NEET UG Counselling 2026: Round 1 Choice Filling Begins Today

NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 choice filling has officially commenced as of August 8, 2026, at 12:00 PM following a minor deferral to incorporate newly revised Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) evaluation standards. 

The National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) clarified that while the initial choice-filling date was shifted from August 6 to August 8, the overall counselling structure and subsequent deadlines remain locked.

Core Changes in the Revised PwBD Guidelines

The newly issued NMC addendum shifts the medical admission landscape into a more inclusive, competency-based framework.

• Functional Capability Evaluation: Assessment boards will now test a candidate's practical physical capacity to carry out medical training tasks, moving away from a system based strictly on raw disability percentages.

• Validity of Temporary UDID Cards: Candidates holding progressive or non-progressive conditions cannot be turned away from admissions simply because they hold a temporary Unique Disability Identity (UDID) card.

• Supreme Court-Mandated Appeals: A newly set-up Appellate Disability Assessment Board will review appeals for candidates marked ineligible during primary checks. Five apex institutions—including Safdarjung Hospital (New Delhi) and IPGMER (Kolkata)—will handle these cases.

• System-Generated Quota Status: Candidates must complete a physical evaluation at a designated centre to generate an official Eligibility Certificate; only then will the PwBD portal options unlock.

Official Round 1 Schedule Breakdown

Candidates tracking the All India Quota (AIQ) process must align their actions with the finalized timelines verified on the MCC UG Counselling Portal: