Nearly 2,000 MBBS seats lie vacant after NEET UG 2026 counselling, states seek mop-up round
By TUF News Desk · Published 1 November 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Close to 2,000 MBBS seats are still lying vacant across India even after multiple rounds of NEET UG 2026 counselling. State governments and medical colleges have now asked the National Medical Commission to permit one more mop-up round so those seats can be filled this academic year.
The latest vacancy lists from the Medical Counselling Committee show more than 800 seats unfilled after the final round of central counselling. State counselling figures push the total much higher. Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal and Rajasthan each reported more than 100 vacant seats this week, after their own rounds had ended.
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry account for the largest share
The sharpest concentration is in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, where 824 seats across 14 deemed universities went unallotted in the final round of central counselling. That is almost the whole central shortfall: the MCC’s final round left 837 seats unfilled in total across the country.
Tamil Nadu also has a smaller, separate problem. Sixteen seats in private institutions stayed empty because candidates who were allotted them did not join. The state’s selection committee has said the counselling process is over and those seats cannot be given to other students without a fresh round.
Fees are at the centre of the vacancies
Most of the empty seats are in private medical colleges and deemed universities, and the reports point to the same reason: price. Annual tuition at the deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry ranges from Rs 23 lakh to Rs 35 lakh. In Karnataka, private colleges have started offering discounts, with some quoting around Rs 80 lakh for the full four-and-a-half-year course including hostel fees.
Karnataka’s case shows how far the problem has spread. The state finished seven rounds of counselling, a record, and still has 191 MBBS seats vacant. It is the first such shortfall in five years. Its Directorate of Medical Education has asked the NMC to lower the qualifying marks so more candidates become eligible.
That request is not Karnataka’s alone. Deemed universities dealing with roughly 1,000 vacant seats have been lobbying for a cut in this year’s MBBS eligibility cut-offs. For NEET UG 2026, the qualifying marks were 213 out of 720 for general and EWS candidates and 177 for OBC, SC and ST candidates.
At one university, the closing rank reportedly moved from 7.3 lakh to 10.68 lakh as it worked down the merit list to fill seats.
What happens next
Nothing is decided yet. The NMC has to approve any additional round, and it has also been asked to consider lowering the cut-offs. Until it responds, the seats stay empty and the candidates who missed out in earlier rounds stay in limbo.
For aspirants, the practical step is to watch the official MCC counselling portal and the National Medical Commission website rather than trusting social media posts about a new round. If a mop-up round is announced, it will appear there first, with its own registration window and schedule. Our admission documents checklist covers the paperwork candidates usually scramble for at the last minute, and our guide to choosing a university in India sets out how to weigh fees against the other costs of a medical seat.
Two thousand seats is roughly the intake of 20 medical colleges with 100 seats each.
Frequently asked questions
Why are so many MBBS seats vacant after NEET UG 2026?
Most of the empty seats are in private colleges and deemed universities, where annual tuition runs to Rs 23 lakh to Rs 35 lakh in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Many allotted candidates did not join, and several states still reported over 100 vacancies each after multiple rounds.
Will there be another mop-up round for NEET UG 2026?
Not yet. State governments and medical colleges have asked the National Medical Commission to permit an additional mop-up round, but the NMC has not announced a decision. Any new round would be notified on the official MCC portal.
What were the NEET UG 2026 qualifying marks?
The qualifying cut-off was 213 out of 720 marks for general and EWS candidates and 177 marks for OBC, SC and ST candidates.
Frequently asked questions
Why are so many MBBS seats vacant after NEET UG 2026?
Most of the empty seats are in private colleges and deemed universities, where annual tuition runs to Rs 23 lakh to Rs 35 lakh in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Many allotted candidates did not join, and several states still reported over 100 vacancies each after multiple rounds.
Will there be another mop-up round for NEET UG 2026?
Not yet. State governments and medical colleges have asked the National Medical Commission to permit an additional mop-up round, but the NMC has not announced a decision. Any new round would be notified on the official MCC portal.
What were the NEET UG 2026 qualifying marks?
The qualifying cut-off was 213 out of 720 marks for general and EWS candidates and 177 marks for OBC, SC and ST candidates.
Sources: The Times of India, News18, The Economic Times