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Written by Mumtaj Khan
Oct 30, 2025

NEET UG 2025 Stray Vacancy Round: Complete Guide for Admission Process, Dates & Registration

The NEET UG 2025 Stray Vacancy Round is one of the most important and final steps in the entire medical admission process for MBBS and BDS aspirants in India. Every year, lakhs of students appear for NEET UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Undergraduate), but only a limited number secure seats through the first few rounds of counselling.

The Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025 offers a golden opportunity for candidates who couldn’t get a seat in earlier rounds such as Round 1, Round 2, or Mop-Up Round. Conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for All India Quota (AIQ) seats and by respective state authorities for State Quota seats, this round ensures that no MBBS or BDS seat remains vacant.

In this complete guide, we’ll walk you through the NEET UG Counselling 2025 Overview, Stray Vacancy Round schedule, important dates, eligibility, fees, choice filling and locking process, required documents, and more.

📘 NEET UG Counselling 2025 Overview

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG), conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), is the sole entrance exam for MBBS, BDS, and other allied medical courses in India. After the declaration of NEET UG 2025 results, candidates participate in a centralized counselling process to secure seats in medical and dental colleges across India.

The counselling process for NEET UG 2025 includes four main rounds:

  1. Round 1 Counselling
  2. Round 2 Counselling
  3. Mop-Up Round
  4. Stray Vacancy Round (Final Round)

The Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025 is specifically designed to fill leftover or vacant seats after all previous rounds. Many students miss seats due to non-reporting or withdrawal, and these vacancies are offered again through this last round.

📅 NEET UG Counselling 2025 Schedule

Below is the tentative NEET UG 2025 counselling schedule. The official schedule will be released on the MCC website after NEET results are declared.

Counselling Event

Expected Dates (Tentative)

NEET UG 2025 Result DeclarationJune 2025
Round 1 Registration and Choice FillingJuly - August 2025
Round 1 Seat Allotment ResultJuly - August 2025
Round 2 CounsellingSeptember 2025
Mop-Up RoundSeptember - October 2025
Stray Vacancy RoundNovember 2025

The stray vacancy round is conducted after completion of the mop-up round, and it serves as the final admission phase before the session begins.

📆 NEET UG Counselling 2025 Stray Vacancy Round Schedule

The Neet UG Counselling 2025 Stray Vacancy Round Schedule will be announced by MCC once the mop-up round results are finalized. Candidates who did not get any seat in earlier rounds or did not report after seat allotment can register again for this round.

Here is the expected timeline for the Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025:

Event

Tentative Date

Stray Vacancy Round Registration Begins30 October –- 03 November 2025
Choice Filling and Locking Window01 November – 05 November 2025
Processing of Seat Allotment08 November 2025
Result Announcement08 November 2025
Reporting to Allotted Colleges09 November – 15 November 2025

Candidates should note that no new registrations may be allowed if they have already registered during earlier rounds. Always check the MCC official notification for detailed instructions.

💰 NEET UG Counselling 2025 Stray Vacancy Round Fees

The Neet UG Counselling 2025 Stray Vacancy Round Fees varies according to the type of institution (Government, Private, or Deemed). The payment is done online during the registration process through the MCC portal.

Institution Type

Registration Fee

Security Deposit (Refundable)

Government Medical Colleges₹1,000₹10,000
Private Medical Colleges₹2,000₹1,00,000
Deemed Universities₹5,000₹2,00,000

The security deposit is refunded if the candidate doesn’t get a seat or after successfully reporting to the allotted college. However, if a candidate is allotted a seat and does not join, the security deposit may be forfeited.

✅ NEET Counselling 2025 Eligibility Criteria

The NEET Counselling 2025 Eligibility Criteria for the Stray Vacancy Round is quite specific. Candidates must fulfill the following conditions:

  1. Must have qualified NEET UG 2025 by meeting the cutoff percentile.
  2. Should have registered in earlier MCC rounds but were not allotted a seat or did not report after allotment.
  3. Candidates who were allotted seats and joined the college are not eligible for this round.
  4. For NRI quota seats, candidates must have officially converted their nationality from Indian to NRI.

This round is open to all eligible candidates, ensuring that even the last vacant seat is allotted fairly.

🌍 How to Convert Nationality From Indian to NRI for NEET UG 2025

For candidates wishing to apply under NRI quota seats, MCC provides an option to convert nationality from Indian to NRI before the stray vacancy round.

Steps to Convert Nationality to NRI:

  1. Visit the official MCC website.
  2. During the given time window, upload the required NRI documents.
  3. Provide a written request for category conversion.
  4. MCC will verify the documents and approve the conversion.

Required Documents:

  • Candidate’s or parent’s passport copy.
  • NRI status certificate issued by the Indian Embassy.
  • Relationship proof (for candidates applying through relatives).
  • NEET UG 2025 Admit Card and Scorecard.

Once verified, the candidate’s status is updated to NRI, allowing participation in NRI quota counselling and seat allotment.

📄 Documents Required for NEET Counselling 2025

To avoid any last-minute issues, candidates must keep all original documents and photocopies ready before reporting to their allotted college.

Here’s the complete list of documents required for NEET UG Counselling 2025:

  • NEET UG 2025 Admit Card
  • NEET UG 2025 Rank Letter
  • Class 10 & 12 Mark Sheets and Certificates
  • Birth Certificate
  • Category Certificate (SC/ST/OBC/EWS, if applicable)
  • Domicile Certificate (for state quota)
  • Allotment Letter (after seat allotment)
  • Passport-size Photographs (at least 8)
  • Valid Photo ID (Aadhaar, Passport, PAN Card, etc.)

It’s important that all documents are self-attested and valid. Any discrepancy may lead to disqualification during verification.

🖊️ Choice Filling and Locking Process for Stray Vacancy Round

The choice filling and locking phase plays a crucial role in seat allotment during the Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025. This step determines which colleges and courses you are willing to join.

Step-by-Step Process:

  1. Visit the MCC official website.
  2. Login with your credentials (NEET Roll Number, Password).
  3. Click on Choice Filling & Locking.
  4. Add preferred colleges and courses based on your rank, category, and seat availability.
  5. Arrange them in the order of priority.
  6. Review carefully and lock your choices before the deadline.

Once locked, choices cannot be edited. Failure to lock choices may lead to automatic locking by the system — so candidates must ensure that the final list reflects their true preferences.

🎓 Seat Allotment Process

After the choice filling window closes, MCC conducts the seat allotment based on various parameters like NEET rank, category, seat availability, and preferences.

Once the allotment result is released:

  • Candidates can download their Provisional Allotment Letter.
  • They must report to the allotted college within the given timeline.
  • Submit all documents and confirm admission by paying the college fees.

Failure to report within the deadline will result in cancellation of allotment and the seat will be passed to the next eligible candidate.

🕓 Important Points to Remember for Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025

  • No fresh registration may be allowed; only existing registered candidates can participate.
  • Upgradation or withdrawal is not allowed in this round.
  • Seat allotment in this round is final and binding.
  • Always check the official MCC and State Counselling websites for updates.
  • Keep multiple copies of documents and receipts for future verification.

🧾 Why Stray Vacancy Round Matters

The Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025 is not just another phase — it’s a life-changing opportunity for many aspirants.
Thousands of MBBS and BDS seats, especially in private and deemed universities, remain vacant due to non-reporting, withdrawal, or technical errors in earlier rounds.

This round ensures that:

  • No seat is wasted.
  • Eligible candidates get a fair chance.
  • Colleges can fill their available capacity before the academic year starts.

In short, it’s your last opportunity to fulfill your dream of becoming a doctor.

📍 NEET UG 2025 Counselling Tips for Success

  1. Keep all documents ready – verification delays can cost you a seat.
  2. Monitor official websites daily during counselling rounds.
  3. Use multiple realistic college choices while filling preferences.
  4. Avoid overconfidence — include colleges with slightly lower cutoffs too.
  5. Ensure payment confirmation before final submission.
  6. Participate in the stray round actively, even if you have low rank — many candidates drop out, improving your chances.

🏁 Key Takeaways

  • The Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025 is the final admission phase in medical counselling.
  • Conducted in October 2025, it fills the remaining MBBS/BDS seats.
  • Candidates should stay alert about the Neet ug counselling 2025 stray vacancy round date and register on time.
  • Prepare all documents and fees beforehand.
  • For NRI seats, complete your nationality conversion early.
  • Follow the choice filling and locking steps carefully to avoid disqualification.

This round can be the turning point in your NEET journey — make sure you don’t miss it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Stray Vacancy Round NEET UG 2025 is the final round of counselling conducted by MCC and state authorities to fill vacant MBBS and BDS seats after all previous rounds (Round 1, Round 2, and Mop-Up) are completed.
Candidates who have qualified NEET UG 2025 and have registered earlier for counselling but did not get a seat or did not report after allotment are eligible. Candidates already admitted to a college cannot participate.
The NEET UG 2025 Stray Vacancy Round is expected to start in October 2025, after the completion of the mop-up round. The detailed schedule and dates will be released on mcc.nic.in.
You can apply by visiting the MCC official website (mcc.nic.in) during the registration window. Complete your registration, pay the fees, and fill in your choices of colleges and courses before locking them.
Yes, candidates can convert their nationality from Indian to NRI by submitting valid documents (passport, NRI certificate, relationship proof) through the MCC portal during the given time frame.