NEET PG 2026 Counselling: NBEMS Revises Course Fee Rules; Know What's Changed

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has revised the first-year course fee payment rules for candidates allotted postgraduate medical seats through NEET PG 2026 counselling. Under the revised procedure, candidates opting for seat upgradation in subsequent counselling rounds will not be required to pay the first-year course fee while awaiting their upgraded allotment.

The change comes as Round 1 reporting and joining began on October 26, 2026. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has also published the Round 1 final allotment result for the current admission session.

According to the revised rules, candidates who choose to retain their allotted seats must pay the first-year course fee directly to the NBEMS-accredited hospital where they secure admission. They are no longer required to deposit the fee into NBEMS accounts during counselling.

The revised advisory distinguishes between candidates who wish to retain their allotted seats and those seeking upgradation in subsequent counselling rounds.

Candidates selecting the ‘freeze’ option to retain their allotted seats must pay the first-year course fee directly to their allotted NBEMS-accredited hospital. They must also complete the reporting and joining formalities within the prescribed deadline.

Candidates choosing the ‘float’ option to remain eligible for seat upgradation will not have to pay the first-year course fee while awaiting the outcome of subsequent rounds. If their seats are upgraded, they must pay the applicable fee directly to the institute they finally choose to join.

The revised procedure allows candidates seeking an upgrade to defer the first-year course fee payment until their final seat is decided. However, they must continue to comply with the applicable counselling rules and deadlines.

Candidates allotted seats in Round 1 must complete their reporting and joining formalities between October 26 and November 2, 2026, according to the published MCC counselling schedule.

Candidates who intend to retain their allotted seats must report to their respective institutions within this period. Those seeking upgradation should carefully follow the counselling instructions and ensure they fulfil all prescribed requirements.

NBEMS has clarified that the revised fee payment procedure does not extend the reporting or joining deadline. Candidates should therefore adhere to the MCC schedule and check the official counselling website for any changes.

NEET PG Counselling Schedule 2026: Important Dates

The published MCC schedule lists the following dates for the upcoming counselling rounds:

Round 1 reporting and joining: October 26–November 2, 2026

Round 2 result: November 14, 2026

Round 2 reporting and joining: November 16–23, 2026

Round 3 result: December 4, 2026

Round 3 reporting and joining: December 5–12, 2026

Online stray vacancy round result: December 24, 2026

Stray vacancy round reporting: December 24–31, 2026

The commencement of training will depend on the seat a candidate ultimately joins. If a candidate receives an upgraded seat in a subsequent counselling round, the training period will be counted from the date of reporting and joining at the upgraded institution.

If a candidate does not receive an upgrade, they must join the seat already allotted to them within the prescribed reporting window. In that case, the training period will be counted from the date of joining that seat.

Candidates should carefully consider their counselling options and ensure that their decisions comply with the applicable MCC rules.

NBEMS has also clarified that its Online Portal for Joining and Registration (OPJR) will remain inactive until all rounds of NEET PG 2026 counselling conducted by MCC have been completed.

The portal will subsequently be activated to allow candidates and hospitals to submit joining details and the required documents to NBEMS. The board will issue a separate notice explaining the submission procedure.

Candidates should note the distinction between reporting to their allotted institutions within the prescribed counselling window and submitting joining-related documents through the OPJR portal at a later stage.

The revised fee rules provide relief to candidates awaiting possible seat upgrades by removing the requirement to pay the first-year course fee in advance. However, all candidates must continue to follow the prescribed counselling schedule, reporting deadlines and admission procedures.

Candidates are advised to regularly check the official NBEMS and MCC websites for further instructions regarding NEET PG 2026 counselling and admission formalities.