Maharashtra NEET Counselling 2026
● STRAY VACANCY ROUNDS LIVE CONDUCTED BY MAH CET CELLLast updated — Oct 2026 · checked against the official State CET Cell, Maharashtra notification
Maharashtra's MBBS and BDS seats are filled through the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) run by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Mumbai, on medical2026.mahacet.org. CAP Rounds 1, 2 and 3 are complete and the Online Stray Vacancy Rounds are running — with no new registration. Notice No. 27 dated 16 Oct 2026 gives the revised stray-round schedule below; a further Notice No. 28 then extended Stray Round 1 joining to 22 Oct 2026.
Maharashtra NEET 2026 — Key Dates (Stray Vacancy Rounds)
Revised schedule from CET Cell Notice No. 27 dated 16/10/2026. Notice No. 28 extended Round 1 joining by a day — always confirm the live schedule on the portal.
| Stray Round 1 seat matrix | 16 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Stray Round 1 fresh choice filling | 17 – 18 Oct 2026 (till 11:59 PM) |
| Stray Round 1 selection list | 19 Oct 2026 |
| Stray Round 1 physical joining | 20 – 21 Oct 2026 (till 5:30 PM) — extended to 22 Oct by Notice No. 28 |
| Last date to resign without penalty | 21 Oct 2026 (till 5:30 PM) |
| Stray Round 2 seat matrix + choice filling | 21 – 22 Oct 2026 (till 11:00 AM) |
| Stray Round 2 selection list | 22 Oct 2026 |
| Stray Round 2 physical joining | 23 – 24 Oct 2026 (till 5:30 PM) |
| Stray Round 3 seat matrix + choice filling | 24 – 25 Oct 2026 (till 11:00 AM) |
| Stray Round 3 selection list | 25 Oct 2026 |
| Stray Round 3 physical joining | 26 Oct 2026 |
| Last date of joining (as per MCC) | 26 Oct 2026 |
Notice No. 27 replaced the Notice No. 23 schedule (cancelled by Notice No. 26). Notice No. 28 is reported to have shifted Rounds 2–3 by a day after extending Round 1 joining to 22 Oct — check medical2026.mahacet.org for the newest notice before travelling for joining.
Maharashtra NEET Counselling Eligibility
In plain words — who can take part in the stray vacancy rounds (Notice No. 27).
Only candidates who qualified NEET UG 2026, registered earlier for CAP and filled the online preference form — but were not allotted a seat till CAP Round 3 — can take part. You must also be eligible under Clause 4 of the Information Brochure. No new registration is being done for the stray rounds.
Not eligible: candidates who joined and hold a seat up to Round 3 (including fresh Round 3 allottees), candidates holding a seat up to AIQ Round 3, candidates allotted in Stray Round 1 (for later stray rounds), and candidates allotted in the AIQ stray round. Joining a stray-round seat is compulsory — fill only choices you will actually join.
- NEET UG 2026 qualified + registered earlier in CAP
- Not allotted any seat till CAP Round 3
- Eligibility as per Clause 4 of the Information Brochure
- Stray-round allotment = compulsory joining
Maharashtra NEET Counselling Exam Pattern
How each CAP round works. Preferences do not carry forward — fresh choice filling is compulsory in every round (choices of the previous round become null and void).
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Registration (one time) | Register on the NEET UG 2026 portal and upload your claim certificates — uploading at registration is mandatory |
| Document verification | Uploaded documents are verified online |
| Merit list | Provisional and final merit lists are published |
| Choice filling | Fill fresh preferences for the round — old choices are cancelled |
| Selection list | Round allotment (selection list) is published |
| Physical joining | Report to the allotted college with all original documents and fees (DD / NEFT / RTGS) |
Maharashtra NEET Counselling Syllabus — What to Study
No separate exam or syllabus — admission is on NEET UG 2026 merit through CAP. These are the seats covered.
Group A — MBBS / BDS
- Government, corporation, aided, private unaided and minority medical & dental colleges of Maharashtra
- State quota seats plus institutional quota in private colleges
Not in this CAP
- 15% All India Quota seats are filled by MCC
- Deemed universities are filled by MCC, not the CET Cell
Joining Rules — Read Before You Fill Choices
From CET Cell Notices No. 02 and 27 — the details candidates most often get wrong.
The registration fee printed in the Information Brochure summary is ₹1,000 for state quota, ₹5,000 for institutional quota and ₹6,000 for both (non-refundable).
How to Apply for Maharashtra NEET Counselling
For candidates already registered in CAP — the stray-round flow.
- 1Open medical2026.mahacet.org and log in to the NEET UG 2026 portal
- 2See the round seat matrix when it is published
- 3Fill fresh choices for the round — previous-round choices are null and void
- 4Check the selection list on the declaration date
- 5If allotted, report physically to the college with all original documents and fees by DD or NEFT/RTGS before the deadline
- 6Remember: joining a stray-round seat is compulsory
Documents Required — With Sizes
Exact list from CET Cell Notice No. 02 dated 04/08/2026. Originals are checked at physical joining.
- NEET UG 2026 Admit Card
- NEET UG 2026 Score Card
- SSC (or equivalent) passing certificate
- HSC (or equivalent) mark sheet
- Nationality certificate
- Domicile Certificate
- Medical fitness certificate — in the brochure annexure format
- Leaving / Transfer certificate
- Caste Certificate — SC/ST/VJ-DT-NT(A)/NT(B)/NT(C)/NT(D)/SEBC/OBC/SBC
- Caste Validity Certificate
- Non-Creamy Layer Certificate — VJ/NT/SEBC/OBC/SBC
- EWS Certificate — Maharashtra State format only
- Orphan Certificate (Women & Child Welfare Dept) — if applicable
- PwD / Benchmark Disability certificate — from an MCC-authorised medical board
- Defence / Hilly Area / MKB certificates — if claimed
- Minority status documents — if claimed
- Aadhaar Card / PAN Card / Passport
Maharashtra NEET Counselling — Frequently Asked Questions
Can I register fresh for Maharashtra NEET stray vacancy rounds?
No. Notice No. 27 is explicit: no new registration will be done for the online Stray Vacancy Rounds. Only candidates who registered earlier, filled the preference form and were not allotted a seat till CAP Round 3 can take part.
What is the last date of joining for Maharashtra NEET 2026?
26 Oct 2026 — the last date of joining as per MCC, when Stray Round 3 joining also happens. Stray Round 3's selection list is on 25 Oct 2026 under the Notice No. 27 schedule.
Who conducts Maharashtra NEET counselling?
The State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra, Mumbai runs the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for MBBS/BDS (Group A) on medical2026.mahacet.org and cetcell.mahacet.org. Admission is on NEET UG 2026 merit — there is no separate state exam.
Is joining compulsory if I get a seat in the stray round?
Yes. The CET Cell states that joining the allotted stray-round seat is mandatory, so fill only those choices you are ready to join. The last date to resign without penalty in Stray Round 1 was 21 Oct 2026 (5:30 PM) under Notice No. 27, later extended to 22 Oct by Notice No. 28.
Which EWS certificate is accepted in Maharashtra NEET counselling?
Only the Maharashtra State format. Notice No. 02 states clearly that the Central format EWS certificate is not accepted. Keep the state-format certificate ready before document verification.
What documents are required for Maharashtra NEET counselling?
NEET UG 2026 admit card and scorecard, SSC passing certificate, HSC mark sheet, nationality and domicile certificates, medical fitness certificate, leaving certificate, caste and caste-validity certificates (with non-creamy layer where applicable), state-format EWS certificate if claimed, and Aadhaar/PAN/Passport — the full official list is in CET Cell Notice No. 02 dated 04/08/2026.
Do my Round 3 choices carry into the stray round?
No. In every round you must fill fresh preferences — the choices of the previous round become null and void. For Stray Round 1, fresh choice filling was 17–18 Oct 2026 under Notice No. 27.