NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025: Last Chance for MBBS Admission

NEET stray vacancy round 2025 is held after Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 and the mop-up round. The MCC conducts the final round or the stray vacancy round to fill up the remaining seats. The NEET 2025 Stray Vacancy round is expected to be held in October 2025, after the mop up round of NEET 2025 Counselling ends.
The NEET 2025 stray round is different from the mop-up round. In the mop-up round, MCC conducts the centralised choice filling and seat allotment for both fresh and previously unallotted students. However, in the stray round, no new registrations or preference changes are allowed. Instead, colleges select from previously registered candidates who were not selected during the initial rounds. Students can find complete details here for the NEET UG 2025 stray vacancy round, which offers the final opportunity to secure an MBBS/BDS seat.

Who is Eligible for NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025?

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has specified the eligibility criteria for students to join the stray vacancy round. Here is all about it:

• First, the student must have qualified in NEET 2025 Exam .

• Then, they must have registered with MCC during the earlier rounds and not secured or joined any seat in Round 1, Round 2, or the Mop-Up Round. These include seats under 15% AIQ, as well as central and deemed universities controlled by MCC.

• MCC also releases a final list of students who were registered but not allotted a seat and shares it with colleges. The colleges then directly contact students from this verified list to fill the remaining seats.

• Students who have already accepted or joined a seat in any previous counselling round cannot apply for the stray round. Similarly, anyone who was allotted a seat in Round 3 but failed to join isn’t eligible to take part in the stray round.

• Students who have not registered in earlier rounds also cannot participate in this round.

• MCC conducts this round for various categories: 15% AIQ seats in government medical colleges, 100% of seats in central universities (like BHU, AMU, DU), AIIMS/JIPMER, and all deemed universities. Thus, students who wish to get admission to these colleges are eligible only if they are registered and not allotted a seat.

Important Dates for NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025

Candidates can check out the important dates for NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025 here:

Type of Seats Available in NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025

Colleges open remaining MBBS/BDS seats after all regular NEET Counselling rounds are over. These include seats in deemed universities, private medical colleges, and central universities, and leftover BDS and AYUSH seats. MCC releases the seat counts for 15% AIQ in government colleges and 100% seats in deemed and central universities (like AIIMS, JIPMER, BHU, AMU, and DU) during the stray round.

Students aiming for BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS, and BNYS admission can get AYUSH seats through a similar process. Private medical colleges under state or deemed categories also fill leftover seats through this round. Colleges no longer cross-fill government MBBS seats as part of the stray vacancy round under AIQ. MCC directs the remaining seats to be filled by state counselling authorities after Round 3 or Mop-Up, and the stray round is conducted for deemed/central or private categories only.
Also Read: AYUSH Courses All India Quota (AIQ) Admission Process 2025

Application Process for NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025

Students can check the process for the NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025:

• Step 1: Students must log in to the MCC portal using their NEET credentials.

• Step 2: Students must pay a security deposit of INR 10,000 for AIQ/central seats and INR 200,000 for deemed university seats.

• Step 3: MCC sends the list of eligible, paid, unallotted students to participating colleges. Thereafter, colleges directly select students based on rank and preferences from that list.

• Step 4: Once the seats are allotted, students can download the seat allotment letter from MCC or get it from the college.

• Step 5: After NEET 2025 Seat Allotment , colleges verify documents, collect fees, and confirm the admission.

Rules to Follow for NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025

• Students cannot withdraw after allotment and cannot exit for free. If they do so, they will not get back the security deposit and will not be eligible for NEET 2026. Students cannot seek upgradation after the stray vacancy allotment.

• MCC disallows any further changes or choice adjustments.

• Students must report to college physically by the deadline. Failure to which, they will not get further admission.

• MCC informs students about “no upgrade, no exit” rules.

• If a student fails to join after allotment, MCC forfeits their security deposit and bans them from appearing in NEET next year.

• MCC then shares the student’s data with state authorities to block participation elsewhere. MCC allocates seats purely by merit and locked choices from earlier rounds. Colleges cannot change this; they must select candidates based on rank, existing preferences, and availability.

• Students must understand these policies thoroughly before participating.

The NEET stray vacancy round is the last round for MBBS/BDS admission. Colleges allot leftover seats based on NEET 2025 rank and earlier filled choices. Students must follow a few steps to maximise their chances of admission. They can fill out all prior choices, choose affordable and nearby colleges and keep original documents ready to ensure a hassle-free NEET Stray vacancy round 2025. The NEET stray vacancy round counselling 2025 is expected to be conducted in October, 2025.