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 have to pay the first-year course fee while awaiting their upgraded allotment.The change comes as reporting and joining for Round 1 begin on October 26, 2026. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has published the Round 1 final allotment result for the admission session.Under 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.
NEET PG 2026 counselling: What has changed in the fee payment rules?
The revised NBEMS advisory distinguishes between candidates who want to retain their allotted seats and those who wish to participate in subsequent rounds for a possible upgrade.Candidates who select the ‘freeze’ option to retain their allotted seats must pay the first-year annual course fee directly to the allotted NBEMS-accredited hospital. They must also complete the reporting and joining formalities within the prescribed deadline.Candidates who select the ‘float’ option to remain eligible for upgradation in subsequent counselling rounds will not have to pay the first-year course fee while waiting for the outcome.If their seats are upgraded, they must pay the applicable fee directly to the institute they finally choose to join after freezing the upgraded allotment.The revised procedure allows candidates seeking upgradation to defer the first-year course fee payment until their final seat is decided. However, it does not exempt them from the counselling rules or the applicable reporting and joining requirements.
NEET PG 2026: Round 1 reporting begins today
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 the respective institutions within this period. Those opting for upgradation should carefully follow the applicable counselling instructions and ensure they meet all prescribed requirements.NBEMS has clarified that the revised fee procedure does not extend the reporting or joining deadline. Candidates must adhere to the schedule issued by MCC and monitor the official counselling website for any changes.
NEET PG 2026 counselling schedule: Important dates
The published MCC schedule lists the following dates for the upcoming counselling rounds.
| Counselling event | Date |
| Round 1 reporting and joining | October 26 to November 2, 2026 |
| Round 2 result | November 14, 2026 |
| Round 2 reporting and joining | November 16 to 23, 2026 |
| Round 3 result | December 4, 2026 |
| Round 3 reporting and joining | December 5 to 12, 2026 |
| Online stray vacancy round result | December 24, 2026 |
| Stray vacancy round reporting | December 24 to 31, 2026 |
Candidates should refer to the official MCC PG counselling website for the latest schedule and any subsequent revisions.
What happens if a candidate’s seat is upgraded?
The training commencement date 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 seat.If the candidate does not receive an upgrade, they must join the seat already allotted to them within the prescribed reporting window. In such cases, the training period will be counted from the date of joining that seat.Candidates should therefore consider their counselling options carefully and ensure that their decisions are consistent with the applicable MCC rules.
NBEMS registration portal to remain inactive until counselling ends
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 be activated subsequently 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 must distinguish 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 waiting for a possible seat upgrade by removing the requirement to pay the first-year course fee in advance. However, candidates must continue to follow the prescribed counselling schedule, reporting requirements and admission procedures.Candidates are advised to check the official NBEMS and MCC websites regularly for further instructions regarding NEET PG 2026 counselling and admission formalities.
