NEET UG 2026: Nearly 2,000 MBBS seats lie vacant as states seek another mop-up round
By TUF News Desk · Published 30 October 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Close to 2,000 MBBS seats are still empty across India after NEET UG 2026 counselling ran through multiple rounds. State governments and medical colleges are now asking the National Medical Commission to allow one more mop-up round so the seats can be filled in this academic year.
The vacancy lists released by the Medical Counselling Committee showed more than 800 MBBS seats unfilled after the final round of central counselling. State authorities have since reported further shortfalls, taking the national total to nearly 2,000.
Where the empty seats are
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry hold the largest share, with 824 MBBS seats across 14 deemed universities going unallotted in the final round of central counselling.
Karnataka reported 191 vacant MBBS seats after seven rounds of counselling, its first such shortfall in five years, while all its BDS seats were filled. Telangana, West Bengal and Rajasthan have each reported more than 100 vacant seats after their rounds ended.
In Tamil Nadu, 16 MBBS seats in private institutions stayed empty for a different reason: candidates who were allotted those seats did not join.
Why seats stayed empty
Fees sit at the centre of the problem. Annual tuition at deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry ranges from Rs 23 lakh to Rs 35 lakh, government-quota seats in private colleges can cost nearly Rs 10 lakh a year, and management-quota fees can reach Rs 20 lakh, before hostel and mess charges.
Reports say the cost has kept several NEET-qualified candidates from accepting seats that were open to them. Some private colleges in Karnataka have responded with fee concessions, one quoting about Rs 80 lakh for the full four and a half year course including hostel fees.
The vacancies come despite expansion: the National Medical Commission cleared 13,636 new undergraduate medical seats this year, over an existing base of about 1.27 lakh seats.
What states are asking for
Two requests are now before the National Medical Commission. State selection committees want permission for an additional mop-up round of admissions. Separately, deemed universities are seeking a reduction in this year’s MBBS eligibility cut-offs to deal with around 1,000 vacancies on their own campuses.
Karnataka’s Directorate of Medical Education has already approached the Commission seeking lower qualifying marks for its 191 vacant seats. For NEET UG 2026, the qualifying cut-off was 213 out of 720 marks for general and EWS candidates and 177 marks for candidates from OBC, SC and ST categories.
No decision has been announced on either request, and until the Commission responds, no college can admit students to these seats through its own process.
What aspirants should watch
Candidates still hoping for a seat should watch the official MCC counselling portal and their state counselling authority, where any extra round would be announced first. Our guide to central, state and private universities explains how the central and state tracks divide seats, and our admission documents checklist lists the papers reporting desks usually ask for. Anyone contacted by an agent promising a seat outside the official rounds should treat the offer as suspect.
Frequently asked questions
How many MBBS seats are vacant after NEET UG 2026 counselling?
Nearly 2,000 MBBS seats remain vacant across India after multiple rounds of counselling, including more than 800 seats left unfilled after the final round of central counselling by the Medical Counselling Committee.
Which states have the most vacant MBBS seats?
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry account for 824 vacant seats across 14 deemed universities, while Karnataka has 191 vacant seats. Telangana, West Bengal and Rajasthan have each reported more than 100 vacant seats.
Will there be another mop-up round for NEET UG 2026?
No decision has been announced yet. State governments and medical colleges have asked the National Medical Commission to permit an additional mop-up round, and the NMC’s decision will settle whether the remaining seats can still be filled this year.
Why did so many MBBS seats stay empty this year?
High fees are the main reason cited. Annual tuition at deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry runs from Rs 23 lakh to Rs 35 lakh, which has kept several NEET-qualified candidates from taking seats they could have claimed.
Frequently asked questions
How many MBBS seats are vacant after NEET UG 2026 counselling?
Nearly 2,000 MBBS seats remain vacant across India after multiple rounds of counselling, including more than 800 seats left unfilled after the final round of central counselling by the Medical Counselling Committee.
Which states have the most vacant MBBS seats?
Tamil Nadu and Puducherry account for 824 vacant seats across 14 deemed universities, while Karnataka has 191 vacant seats. Telangana, West Bengal and Rajasthan have each reported more than 100 vacant seats.
Will there be another mop-up round for NEET UG 2026?
No decision has been announced yet. State governments and medical colleges have asked the National Medical Commission to permit an additional mop-up round, and the NMC's decision will settle whether the remaining seats can still be filled this year.
Why did so many MBBS seats stay empty this year?
High fees are the main reason cited. Annual tuition at deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry runs from Rs 23 lakh to Rs 35 lakh, which has kept several NEET-qualified candidates from taking seats they could have claimed.
Sources: The Times of India, News18