Union Health Minister Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed the preparedness for NEET UG Counselling 2026 on July 29, 2026, emphasizing the government's commitment to a transparent, merit-based, and technology-enabled admission process for undergraduate medical courses. The review assessed the counselling schedule, IT infrastructure, cybersecurity preparedness, grievance redressal mechanisms, and coordination with participating institutions for All India Quota (AIQ) and other seats under the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Several major student-centric reforms have been introduced for NEET UG Counselling 2026. The key reform is a one-time physical reporting framework that significantly reduces repeated visits by candidates. After seat allotment, candidates can exercise their willingness online by selecting either Freeze or Float options. Freeze option requires physical reporting to the allotted institute for document verification and fee payment, while Float option allows online document verification and participation in subsequent rounds without physical reporting or fee payment until the third round.
Additional reforms include online resignation facility through the MCC Counselling Portal without physical visits, complete digitization of NRI category admissions with online document upload and verification, and expanded accessibility measures for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). The number of designated assessment centers has been increased from 16 to 61 across the country, and the certificate issued by Medical Boards will now be known as the "Eligibility Certificate" following National Medical Commission Guidelines dated July 27, 2026.
Cybersecurity preparedness has been reviewed in coordination with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), and training programs have been conducted for various stakeholders. Candidate support measures include a 24×7 toll-free call center (1800-102-7637), bilingual information material, guidance videos, and a dedicated email-based grievance redressal mechanism (mcc2026[at]gov[dot]in).
The National Testing Agency declared NEET (UG) 2026 results on July 16, 2026, and counselling for All India Quota seats in MBBS, BDS, and B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing is expected to commence shortly. Candidates are advised to carefully read the Information Bulletin and regularly visit the official MCC counselling portal.