UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1: Dates & Registration

The registration process for UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 has started from August 7, 2026. Eligible candidates can submit their applications on the official website, upneet.gov.in, until August 12, 2026 (3:00 PM).

The UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 registration has begun. All eligible NEET 2026 qualified candidates from Uttar Pradesh can now register for the counselling process. The registration deadline is August 12, 2026 at 3:00 PM. This is the first round of the state counselling process for admission to MBBS, BDS, and other medical/dental programmes in Uttar Pradesh.

The entire process is conducted online through the official portal upneet.gov.in. Candidates must complete registration, pay the registration fee, and participate in choice filling to secure a seat in their preferred college.

UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 is conducted by the Directorate General of Medical Education and Training (DGMET), Uttar Pradesh, for admission to medical and dental colleges across the state.

UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 Round 1 Schedule

Source: upneet.gov.in

How to Register for UP NEET UG Counselling 2026?

• Visit the Official Portal: Visit upneet.gov.in on your web browser. Look for the "Registration for State Merit" or "Round 1 Registration" link and click on it.
• Create Your Account: Enter your NEET Roll Number and Date of Birth. Create a password, then verify your email ID and mobile number through OTP to complete the account creation process.

• Fill Registration Form: Enter your personal details (name, father's name, mother's name, address), NEET score and rank, and upload your photograph and signature. Select your category (General/OBC/SC/ST/EWS) and upload the required documents (mark sheets, certificates, and ID proof).
• Pay Registration Fee: Pay the non-refundable registration fee of INR 2,000 using Debit Card, Credit Card, Net Banking, or UPI. The last date for fee payment is August 12, 2026 (6:00 PM).

• Document Verification: Upload all required documents in the prescribed format. Ensure every document is clear and legible. Keep the original documents ready for verification at the nodal centre during reporting.
• Choice Filling: After completing the registration, proceed to choice filling. Select your preferred colleges and programmes, arrange them in order of preference, and lock your choices before August 13, 2026 (11:00 AM).

Registration Fee Details

Candidates are required to pay a non-refundable registration fee of INR 2,000 to participate in UP NEET UG Counselling 2026.

Payment Modes:

The fee can be paid online through any of the following methods:

• Debit Card
• Credit Card
• Net Banking
• UPI

Payment Deadline: August 12, 2026 (6:00 PM)

Important: Registration will be considered complete only after the successful payment of the registration fee.

Applications without fee payment will not be accepted.

Eligibility for UP NEET UG Counselling 2026

Candidates must meet the following eligibility conditions before applying for the counselling process.

Basic Eligibility:

• Must have qualified NEET UG 2026.
• Should possess a valid NEET 2026 score.
• Must be an Indian citizen or an OCI/PIO candidate.

Domicile Requirement:

• Candidates seeking admission under the Uttar Pradesh State Quota must have a valid UP domicile certificate.
• All India Quota (AIQ) eligible candidates can also participate as per the applicable rules.

Educational Qualification:

• Must have passed 10+2 or an equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English.
• Should have secured at least 50% aggregate marks in the qualifying examination (45% for SC/ST/OBC candidates).

Age Limit:

• Minimum Age: 17 years
• Upper Age Limit: No upper age limit

Documents Required for Registration

Candidates should keep the following documents ready while completing the online registration.

• NEET 2026 Admit Card
• NEET 2026 Score Card
• Class 10 Mark Sheet
• Class 12 Mark Sheet
• Graduation Certificate (if applicable)
• Caste Certificate (for SC/ST/OBC candidates)
• Non-Creamy Layer Certificate (for OBC candidates)
• EWS Certificate (for EWS candidates)
• Valid Photo ID Proof (Aadhaar Card, Passport, PAN Card, or Driving Licence)
• Recent Passport-size Photograph
• Signature

Note: Candidates must carry the original documents for verification at the allotted nodal centre during the reporting process.

Choice Filling Process

The choice filling window will remain open from August 6 to August 13, 2026. Candidates are advised to fill their preferences carefully before the deadline.

• Choice Filling Period: August 6 to August 13, 2026
• Candidates can add, remove, or modify their choices multiple times before the deadline.
• Final Choice Locking Deadline: August 13, 2026 (11:00 AM)
• Once the choices are locked, no further changes will be allowed.
• Arrange colleges and courses in order of preference.
• Select both the college and the programme carefully.
• Failure to lock the choices before the deadline may result in debarment from the counselling process

Choice Filling Tips:

• Research colleges and available programmes before filling choices.
• Arrange your preferences from most preferred to least preferred.
• Consider factors such as college reputation, infrastructure, location, and previous cut-offs.
• Complete and lock your choices well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical issues.

The DGME has released an exhaustive timeline for the 2026-27 admission cycle, which every candidate must memorize to avoid missing critical windows. The Round 1 registration typically opens within weeks of the NEET UG result declaration and stays active for a narrow window of 4 to 5 days.

During this period, candidates must visit the official portal, upneet.gov.in, to complete their profiles. Following the registration, the window for online fee payment and security deposit submission opens. It is important to note that without the payment of the registration fee (usually non-refundable) and the security deposit (refundable under specific conditions), the candidate will not be considered for the merit list or choice filling.

Once the registration window closes, the DGME processes the data to release the State Merit List. This list is a ranking of all registered candidates based on their NEET scores and applicable reservation categories within Uttar Pradesh. This merit list is the most accurate indicator of where you stand in the state-level competition. Following the merit list, the choice-filling window begins.

This is perhaps the most strategic phase of the entire process. Candidates are required to lock their preferences for colleges and courses (MBBS/BDS). The final seat allotment result for Round 1 is then declared, providing candidates with their allotted college details. After allotment, a mandatory period for physical reporting and document verification at the nodal centers or the allotted colleges follows, ensuring that the candidate's credentials match their claims.

The 2026 schedule also accounts for 'Resignation' or 'Seat Surrender' windows for those who might have secured a better seat in the All India Quota or wish to opt-out for Round 2. MatchToCollege recommends keeping a digital calendar with alerts for each of these dates. Any delay in reporting after the Round 1 allotment can lead to the forfeiture of the seat and the security deposit. Furthermore, understanding the gap between Round 1 and Round 2 is vital for those planning for an upgrade. The schedule is designed to be fast-paced to ensure the academic session starts on time, leaving little room for error or procrastination by the aspirants or their guardians.

The registration process for UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 is entirely online, emphasizing ease of access but requiring high attention to detail. Candidates must first 'Log In' using their NEET UG Roll Number and Application Number. Upon entry, you are required to verify your personal details which are fetched from the NTA database.

Ensure that your mobile number and email ID are active, as all future communications, including OTPs for choice locking, will be sent to these contacts. During registration, you will be asked to upload specific documents such as your photograph, signature, and thumb impression in prescribed formats. Any discrepancy between the uploaded data and the original documents during physical verification can lead to immediate cancellation of the candidacy.

A critical component of the registration is the payment of fees. There are two types of payments involved. First is the registration fee (historically around INR 2,000), which is mandatory for all. Second is the security deposit, which varies significantly depending on the type of college you are targeting. For Government Medical Colleges, the security deposit is usually INR 30,000. However, if you are opting for Private Medical Colleges (MBBS), the deposit jumps to INR 2,00,000.

For those interested only in Private Dental Colleges (BDS), the deposit is typically INR 1,00,000. These payments must be made via Net Banking, Credit Card, or Debit Card through the integrated payment gateway on the UP NEET portal. MatchToCollege advises candidates to ensure their bank transaction limits are high enough to accommodate these amounts to avoid last-minute payment failures.

After successful payment, candidates must download the 'Registration Slip'. This slip is a vital document required during the physical reporting stage. Many students overlook the 'Success' status of their transaction; always check your dashboard to ensure the payment is reflected as 'Paid'.

If the amount is deducted but not reflected, wait for 24 hours or contact the helpdesk before attempting a second payment. The security deposit is a safeguard to ensure that only serious candidates participate in the choice filling. If a candidate is allotted a seat in Round 1 but fails to join, the security deposit may be forfeited depending on the specific rules of the 2026-27 brochure. Understanding these financial implications is crucial for effective planning.

Eligibility for UP NEET UG Counselling 2026 is multifaceted. Primarily, the candidate must have qualified for NEET UG 2026 by meeting the minimum percentile cutoff set by the National Testing Agency (NTA). For the 85% State Quota seats, the candidate must be a domicile of Uttar Pradesh.

This usually means the candidate must have passed High School (Class 10) and Intermediate (Class 12) from an educational institution within Uttar Pradesh. If the candidate has passed one or both of these exams from outside the state, they must provide a valid Domicile Certificate issued by the competent authority (Tehsildar/SDM). For the open seats in private colleges, candidates from other states are eligible, provided they meet the NEET qualification criteria.

Document verification for the 2026-27 session is expected to be a hybrid process. While initial verification happens online based on uploaded documents, physical verification is mandatory at the time of admission. The essential documents include the NEET UG 2026 Admit Card, NEET UG Scorecard/Rank Letter, Class 10 and 12 Marksheets and Certificates, a valid Photo ID (Aadhar Card/Voter ID/Passport), and the Domicile Certificate (if applicable). Category-based aspirants (OBC, SC, ST, EWS) must produce valid certificates issued on or after the date specified in the official notification to ensure their reservation benefits are applied correctly.

Sub-category certificates like those for Freedom Fighters, Ex-Servicemen, or NCC 'B' certificate holders must also be kept ready.

One common pitfall is the validity of the EWS and OBC-NCL certificates. These certificates usually need to be issued within the current financial year to be valid for the 2026-27 admission cycle. MatchToCollege recommends that students proactively verify their document status months before the counselling begins. If there is a name discrepancy between your Aadhar card and your Class 10 certificate, an affidavit should be prepared in advance.

During the counselling process, DGME often sets up nodal centers across the state for physical verification. Choosing a nodal center that is easily accessible is a minor but helpful logistical decision. Remember, the 'Verification Letter' issued after successful document check is the golden ticket that allows you to proceed to the choice-filling stage.

Choice filling is where the science of data meets the art of strategy. In UP NEET UG Counselling, there is no limit to the number of choices a candidate can fill. However, the order of preference is what dictates the final outcome. In Round 1, candidates should list colleges in a descending order of their personal preference, regardless of their rank. The algorithm will check your first choice; if a seat is available based on your rank and category, it is allotted. If not, it moves to your second choice, and so on. MatchToCollege’s AI tools suggest analyzing the 'Opening' and 'Closing' ranks of the 2025 and 2024 sessions to create a realistic list. A common mistake is only filling one or two 'dream' colleges and leaving the rest blank, which could result in no allotment at all.

For students with borderline ranks, the strategy should involve a mix of 'Ambitious', 'Realistic', and 'Safe' colleges. Ambitious colleges are those where the previous year's closing rank was slightly higher than your current rank. Realistic colleges are those where your rank matches the median of the previous year's intake. Safe colleges are those where your rank is well above the previous year’s closing rank. In Uttar Pradesh, top-tier government colleges like KGMU Lucknow, RMLIMS Lucknow, and GSVM Kanpur fill up extremely fast. If your rank is in the 5,000 to 15,000 range (State Rank), you must carefully evaluate the newer government medical colleges (GMCs) established in districts like Basti, Bahraich, and Ayodhya, which offer excellent opportunities but lower closing ranks.

Choice locking is the final sub-step of this phase. Once you have arranged your list, you must manually 'Lock' your choices before the deadline. If you fail to lock your choices, the system may automatically lock the last saved preferences, but it is always safer to do it manually and take a printout of the locked choices. The MatchToCollege platform offers a 'Preference Generator' tool that takes into account factors like college age, hospital patient load, location, and tuition fees to help you rank your choices. For private college aspirants, researching the hidden costs and bond conditions of each institution is equally important before locking them in your list.

Once the Round 1 allotment result is announced, candidates will find their 'Allotment Letter' on the official dashboard. This letter contains the name of the allotted college and the scheduled dates for reporting. If you are satisfied with your allotment, you must proceed to the allotted college for physical reporting, submit your original documents, and pay the tuition fee to finalize your admission. If you fail to report within the stipulated timeframe, your seat will be cancelled, and your eligibility for subsequent rounds may be restricted. Most importantly, your security deposit might be at risk. This reporting phase is also where you undergo a medical fitness examination, which is a mandatory requirement for all medical colleges.

For those who are not entirely satisfied with their Round 1 seat but don't want to lose it, the 'Upgrade' option is a vital feature. To participate in Round 2 for an upgrade, you must first join the college allotted in Round 1. During the admission process at the college, you must indicate your willingness to participate in the upgrade process. If a better college (higher in your preference list) becomes available in Round 2 due to vacancies created by All India Quota shifts or resignations, you will be moved to the new college. If no upgrade occurs, you retain your Round 1 seat. This 'Float' strategy is highly recommended for students who have secured a seat but are hoping for a better institution.

However, there are risks associated with the upgrade process that candidates must understand. If you are allotted a new seat in Round 2, your Round 1 seat is automatically cancelled and offered to another candidate. You cannot choose to go back to the Round 1 seat after the Round 2 allotment. This is why the choice filling for the upgrade round must be done with extreme care, only listing colleges that are genuinely better than the one you already have. MatchToCollege provides a 'Risk Assessment' module that calculates the probability of upgrades based on real-time vacancy data and historical trends, allowing you to make an informed decision rather than a gamble.