NEET UG Counselling 2026: NMC Increases MBBS Seats to 1.37 Lakh; Check State-Wise Intake
National Medical Commission (NMC) has come out with the revised MBBS seat matrix for the academic year 2026-27, thus increasing the total number of MBBS seats in India to 1,36,939 in government and private medical colleges. This comes after a notable increase of MBBS seats from the last academic year when the total number of seats was 1,27,028.
The increased seat intake will help in enhancing the chances of admission in NEET UG Counselling 2026, but there will be a tough competition for admissions in government medical colleges because of the huge number of eligible candidates.
Why Has the Number of MBBS Seats Increased?
This rise is in keeping with the continued efforts made by the government to improve its medical education infrastructure due to the rising demand for doctors throughout the country.
Within recent years, NMC has sanctioned new medical colleges, upgraded some existing colleges, as well as added more seats at various states. Thus, MBBS admissions have risen above 1.36 lakhs seats which is the highest ever in India.
The new seat matrix will be considered while conducting the counseling process by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and the corresponding state-level counseling authority.
State-Wise MBBS Intake
As per the recently updated NMC seat matrix, the states with the maximum MBBS seats are:
Karnataka retains its position as the state with the highest number of MBBS seats with more than 15,000 seats because of its wide number of government, private, and deemed medical colleges.
Tamil Nadu is another one of those states that rank very high when it comes to government medical education facilities.
Maharashtra ranks amongst the states with the highest number of seats, thanks to various government and private institutions.
There has been considerable growth in Uttar Pradesh in the last few years owing to new government medical colleges being opened up.
The other states like Telangana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh also contribute a good number of MBBS seats in India.
The North East and other small union territories have comparatively fewer seats available but have gradually increased in the last few years.
What Does This Mean for NEET Aspirants?
There will be a high probability of admissions due to an increased MBBS seats, especially when one is applying through state quota counselling and private medical colleges.
It is worth noting, however, that this is not enough to reduce the level of competition. There have been many qualified candidates this year, and cut-off marks are likely to be very competitive, especially in leading government medical colleges.
Students need to make sure that they choose their choice list wisely and attend all counselling sessions.
How Will Counselling Be Conducted?
NEET UG Counselling 2026 will take place using two different channels.
Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will carry out counselling for 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats, AIIMS, JIPMER, Central Universities, and Deemed Universities.
The rest of the 85% State Quota seats will be allotted by the corresponding State counselling authorities considering NEET merit and eligibility of the state.
Students will need to register online, fill up their choices, lock their choices, and report to the allotted institution within the stipulated time period.
Why Choice Filling Is More Important Than Ever
Since there are more colleges and seats now, students have a lot of options available to them.
But an incorrect order of preferences or missing out on colleges due to assumptions will greatly influence seat allocations.
Students are advised to find out about college recognitions, fees, hospitals, internships, and state quotas before they finalize their preferences.
A strategically planned preference list often gives better results for admissions than the students imagine.
Will Cut-Offs Fall This Year?
Though the addition of MBBS seats is good news, there is no certainty that cut-offs will come down significantly.
The total number of applicants is still huge, and there are reports that competition is likely to be tough due to the excellent NEET scores obtained by the aspirants this year.
Even government medical colleges in popular states are unlikely to become easy with an expanded seat matrix.
What Candidates Should Keep Ready
It is important that all the required documents be prepared before the counseling process begins.
The list of such documents includes the NEET UG Score Card, Admit Card, Class 10 & Class 12 certificates, identity proof, caste certificate (if any), domicile certificate (for quota based admission), passport size photograph, and any other document prescribed by the MCC or the concerned State Counseling Authority.
Conclusion
With the addition of 1,36,939 MBBS seats, the number of seats in medicine has increased significantly in the Indian educational system and has become an important factor that can give more chances to NEET UG aspirants. But as competition will be tough, good counseling and right college choice will be as important as getting a high NEET rank.
MBBS seats have increased – but right decisions in counseling will be crucial for getting into your desired medical college.
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