NEET UG 2025 Counselling Nears Conclusion as Stray Vacancy Round Allocates 1,232 Seats

Successful candidates can check their allotments and are required to report to their assigned institutions within the set reporting deadlines. The MCC has warned that non‑compliance may lead to forfeiture of deposit and seat cancellation.

Why the Stray Vacancy Round and What It Means
The stray vacancy round is designed to utilise leftover seats after the completion of the standard rounds of counselling. Despite an expansion in medical education capacity with several thousand extra MBBS seats added by the National Medical Commission (NMC) this year  demand remains intense and competition continues to grow. Edufever

The allotment follows choice‑filling windows, locking of preferences, and result announcements. The MCC website noted that the PwD certificate portal for the stray vacancy round remained active until 05:00 p.m. on 12 November, with choice‑filling extended to 13 November. mcc.nic.in

State‑Specific Delays and Legal Issues
While the AIQ process has advanced centrally, several states continue to face delays and legal entanglements. In Madhya Pradesh, for instance, the High Court dismissed a batch of students’ plea to re‑join the stray vacancy round, citing the imperative to avoid delaying the academic session further. The Times of India

In West Bengal, the state counselling process for NEET UG 2025 has been suspended indefinitely, leaving over 11,000 aspirants in limbo. The Times of India

What’s Next for NEET PG 2025
Meanwhile, the NEET PG 2025 counselling process is underway with revised schedules. The MCC has uploaded updated dates and stipulated that PwD candidates must generate certificates by 4:00 p.m. on 18 November. mcc.nic.in+1

Takeaways for Aspirants

• Students allotted seats in the stray vacancy round must report immediately to avoid forfeiture.

• Remaining candidates should stay alert for any further mop‑up or extra rounds, whether under AIQ or state quotas.

• Aspirants in states facing delays need to monitor state‑level counselling portals for updates.

• The continued mismatch between huge competition and limited seats underscores the urgency for systemic reforms.

With the central phase of NEET UG 2025 counselling nearing completion, attention now shifts to the state quota rounds and postgraduate admissions. The finalisation of leftover seats will determine whether this year’s process truly meets candidates’ expectations and avoids further disruption.