Campus Times | Lucknow 

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has rolled out a series of significant reforms to the NEET UG 2026 counselling process, introducing a more streamlined and technology driven admission system for undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses.

The updated guidelines, shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with state counselling authorities ahead of the admission cycle, are designed to simplify counselling procedures, reduce unnecessary travel for candidates and ensure greater transparency throughout the process.

One of the key changes allows candidates opting for seat upgrades to remain in the counselling process without physically reporting to the allotted medical college. Students who select the Willing to Upgrade option after receiving a seat allotment can now retain their allotted seat in the system while participating in subsequent counselling rounds, in accordance with existing MCC regulations.

The committee has also shifted the seat resignation process entirely online. Candidates eligible to surrender their allotted seats will be able to submit resignation requests through the official MCC counselling portal within the prescribed timelines, eliminating the need to visit institutions in person. The online facility will remain subject to the rules applicable to each counselling round.

In another candidate friendly measure, applicants seeking admission under the NRI quota in deemed universities can now upload all required supporting documents digitally through the counselling portal. The move is expected to make document verification faster and more accessible for students applying from different locations.

The committee has directed counselling authorities to provide students with comprehensive information on seat availability and fee structures before they fill their choices. The emphasis on transparent disclosure is intended to help candidates make well informed decisions during the counselling process.

MCC is responsible for conducting counselling for 15 percent All India Quota (AIQ) seats, along with admissions to all seats in deemed universities and central universities under NEET UG. Since most medical seats are administered by states and Union Territories, state authorities have been urged to ensure timely publication of accurate seat matrices and fee details to support a more transparent and efficient admission process.