NEET UG 2026: 824 MBBS Seats Stay Vacant After Final Counselling, Fees Blamed
By TUF News Desk · Published 22 October 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
More than 800 MBBS seats have gone unfilled in the final round of NEET UG 2026 counselling, and the reason is tuition fees. The Medical Counselling Committee opened its last stray round this month with 3,426 vacant MBBS seats, including 1,171 all-India quota seats. When allotment closed, 837 seats across the country were still unallotted. All but 13 of them sit in 14 deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
One unfilled seat is at AIIMS Madurai. Twelve are at the Chettinad Institute in Kolar, Karnataka. The remaining 824 belong to the deemed universities in the two southern states.
Where the empty seats are
Four colleges with 250 MBBS seats each account for most of the gap. Shri Sathya Sai Medical College and Research Institute in Chennai has 188 vacant seats, which is 75% of its intake. Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute in Kancheepuram has 117 (47%). Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry has 92 (37%). Sree Balaji Medical College in Chromepet has 82 (33%). SRM Medical College and Research Institute, Saveetha Medical College and Chettinad Medical College and Research Institute also have unfilled seats.
Fees priced out the candidates
The deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry charge Rs 23 to 35 lakh a year in tuition. The national average for deemed universities is about Rs 22.68 lakh. In Maharashtra, where the average is higher at Rs 24.58 lakh, every seat was filled. In Karnataka, the average is Rs 20.85 lakh. Consultants say the gap over a 4.5-year course comes to roughly Rs 21 lakh.
The striking part is that more than 11 lakh candidates cleared the NEET-2026 qualifying cut-off. The seats stayed empty anyway, because the fees were out of reach. The admission process is now over, so these seats will remain vacant unless the government permits a mop-up round.
Critics blame the lack of a fee cap
Educationists say there is no fee cap on deemed universities, and that has pushed high-scoring candidates out of the race. P B Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System in Tamil Nadu, told PTI that candidates who score well but cannot pay simply skip the counselling. “The lesser scorer who is financially sound applies and secures the seat,” he said, adding: “NEET failed in both of its objectives, neither ensure merit nor curb commercialisation of medical education.” He argued that private medical institutions which cannot cut fees and leave seats empty should be closed, and that state governments should open more medical colleges.
What next year’s aspirants should take from this
A strong NEET rank does not help if the college on your preference list costs more than you can pay. Students mapping their options for 2027 should look at fee structures as closely as cut-offs before locking choices. Our guide on choosing a university in India walks through that comparison, and the scholarships guide lists funding routes that can ease the load. All deemed-university counselling is handled by the Medical Counselling Committee through its official counselling portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many MBBS seats went vacant after NEET UG 2026 counselling?
837 seats went unallotted nationwide after the final stray round. 824 of them are in 14 deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, one is at AIIMS Madurai and 12 are at the Chettinad Institute in Kolar, Karnataka.
Why did so many MBBS seats stay vacant?
Annual tuition of Rs 23 to 35 lakh in these deemed universities priced candidates out. More than 11 lakh candidates cleared the qualifying cut-off, but the fees kept these seats beyond reach.
Can the vacant seats still be filled?
The admission process is over, so the seats will stay vacant unless the government allows a mop-up round.
Frequently asked questions
How many MBBS seats went vacant after NEET UG 2026 counselling?
837 seats went unallotted nationwide after the final stray round. 824 of them are in 14 deemed universities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Why did so many MBBS seats stay vacant?
Annual tuition of Rs 23-35 lakh priced candidates out. More than 11 lakh candidates cleared the NEET-2026 qualifying cut-off, but the fees kept these seats beyond reach.
Can the vacant seats still be filled?
The admission process is over, so the seats will stay vacant unless the government allows a mop-up round.
Sources: The Indian Express, The Times of India, ET Education