NEET UG 2025 Counselling begins: MCC releases tentative seat matrix, first round registration open 

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has officially released the tentative seat matrix for NEET UG 2025, marking the start of the highly anticipated first round of counselling for undergraduate medical and dental admissions. 

According to the official notice issued on July 19, 2025, all participating institutions and state counselling bodies must adhere strictly to the seat matrix provided by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which was shared via email on July 17. 

This year’s matrix lists 775 medical colleges, offering thousands of seats across MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) and BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) programmes. The MCC has activated its registration and choice-filling portal for Round 1, with aspirants able to submit their preferences on the official website mcc.nic.in until July 28, 2025. 

NEET UG 2025 Counselling Schedule: Key Dates 

The NEET UG 2025 counselling will be conducted in four phases, as per the MCC’s schedule: 

• First Round: July 21 to August 8 

• Second Round: August 12 to September 1 

• Third Round: September 3 to September 21 

• Stray Vacancy Round: September 22 to September 27 

Important Dates for Round 1 Counselling 

• Registration & Payment: July 21-28, 2025 

• Choice Filling/Locking: July 22-28, 2025 

• Seat Allotment Process: July 29-30, 2025 

• Result Declaration: July 31, 2025 

• Reporting/Joining: August 1-6, 2025 

• Verification of Joined Candidates by Institutes: August 7-8, 2025 

This year’s NEET UG recorded over 22.7 lakh candidates vying for a medical seat, making it one of India’s most competitive entrance exams. The exam was conducted on May 4, 2025, across 557 cities in India and 14 international locations, serving as the gateway to undergraduate medical admissions nationwide. 

For more information and updates, candidates are advised to visit mcc.nic.in regularly.