New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) NEET UG 2026 counselling for the All India Quota (AIQ) will start from August 4, with the academic session beginning from September 8, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced on Saturday.
In a message on social media, the NTA said, “The counselling schedule for NEET UG 2026 has been released for All India Quota (AIQ) and State Quota counselling.”
According to the schedule released by the NTA, the 1st Round of Counselling for All-India Quota/Deemed and Central Universities will be held from August 4 to August 17, with August 22 being the last date of joining and August 23 as the verification date.
The 1st Round of State Quota Counselling will be held between August 13 and 22. The verification of joined candidates will be done on August 29, a day after the last date of joining, the NTA said.
Similarly, the second round of counselling for All India Quota will be held between August 24 and September 2. The Second Round of State Quota Counselling will be held between August 31 and September 8.
After the third round and stray vacancy filling, the last date for joining for both All India Quota and State Counselling will be October 10, the NTA said.
The academic session for UG courses shall commence from September 8, it said.
In its circular addressed to medical colleges, the NTA called for continuing admission work even on holidays.
“For ensuring faithful obedience of time schedule and also keeping in view the limited time available for conducting counselling, all participating institutes/colleges are directed to treat all Saturdays/ Sundays and Gazetted Holidays as working days,” said the NTA.
“The data of joined candidates will be shared by DMEs/State Counselling Authorities to MCC for weeding out during seat processing of Round-3,” it said.
The NTA had announced the NEET UG 2026 re-test result on July 16.
In the wake of the students’ protest over irregularities in the cancelled NEET UG 2026 on May 3, the Union government recently sacked 47 NTA functionaries and announced its decision to initiate legal and criminal action.
–IANS
rch/uk
