UR
Unreserved (General)
0%of AIQ seats
No reservation in AIQ for Unreserved category — competes for open merit seats.
Certificate required
No certificate needed. Merit-based only.
NEET PG & NExT
Postgraduate medical admissions in India — counselling rounds, AIQ, Defence track, and the upcoming NExT exam.
NExT Exam — DEFERRED 2–3 years from planned August 2025 date
The National Medical Commission has confirmed NExT will not launch in August 2025 as originally planned. NEET PG and FMGE continue as-is until further notice. Mock NExT tests will be conducted first. Source: NMC Chairman Dr Abhijat Sheth.
DeferredVerified Jun 2026Last verified: June 2026 · EduPath
What is NEET PG?
NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test — Postgraduate) is conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE). It is the single national entrance exam for admission to MD, MS, and PG Diploma programmes in medical colleges across India. All AIQ PG seats and most state quota PG seats require NEET PG rank.
AIQ (All India Quota) — Eligibility & Seat Distribution
| College type | AIQ % | Counselling body |
|---|---|---|
| State Government Medical Colleges | 50% | MCC (AIQ) + State quota |
| Central Universities (e.g. BHU, AMU) | 100% | MCC |
| Deemed / Private Universities | 100% | MCC |
| AIIMS PG | 100% | AIIMS (separate process) |
| JIPMER PG | 100% | JIPMER (separate process) |
Source: MCC PG Information Bulletin, NBE NEET PG rank letter required for AIQ counselling. Verify current bulletin at mcc.nic.in.
MCC PG Counselling — 4 Rounds
Per SC direction SLA(C) 10487/2021
Round 1
~50% of AIQ seats released
Initial allocation. Candidates can resign and rejoin in Round 2.
Round 2
Remaining + resigned seats
Larger pool. Candidates from Round 1 can upgrade.
Round 3
Leftover seats after Round 2
Critical: Joining in Round 3 means no resignation permitted and no state quota counselling after.
Stray Vacancy Round
Unfilled seats only
Conducted per SC direction SLA(C) 10487/2021. Final opportunity.
Round 3 joining is final. Candidates who join in Round 3 cannot resign their seat and become ineligible for state quota PG counselling. Verify this rule in the current MCC PG Information Bulletin before Round 3.
Category-wise AIQ Reservation
SC
Scheduled Caste
15%of AIQ seats
15% of AIQ PG seats reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.
Certificate required
SC caste certificate from competent authority (SDM/Tehsildar/DC level).
ST
Scheduled Tribe
7.5%of AIQ seats
7.5% of AIQ PG seats reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates.
Certificate required
ST caste certificate from competent authority.
OBC-NCL
OBC — Non-Creamy Layer
27%of AIQ seats
27% of AIQ PG seats reserved for OBC-NCL candidates. Must be in central OBC list.
Certificate required
OBC-NCL certificate (central list, not state list). Must be non-creamy layer.
EWS
Economically Weaker Section
10%of AIQ seats
10% of AIQ PG seats for Economically Weaker Section candidates.
Certificate required
EWS income certificate from competent authority for the relevant financial year.
PwD
Persons with Disability
5%of AIQ seats
5% horizontal reservation across all categories for Persons with Disability.
Certificate required
Disability certificate from a Government medical authority. Minimum 40% disability.
AFMS Track — Armed Forces Medical Services
Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) PG admissions follow a separate process through DGAFMS (Directorate General Armed Forces Medical Services). This is not conducted through MCC.
Priority order: Priority I–V for Defence candidates (serving officers, wives/widowers of service personnel, wards, etc.). Priority order is published in the DGAFMS PG prospectus each year.
NEET PG score is required. Candidates must apply separately to DGAFMS and are not part of the civilian MCC counselling pool.
Source: DGAFMS PG prospectus. Verify at dgafms.gov.in
Internship Completion Rule
Candidates must complete their 1-year Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship (CRMI) by March 31 of the PG admission year to be eligible for NEET PG counselling.
This deadline has occasionally been relaxed for specific academic years. Always check the MCC PG Information Bulletin for the relevant year.
Full internship guideExplore in depth
Have questions about NEET PG strategy or seat selection?
Our expert counsellor can guide you through rounds, speciality choice, and state vs AIQ trade-offs.
Book a counselling sessionNBE — NEET PG Conducting Body
Source: National Board of Examinations (NBE) · EduPath verified Jun 2026
Visit official sourceMCC — PG Counselling Information Bulletin
Source: Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) · EduPath verified Jun 2026
Visit official source