The deadline to fill choices for the NEET PG 2025 stray round is February 19, 2026 . This is the final opportunity for candidates who have not yet secured a postgraduate medical seat. Registration for this round closed on February 18, 2026.
Candidates must log in to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) portal. They will select and rank preferred colleges and courses. Once choices are locked, they cannot be altered. All participants, even those who applied in earlier rounds, must register again for the stray round.
Stray Round Process and Timeline
Following choice filling, the MCC will process seat allotment. The results will be released on February 21, 2026 . Candidates offered a seat must report to their assigned institution between February 22 and February 28, 2026 .
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Stray Round Choice Filling Closing | February 19, 2026 |
| Stray Round Registration Closing | February 18, 2026 |
| Seat Allotment Result | February 21, 2026 |
| Reporting to Allotted Colleges | February 22 – February 28, 2026 |
Missing the choice filling deadline means disqualification from seat allocation. This applies even if seats remain vacant. Candidates will not be considered for any further counselling. They also forfeit the chance to upgrade a previously allotted seat.
Options After Stray Round
Candidates not securing a seat after the stray round have alternative pathways. They can explore internal counselling for vacant seats in deemed or private universities. Contacting state counselling authorities for remaining seats is also an option.
Other postgraduate options include diploma programs or non-clinical branches. Diplomas and certain non-clinical courses may have lower cutoff requirements. Students can also choose to prepare for and retake the NEET PG exam the following year.