Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Stray Vacancy Dates Out: Check Round 1 Schedule and Steps

The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has published the timetable for the first online stray vacancy round of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) counselling for MBBS and BDS admissions for the 2026-27 academic session. According to the announced schedule, the details of vacant seats will be published on October 14, 2026, enabling candidates to assess the available options before submitting their preferences. Candidates can submit their college and course preferences online from October 15 to October 16, 2026, with the choice-filling facility closing at 11:59 PM on the final day. The seat allotment result for the first stray vacancy round is scheduled to be published on October 17, 2026.

Candidates allotted MBBS or BDS seats in the first online stray vacancy round will be required to report to their respective colleges between October 18 and October 20, 2026. The final deadline for reporting and completing admission formalities is October 20 at 5:30 PM.

An important requirement for candidates participating in the Maharashtra NEET UG stray vacancy round is that they must submit fresh college and course preferences. The CET Cell has clarified that choices entered during the third regular counselling round will be cancelled and will not be used to determine seat allocation in the stray vacancy round. Therefore, candidates must log in to the counselling portal during the designated period, review the newly published vacancy details and submit their preferences afresh.

To complete the choice-filling process for Maharashtra NEET UG counselling 2026, eligible candidates must first visit the official website of the Maharashtra CET Cell at medical2026.mahacet.org/NEET-UG-2026. They should sign in using their existing registration credentials. After logging in, candidates should examine the available vacant seats once the seat matrix is published. They can then select their preferred medical or dental colleges and courses, arrange their choices according to their priorities and review the entire preference list before submitting it.

To facilitate the allocation of remaining seats, the Maharashtra CET Cell has announced that three online stray vacancy rounds will be conducted.

Find the full schedule here.