The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has announced a Special Stray Vacancy Round for NEET SS 2025 counselling to fill vacant seats in super-speciality medical courses, including DM, MCh and DNBSS programmes.
The announcement comes after the qualifying percentile for NEET SS 2025 was reduced from the 50th percentile to the 30th percentile, expanding the pool of candidates eligible to participate in the counselling process.
NEET SS 2025 Special Stray Vacancy Round
The special counselling round follows the September 17, 2026 order of the Supreme Court in the case concerning NEET SS admissions. The round has been introduced to facilitate the filling of remaining vacant super-speciality seats.
Participating medical institutions are required to verify their seat matrices before the counselling process begins. Candidates who meet the revised eligibility criteria can participate by completing registration, fee payment and choice-filling formalities within the prescribed deadlines.
NEET SS 2025 Counselling Schedule
According to the schedule announced by MCC, the important dates for the Special Stray Vacancy Round are:
| Counselling Activity | Date/Deadline |
|---|---|
| Seat Matrix Verification | September 24, 2026 |
| Registration | September 25–28, 2026 |
| Registration Closing Time | September 28, 2026, 3 PM |
| Fee Payment | Till September 28, 2026, 6 PM |
| Choice Filling | September 25–29, 2026 |
| Choice Filling Closing Time | September 29, 2026, 12 noon |
| Choice Locking | September 28, 8 PM – September 29, 12 noon |
| Seat Allotment Processing | September 29, 2026 |
| Result Announcement | September 30, 2026 |
| Reporting at Allotted Institute | October 1–6, 2026 |
NEET SS Qualifying Percentile Reduced
One of the significant developments preceding the special round is the reduction in the NEET SS qualifying percentile from 50th to 30th percentile.
The revised qualifying threshold allows a larger number of candidates to become eligible for the counselling process. The decision comes in the context of vacant seats remaining after earlier rounds of NEET SS counselling.
Earlier reports indicated that a substantial number of super-speciality seats remained vacant following the second round of counselling, leading to further consideration of the qualifying criteria and the need for an additional counselling round.
What Candidates Need to Know
Candidates who become eligible under the revised qualifying criteria should carefully follow the MCC schedule. Registration and fee payment must be completed within the specified deadlines, followed by choice filling and locking.
Candidates should also carefully review the available DM, MCh and DNBSS seats, eligibility requirements and institute-specific details before submitting their choices.
Since the timeline for the special round is short, candidates should regularly check the official MCC counselling portal for the latest notifications, seat matrix updates and instructions.
Conclusion
The NEET SS 2025 Special Stray Vacancy Round provides an additional opportunity for eligible candidates to participate in the allocation of remaining super-speciality medical seats. With registration scheduled to begin on September 25, 2026, candidates should keep their documents and counselling requirements ready and complete each stage within the prescribed deadlines.
Candidates are advised to rely on the latest official MCC notifications and counselling information before making decisions regarding registration, choice filling and reporting.
