NEET MDS round 3 after the cut-off cut: MCC registration runs 22 to 27 October, and seats must be joined by 7 November

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of Health Services has published a new round 3 schedule for MDS counselling 2026, dated 19 October 2026. It covers the 50% all-India quota and 100% of seats in deemed universities, central universities and AFMS colleges. Registration opens on 22 October and closes at 3 pm on 27 October. It is the first all-India round since the Union Health Ministry lowered the NEET MDS qualifying percentile on 12 October.

The new cut-off

In a letter dated 12 October 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Dental Education) cut the NEET MDS 2026 qualifying percentile by 20.576 percentile for every category and asked the National Board of Examinations to bring out revised results.

Category	Cut-off in the bulletin	Revised cut-off
General (UR and EWS)	50th percentile	29.424
SC, ST and OBC (including their PwD candidates)	40th percentile	19.424
UR-PwD	45th percentile	24.424

If you were below the old cut-off but are above the new one, this is the first all-India round you can join.

Round 3 schedule

Step	Dates (server time)
Institutes verify the seat matrix	21 October 2026
Registration	22 October to 3 pm, 27 October
Fee payment	Up to 6 pm, 27 October
Choice filling	23 October to 11:55 pm, 28 October
Choice locking	2 pm to 11:55 pm, 28 October
Seat allotment processing	29 and 30 October
Result	31 October
Reporting at the allotted college	1 to 7 November 2026

MCC had first set round 3 for 3 to 11 October in its schedule of 30 September. The notice of 19 October replaces those dates. MCC’s MDS page also says registration, payment and the reset option for round 3 will be available from 21 October, a day before the date in the schedule. Watch both, and do not leave payment for the last evening.

What to do now

1. The ministry has asked the National Board of Examinations to issue revised NEET MDS 2026 results. Check yours on the NBEMS website and confirm you clear the new percentile for your category.
2. Register and pay on mcc.nic.in before 3 pm and 6 pm on 27 October. The payment window closes three hours after registration.
3. Fill as many choices as you would really join, in your true order of preference, and lock them by 11:55 pm on 28 October.
4. If you get a seat on 31 October, report with your original documents between 1 and 7 November.
5. State quota MDS seats follow your state counselling authority’s own schedule, so watch that portal too.

Gujarat reopened its own MDS registration after the same cut-off cut. Read our earlier story: NEET-MDS cut-off falls again: Gujarat reopens MDS registration. For how MCC rounds, deposits and upgrades work, see our NEET PG counselling 2026 guide.

CareerBox News Desk, reporting on the Medical Counselling Committee, Directorate General of Health Services, schedule for round 3 of MDS counselling 2026 dated 19 October 2026, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Dental Education) letter of 12 October 2026 on the reduction of the NEET MDS 2026 qualifying percentile. Official portal: mcc.nic.in/mds-counselling/. Dates and eligibility change; confirm them on the official portal before you act.