Assam NEET UG 2026 Round 1 Choice Filling: Dates & Guide

The Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Assam, has officially opened the gates for the most critical phase of the medical admission cycle: the Assam NEET UG 2026 Round 1 Choice Filling. For thousands of medical aspirants across the state, this process at dme.assam.gov.in represents the culmination of years of hard work and the beginning of their professional journey in healthcare.

The 2026-27 academic session is particularly competitive, making it imperative for students to navigate the choice-filling and locking mechanisms with precision and strategic foresight.

As an AI-powered counseling platform, MatchToCollege understands that the choice-filling process is not merely about listing colleges; it is about matching your NEET score and rank with the historical data, seat availability, and specific institutional strengths. The Round 1 choice filling is the first opportunity for candidates to secure a seat in prestigious institutions like Gauhati Medical College or Assam Medical College. Missing the deadline or incorrectly prioritizing your preferences can lead to losing out on a deserved seat, even with a high rank.

This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know about the Assam NEET UG 2026 schedule, the technical steps on the DME portal, and the expert strategies required to secure your future.

The DME Assam portal serves as the centralized hub for all activities related to 85% State Quota seats for MBBS and BDS courses. With the 2026-27 session now active, the portal has been updated with a user-friendly interface to handle the high volume of traffic. However, students often face technical glitches or confusion regarding the 'Choice Locking' feature.

Choice locking is a mandatory step that ensures your preferences are finalized before the system processes the seat allotment. If a candidate fails to lock their choices by the last date, the system typically auto-locks the last saved preferences, but relying on this is risky. This blog delves into the granular details of the 2026 counseling calendar to ensure you stay ahead of the curve.

DME Assam has opened Round 1 choice filling for NEET UG 2026 counselling from August 16 to August 18. Candidates must lock preferences at dme.assam.gov.in by 11:55 PM on August 18. Seat allotment result will be out on August 22.

The Directorate of Medical Education, Assam (DME Assam) has opened the Round 1 choice filling window for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 counselling. Registered candidates can now select their college and course preferences on the official portal at dme.assam.gov.in.

The choice filling window will remain open from August 16 to August 18, 2026. Candidates can enter preferences daily up to 10 PM during this window. The choice locking facility will be active on August 18 between 5 PM and 11:55 PM.

This counselling is being conducted for admission to first-year MBBS and BDS courses. It covers the 85 percent state quota seats in government medical and dental colleges of Assam. The 15 percent All India Quota seats are handled separately by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).

Assam NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 Key Dates

The complete schedule for Round 1, as issued by DME Assam, is listed below.

Who Is Eligible to Fill Choices?

Only candidates who completed Round 1 registration by August 15 can access the choice filling window. They must have qualified NEET UG 2026 conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). They must also meet the Assam domicile and category rules set by DME Assam.

All eligible candidates under General, PwBD, Reserved and Special categories must fill choices online. Applicants from the OBC or MOBC creamy layer must apply under the General category. Freedom fighter kin, defence quota, sports quota and orphan candidates are also covered.

How to Fill Choices on the DME Assam Portal?

Candidates should follow the steps below to submit their college and course preferences.

1. Visit the official portal at dme.assam.gov.in.
2. Log in using the NEET UG 2026 roll number and registered password.
3. Open the choice filling tab under the counselling dashboard.
4. Add the preferred college and course combinations in order of priority.
5. Rearrange the list until the preference order feels correct.
6. Save the choices and log out before returning for final locking.
7. Lock the choices on August 18 between 5 PM and 11:55 PM.

Candidates must fill at least one preference before locking. A form locked without any preference will be treated as non-participation. Choices not locked manually by 11:55 PM on August 18 will be auto-locked by the system.

What Happens After Choice Locking?

DME Assam will begin seat allotment processing from August 19 to August 21. The Round 1 seat allotment result will be published on August 22, 2026. Allotted candidates must then report to the designated college as per the admission notice.

No separate offline counselling will be conducted this year. Every eligible candidate must complete registration, choice filling and locking online. Missing the online window will end their claim on Round 1 state quota seats.

Why This Matters

Choice order directly decides which college a candidate is allotted. The system moves down the list only after the top choice is exhausted. Careless preference order can push a strong ranker into a lower-priority seat.

Action Plan for Candidates

1. Log in to dme.assam.gov.in on August 16 itself.
2. Prepare a ranked wish list of MBBS and BDS colleges offline first.
3. Enter and save all realistic preferences within the daily 10 PM cut-off.
4. Review the saved order at least once before the locking window.
5. Lock the choices on August 18 between 5 PM and 11:55 PM.
6. Download and keep the locked choice printout for admission records.