NEET UG 2026 Counselling: More than 20 lakh candidates appear for the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG every year. The priority of all candidates is to get admission in MBBS, but every year only 12 to 14 lakh candidates succeed in NEET UG, compared to the number of seats only 1.40 candidates get admission in MBBS. Overall, to get admission in MBBS, candidates have to go through many tough exams. This is one aspect of the story. Another aspect is that even after the special stray round counseling conducted after the 4th round of counselling, 411 MBBS seats remain vacant this year. A ‘Special Stray Vacancy Round’ was organized to fill the vacant MBBS seats after the previous round of counselling. The final results and related notifications are available on the official website of MCC, mcc.nic.in.
Let’s know the whole matter in detail. Let’s know the reason behind MBBS seats remaining vacant even after ‘Special Stray Vacancy Round’. Let’s know how many seats are allotted for admission in ‘Special Stray Vacancy Round’.
How many seats were admitted in the ‘Special Stray Vacancy Round’?
According to the allotment data released by MCC, 537 seats of MBBS, 208 seats of BDS and 66 seats of BSc Nursing were allotted in the Special Stray Vacancy round. Even after this, 411 MBBS seats across the country remain vacant. For example, out of a total of 948 available MBBS seats, 537 MBBS seats have been allotted in this round.
In fact, the initial seat matrix from MCC showed 946 vacant MBBS seats. Later, in a notice issued on 2nd November, MCC added 2 more MBBS seats, after which MBBS seats increased to 948. To fill these seats, special stray vacancy round counseling was conducted, in which 537 MBBS seats have been allotted and 411 MBBS seats have not been allotted.
Seats remained vacant due to exorbitant fees
According to the information, the reason for MBBS seats remaining vacant is the expensive fees. All the MBBS seats that are lying vacant are self finance quota seats. MBBS seats are vacant under Self Finance Quota in Medical Colleges of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Admission fee for Self Finance Quota MBBS seats is same as NRI Quota MBBS fee. For example, candidates taking admission in these MBBS seats will pay an annual tuition fee of Rs. 23 lakh to Rs. 35 lakhs will have to be spent. So to complete MBBS studies, the cost is Rs. 1.25 crores. For this reason, a large number of candidates go abroad to pursue MBBS after qualifying NEET UG.
