 1 allotment entirely and losing time in later, tighter rounds.
5. Cross-check bond and fee conditions for every government college choice before locking – a low-fee government seat with a heavy bond may not suit every candidate’s plans.
6. Sequence government before private if your rank realistically competes for government seats, since government fees are a fraction of private fees.
7. Keep NRI/management-quota private options as a genuine last resort, factoring in the much higher private tuition.

Because DGME UP re-opens the seat matrix and allows fresh/modified choice filling before Rounds 2 and 3, candidates who float can revise their preference list at each subsequent round based on updated vacancies.

Choice Locking, Modification & Choice-Filling Mistakes

Choice Locking: After choices are locked, they cannot be changed for that counselling round. Locking is a deliberate, separate action from merely saving choices – candidates must actively click “Lock” before the deadline for their preferences to be considered in the allotment run.

Modification Window: Before the lock deadline, candidates can add, remove, or reorder colleges as many times as needed. Once locked (or once the deadline passes without locking, if auto-lock applies), no further edits are possible for that round.

Common Choice-Filling Mistakes to Avoid (compiled from standard NEET counselling guidance applicable to state processes like UP’s):

• Selecting Freeze instead of Float (or vice versa) without understanding the difference.
• Uploading unclear or incorrect documents
• Filling very few college choices
• Arranging colleges in the wrong preference order
• Ignoring tuition fees, hostel fees, or bond conditions before locking a government college choice
• Missing the choice-locking deadline entirely
• Making security-deposit payment from another person’s bank account, which can delay refund processing
• Resigning after Round 2 or Round 3 without understanding the deposit forfeiture rulesUP NEET UG Counselling 2026: Registration, Dates, Eligibility, Choice Filling, Fees, Cutoff & Seat Allotment

Manabadi strongly advises candidates to complete their choice list at least a day before the deadline to avoid last-minute server load issues on the portal.

Seat Allotment Process – How Seats Are Assigned

DGME UP’s seat allotment is a fully automated, merit-based process. The core algorithm works as follows:

1. Candidates are processed strictly in order of state merit rank (highest rank first).
2. For each candidate, the system checks their locked choice list, top preference first.
3. If a seat is available in that choice (matching the candidate’s category/domicile eligibility), it is provisionally allotted.
4. If the top choice is unavailable (already filled by a higher-ranked candidate), the system moves to the candidate’s next choice, and so on down the list.
5. This process repeats for every candidate on the merit list until all available seats for that round are exhausted or all candidates have been processed.
6. The round result (allotment list) is then published, showing each allotted candidate’s college, course, and category against which the seat was allotted.

Because allotment is choice-order-driven, a candidate’s actual result depends heavily on how accurately and comprehensively their choice list was filled – a genuinely achievable college left out of the list simply cannot be allotted, regardless of merit rank.

The seat matrix used in each round’s allotment run reflects fresh vacancies, so Round 2 and Round 3 allotments draw from an updated (usually reduced) pool compared to Round 1.

Round 1 – Complete Process, Options & Reporting

Round 1 Process (2026, based on confirmed schedule so far):

1. Registration: August 7–12, 2026
2. Document verification at nodal centres
3. Merit list release (date awaited)
4. Choice filling and locking (date awaited)
5. Round 1 allotment result publication (date awaited)
6. Download of allotment letter and deposit of applicable college-level fees
7. Reporting to the allotted college within the notified reporting window

Reporting Requirements: Allotted candidates must report physically (or complete online reporting where DGME UP has enabled it) to the allotted college with:

• Original documents for physical verification
• Allotment letter
• Prescribed admission/tuition fee for the first year
• Any college-specific joining formalities (medical fitness certificate, bond agreement signature for government seats, etc.)

Options after Round 1 Allotment: Candidates allotted a seat in Round 1 must choose one of:

• Freeze: Accept the allotted seat and confirm it, not participating in further rounds.
• Float: Accept the current allotment but remain open to upgrading to a higher preference in the next round.
• Slide: Retain the current college but opt for an upgrade to a preferred course within that same college, if available.

Free Exit in Round 1: Candidates who do not wish to join their Round 1 allotted seat can generally exit without forfeiting their security deposit, provided the exit is completed within the notified Round 1 window (see Section 23 for detailed forfeiture rules).

Round 2 – Complete Process & Upgradation Rules

Round 2 follows the same broad structure as Round 1 – fresh/updated seat matrix, opportunity for new registrations (for candidates who missed Round 1), fresh or continued choice filling, and a new allotment run.

Key differences from Round 1:

• Candidates who chose Float in Round 1 are automatically considered for an upgrade in Round 2, based on their earlier locked choice list (or a revised one, if the portal allows modification).
• The upgrade mechanism only moves a candidate to a higher preference from their choice list — if no higher preference is available, the candidate retains their Round 1 seat; a candidate cannot be moved to a lower-preference seat through floating.
• Candidates newly appearing on the Round 2 merit list (fresh registrants) compete directly for whatever seats remain vacant after Round 1.
• Exit rules tighten substantially from Round 2 onward — if a candidate is allotted a seat in Round 2 and does not join, or resigns after joining, the security deposit is liable to be forfeited, unlike the free exit available in Round 1.

Reporting: Candidates upgraded in Round 2 must report to their new college; those retaining their Round 1 seat (because they floated but got no upgrade) can typically confirm/freeze at their reporting stage.

Manabadi advises candidates opting to float into Round 2 to keep their original college’s provisional admission documents safe, since they may need to formally relieve from the Round 1 college before reporting to an upgraded Round 2 college.

Round 3/Mop-Up & Stray Vacancy Rounds

Round 3 (Mop-Up Round): Conducted after Round 2 to fill seats still vacant due to non-reporting, resignations, or newly added seats. Fresh registration is typically required for candidates who did not participate in Rounds 1 and 2. Candidates who join a seat in Round 3 generally cannot resign or participate in later counselling rounds – this round effectively carries a “no-exit” condition once joined.

Stray Vacancy Round: The final round, conducted to fill any seats that remain vacant even after Round 3/Mop-Up. Candidates who did not secure a seat in earlier rounds may participate here, but must register afresh with a new ₹2,000 registration fee and a fresh security deposit. BDS candidates are eligible to be considered for MBBS seats in the Stray Vacancy Round too, provided they pay the applicable MBBS security deposit.

Key characteristics of these later rounds:

• Seat matrix is typically smaller and skewed toward private/management-quota and less-preferred locations.
• Cutoffs (in terms of rank) are generally more relaxed than Round 1/2, since higher-ranked candidates have usually already secured seats.
• The penalty for vacating a seat after the Stray Vacancy Round is severe – the security deposit is forfeited and 50% of the deposited tuition fee is also forfeited.

Once the Stray Vacancy Round concludes, DGME UP officially closes the state counselling process for that academic year, after which any residual vacant seats may be filled directly by individual college managements under DGME-notified guidelines.

Freeze, Float, Upgrade, Exit & Resignation Rules

Understanding these options correctly is critical, as choosing the wrong one can permanently cost a candidate either a better seat or their security deposit.

Freeze: Candidate is satisfied with the allotted seat and confirms it, exiting all further rounds of counselling.

Float: Candidate accepts the current allotment but remains open to a better allotment (higher preference) in the next round. If not upgraded, the candidate retains their earlier seat and can then choose to Freeze at the next reporting stage.

Slide: Candidate keeps the same college but seeks a course upgrade within that same institution (relevant mainly where a college offers both MBBS and BDS, or multiple related courses).

Exit/Withdrawal Rules (round-wise, based on standard state-counselling practice applicable to UP):

• Round 1: Generally free exit – if allotted a seat in Round 1 and the candidate chooses not to join, the security deposit is typically not forfeited, allowing exit without financial loss, provided it is done within the notified window.
• Round 2 onward: Heavier penalties apply – if a candidate gets a Round 2 seat and either does not attend or resigns within the resignation period, the security deposit is forfeited.
• Round 3/Stray Vacancy: If allotted a seat and the candidate does not report, the deposit is forfeited and the candidate is excluded from subsequent rounds; seats allotted in Round 3 generally cannot be surrendered/resigned at all once accepted.
• Post Stray Vacancy Round: Vacating a seat attracts forfeiture of the full security deposit plus 50% of the deposited tuition fee.

Refund Timeline: Refunds are generally processed only after the entire counselling process, including the stray vacancy round, is completed, and the refund is credited to the same account/payment method used originally, typically within about 30 days of the official closure notification.

Seat Allotment Result, Reporting & Admission Process

Checking the Allotment Result:

1. Visit upneet.gov.in.
2. Navigate to the round-specific “Seat Allotment Result” or “Allotment Letter” section.
3. Login with registered credentials to view/download the personalised allotment letter.

Reporting & Admission Steps:

1. Download and print the allotment letter.
2. Report to the allotted college within the DGME-notified reporting window (physically, unless online reporting is specifically enabled for that round).
3. Submit original documents for physical verification by the college’s admission committee.
4. Pay the prescribed first-year tuition/admission fee as per the college’s DGME-approved fee structure.
5. For government college seats, sign the mandatory service bond agreement.
6. Complete hostel allotment formalities, if opted.
7. Receive the admission confirmation slip/ID card from the college.
8. Communicate the chosen willingness option (Freeze/Float/Slide) to the college as applicable.

Candidates who fail to report within the notified window without a valid, DGME-approved reason risk automatic cancellation of their allotted seat and, depending on the round, forfeiture of their security deposit.

Fees, Bond, Hostel & Other College Charges

Government College Fees (illustrative, based on top institutions): At King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, the annual MBBS fee is approximately ₹54,600 for General category students, with SC/ST/OBC students paying around ₹45,600 per year; a refundable caution money of ₹10,000 is charged, fully returned at course completion. Across UP’s government colleges more broadly, fees have been cited in the range of ₹18,000 to ₹85,000 per year, and separately as ₹6,000 (AIIMS) to ₹45,000 per year at state medical colleges – reflecting variation by institution type.

Private College Fees (2025-26 official notification, used as 2026 reference until the new fee order is issued): The Uttar Pradesh government finalised annual tuition fees for MBBS in private non-minority colleges for 2025-26 ranging from ₹11,03,932 at Prasad Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, to ₹19,78,214 at Shri Ram Murti Smarak Institute of Medical Sciences, Bareilly, with several other colleges, including Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences and Rajshree Medical Research Institute, charging over ₹17 lakh annually. Broadly, private medical college MBBS fees in UP typically range between ₹13 lakh to ₹18 lakh per year for general (non-minority) seats.

Hostel Charges (2025-26 official notification): MBBS students in private colleges pay ₹1,73,250 per year for non-AC hostel accommodation and ₹2,02,125 per year for AC rooms. Government college hostel fees are considerably lower and vary by institution.

Bond Policy: Uttar Pradesh imposes a two-year compulsory rural service bond on MBBS/BDS graduates from government colleges. If the bond is not served, the penalty is ₹10 lakh for MBBS/BDS students (with separate, higher penalties for postgraduate courses – ₹40 lakh for MD/MS/DNB and ₹20 lakh for PG Diploma — which is not directly relevant at the UG stage but shows the same policy framework continuing into PG).

Other Charges: Hostel fees and one-time refundable security deposits (₹1–2 lakh) are additional to the annual tuition fee at private colleges; under no circumstances is the entire academic fee accepted as a lump-sum advance payment – the fee must be deposited annually, though colleges may charge less than the prescribed fee, never more.

Previous-Year Cut-Offs & College-Wise Closing Ranks

Since UP NEET UG 2026 counselling cutoffs are not yet available, the following 2025 reference cutoffs should be used only to gauge relative competitiveness – not as a guarantee for 2026.

General Trend (2025 State Quota): The average UP NEET cutoff rank for general category candidates in government medical colleges was around 6,000–8,000, with a rank near 7,000 typically sufficient for a government medical college seat.

Top Government Colleges (2025): For top government medical colleges like KGMU, Dr. RMLIMS Lucknow, and GSVM Kanpur, the General category cutoff usually remained between 550–580 marks; mid-tier government colleges generally closed around 535–550 marks, while newer Autonomous State Medical Colleges (ASMCs) closed between 519–535 marks, depending on the counselling round.

KGMU Specific (2025, All-India/AIQ reference): Admission at KGMU in MBBS programmes in 2025 closed at AIR 300,273 across all categories (Round 4, AIQ), compared to AIR 289,756 in 2024 – note this AIQ figure differs sharply from state-quota closing ranks and should not be confused with them.

Private Colleges (2025): For private MBBS colleges in UP, the expected cutoff was around 460+ marks for General, 440+ for OBC, and roughly 350+ for SC/ST categories in the 2025 cycle.

2026 Expected Range (based on early estimates, unconfirmed): Based on previous-year trends, the expected NEET 2026 cutoff for government MBBS colleges in UP is likely around Rank 15,000–32,000 for General category under State Quota, with top colleges like KGMU and RML possibly closing under Rank 5,000–8,000. These figures are projections only and must be treated with caution until DGME UP publishes actual round-wise results.

Manabadi note: All cutoff figures above are round-dependent (Round 1 cutoffs are always tighter than Round 4/mop-up cutoffs for the same college) and category-dependent. Always check the exact round and category before comparing your own rank.

How to Choose a College Based on Your NEET Rank

While exact 2026 cutoffs are unavailable, candidates can use the following rank-bracket approach (based on 2025 reference data) to build a realistic choice list:

Rank under ~5,000–8,000 (General, State Quota): Realistic shot at UP’s top-tier government colleges – KGMU Lucknow, RMLIMS Lucknow, IMS-BHU, GSVM Kanpur – subject to round and category.

Rank ~8,000–20,000: Strong chance at well-established government colleges (SN Medical College Agra, LLRM Meerut, MLN Prayagraj, BRD Gorakhpur) and newer AIIMS/ASMC seats, particularly in later rounds.

Rank ~20,000–35,000: Newer Autonomous State Medical Colleges and mid-tier government colleges become realistic, especially by Round 2/3 as vacancies open up.

Rank beyond ~35,000: Private medical colleges (state quota or management quota) become the primary realistic pathway, with fee levels as detailed in Section 25 factored into the decision.

General strategy tips:

• Reserved-category candidates should compare their category-specific cutoff, not the general-category figure, since gaps of tens of thousands of ranks are common between categories at the same college.
• Always check the specific round’s closing rank for a college – Round 1 and Round 4/mop-up cutoffs for the same college can differ by a large margin.
• Factor in bond obligations alongside rank feasibility – a “reachable” government seat with a heavy service bond may not always be the best fit for every candidate’s career plans.

NRI, OCI, Minority, PwD & Special Category Counselling

NRI/OCI Candidates: As noted in Section 10, Uttar Pradesh has no dedicated NRI quota. NRI, OCI, and foreign national candidates seeking admission in UP typically apply through the Management Quota route in private colleges, subject to submitting equivalence certificates for their qualifying examination and NEET UG eligibility as per NMC norms.

Minority Candidates: Candidates seeking minority-quota seats in private minority medical/dental colleges must submit a valid minority certificate (see Section 8) confirming their religious/linguistic minority status, issued by the competent authority of their home state.

PwD (Persons with Disability) Candidates: A 5% horizontal reservation is available for PwD candidates across all vertical categories. PwD candidates must undergo the mandated disability assessment/certification process (typically at designated medical boards) as per NMC/state guidelines, and must ensure their certificate meets the current validity and format requirements before document verification.

Ex-Servicemen & Freedom Fighter Dependents: 2% horizontal reservation each is available for Ex-Servicemen dependents and Freedom Fighter dependents, requiring appropriate service/dependent certificates from competent authorities.

NCC Cadets: 1% horizontal reservation is available for NCC cadets, subject to submission of the requisite NCC certificate.

Women Candidates: A notable 20% horizontal reservation applies for women candidates across categories in the UP state quota — one of the more generous women’s reservation provisions among Indian states’ medical counselling systems.

All special category candidates should verify the exact certificate format, issuing authority, and validity window specified in the 2026 information bulletin, since these details are updated annually.

Common Mistakes, Refund/Withdrawal Rules & Important Deadlines

Most Common Mistakes Candidates Make:

1. Relying on unofficial WhatsApp/Telegram forwards for dates instead of upneet.gov.in.
2. Missing the registration or security-deposit deadline due to last-minute payment gateway issues.
3. Uploading blurred or mismatched documents, leading to rejection at verification.
4. Filling too few choices, or arranging them poorly, thereby wasting a good merit rank.
5. Confusing Freeze/Float/Slide options and losing an upgrade opportunity or, worse, losing the current seat.
6. Not understanding round-wise exit/forfeiture rules before resigning a seat (Section 23).
7. Paying the security deposit from someone else’s bank account, delaying eventual refund.
8. Ignoring the bond obligation attached to government college seats before locking that choice.
9. Assuming private-college seats require UP domicile (they do not — Section 7).
10. Not registering separately for MCC’s 15% AIQ counselling while also pursuing UP state counselling.

Refund/Withdrawal Summary:

• Round 1: Generally free exit, deposit safe.
• Round 2 onward: Deposit forfeited on non-joining/resignation.
• Round 3/Mop-Up: No exit permitted after joining; forfeiture on non-reporting.
• Stray Vacancy Round: Strictest – forfeiture of full security deposit plus 50% of deposited tuition fee if the seat is vacated after this round.
• All eligible refunds are processed only after the entire counselling cycle (including Stray Vacancy Round) concludes, credited to the original payment source.

Deadlines to Track for 2026 (confirmed so far):

• Registration: August 7–12, 2026 (till 2:00 PM)
• Fee/Security Deposit: August 7–12, 2026 (till 5:00 PM)

Complete Counselling Checklist

Pre-Counselling Checklist:

• NEET UG 2026 Admit Card & Score Card downloaded and saved
• Class 10 & 12 marksheets/certificates ready (scanned + original)
• Domicile certificate ready (if claiming UP state quota)
• Category/reservation certificate issued within the valid date window
• Identity proof (Aadhaar/PAN/Passport/DL) ready
• Passport-size photographs in prescribed format
• Bank account details ready for security deposit payment (preferably own/parent’s account)
• Nodal centre choice decided
• Registered separately with MCC for AIQ 15% seats, if eligible/interested
• Realistic college choice list drafted in advance, based on rank-bracket strategy (Section 27)

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. What is the official website for UP NEET UG Counselling 2026?
The official website is upneet.gov.in, managed by DGME UP (also accessible via dgme.up.gov.in).

Q2. When did UP NEET UG 2026 Round 1 registration start?
Registration started on August 7, 2026, from 12:00 PM, with the last date being August 12, 2026, till 2:00 PM.

Q3. Is UP domicile compulsory for all seats?
No – only for the 85% state quota seats in government colleges. Private and minority college seats, plus 15% AIQ government seats, do not require UP domicile.

Q4. What is the registration/security fee?
Non-refundable registration fee of ₹2,000, plus a refundable security deposit of ₹30,000 (Government), ₹2,00,000 (Private Medical), or ₹1,00,000 (Private Dental) depending on the seat category selected.

Q5. What is the bond policy for MBBS in UP government colleges?
A two-year compulsory rural service bond applies, with a ₹10 lakh penalty for non-compliance.

Q6. Is there an NRI quota in UP?
No – Uttar Pradesh does not have a separate NRI quota; NRI candidates typically apply through the Management Quota in private colleges.

Q7. How many rounds does UP NEET UG counselling have?
Typically four stages: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 (Mop-Up), and the Stray Vacancy Round.

Q8. Where can I check the seat matrix and merit list?
Both are published exclusively on upneet.gov.in ahead of each round.

Final Guide Note from Manabadi

UP NEET UG Medical Counselling 2026 is currently in its early registration phase, with several key dates – merit list, choice filling, and Round 1 allotment result – still awaited from DGME UP.

Manabadi will continue tracking official notifications on upneet.gov.in and update this guide as the schedule, seat matrix, and cutoffs are officially released. Candidates are strongly advised to bookmark this page, check it daily during the counselling window, and treat every date, fee figure, and seat number in this guide as subject to official confirmation until the DGME UP information bulletin for 2026-27 is fully published.