All India PG Dental Counselling 2026: MCC Round 2 Choice Filling Deadline Extended

Introduction

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has released a revised Round 2 schedule for NEET MDS 2026 counselling, covering 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats along with 100% Deemed/Central Universities and AFMS seats for the MDS course. The key change: your Choice Filling deadline has been extended, and there's a specific Choice Locking window you need to be aware of separately.

If you're participating in Round 2 PG Dental (MDS) counselling, here's exactly what's changed and what the full schedule looks like now.

What's Changed? The Extension

Choice Filling — Earlier Deadline: 20 September 2026, 10:00 AM; Choice Filling — Revised Deadline: 21 September 2026, 10:00 AM

You now have an extra 24 hours to complete your choice filling compared to the original schedule. If you were rushing to finish before the earlier deadline, you now have some breathing room, but it's worth treating this as extra time to review your choices carefully, not as a reason to delay starting.

Choice Locking Window

Starts: 20 September 2026, 6:00 PM; Ends: 21 September 2026, 10:00 AM

This is a detail worth reading twice: Choice Locking opens on the evening of 20 September, while Choice Filling itself remains open until the morning of 21 September. This means there's an overlap; you can still be filling or editing choices during part of the same window in which locking is technically open. Locking is a separate, deliberate action from filling, and both windows share the same final cut-off: 10:00 AM on 21 September 2026.

In simple terms: make sure you've finished filling and arranging your choices in genuine order of preference well before that final cut-off, and then actively lock them in; don't assume choices you've filled get locked automatically just because the window has opened.

What Should PG Dental Candidates Do Now?

If you are participating in MCC PG Dental Round 2, this is a good time to get your choices in order.

Step 1 — Check Your Existing Choices

If you have already filled in choices, review the complete list.

Step 2 — Reconsider the Order

Make sure your preference order reflects your actual priorities.

Step 3 — Check Available Options

Review the relevant Round 2 seat information and ensure your choices are based on the options you are considering.

Step 4 — Complete Choice Filling

Make any necessary changes before the revised deadline.

Step 5 — Lock Your Choices

Choice locking starts on 20 September at 6:00 PM and ends on 21 September at 10:00 AM.

Step 6 — Save Your Confirmation

After completing the process, keep a record/screenshot of the submitted choices or confirmation for your reference.

A Detail Worth Watching For: Registration Payment Closes Before Choice Filling Even Opens Fully

Registration itself closes at 3:00 PM on 19 September, with payment allowed up to 6:00 PM the same day. Choice Filling, meanwhile, runs from 16 September onward, meaning it technically opens while registration is still ongoing, and continues well after registration and payment close.

If you haven't registered and paid yet, don't assume you still have time simply because Choice Filling appears to be open; registration and payment have their own earlier cut-off, and missing that means you won't be able to participate in Choice Filling at all, regardless of the extended deadline.

What To Do Between Now And The Deadline?

If you haven't registered yet, complete registration and payment before 19 September — registration by 3:00 PM, payment by 6:00 PM, both server time.

Review the Tentative Seat Matrix, verified by participating institutes on 14 September, before you start filling choices, so your preferences are based on accurate seat availability.

Fill your choices in genuine order of preference, using the extended window up to 10:00 AM on 21 September.

Actively lock your choices once you're satisfied with your list — don't leave this as the very last action you take right before the 10:00 AM cut-off on 21 September, since server load can be higher close to any deadline.

Take a screenshot or printout of your locked choices for your own record, once submitted.

What Happens After Choice Locking?

Processing of Seat Allotment Result (21–22 September): Once choice locking closes, MCC processes the Round 2 seat allotment based on your locked choices, your NEET MDS rank, and seat availability.

Reporting/Joining (23 September): If you're allotted a seat, this is your date to report and complete joining formalities at your allotted institute. Given this falls just a day or two after the allotment result, it's worth keeping your documents ready in advance rather than gathering them after the result is out.

Verification of Joined Candidates' Data (24–30 September): Institutes verify the data of candidates who've joined during this window. This is an institute-level process, but it's still worth ensuring your documents and details are accurate and consistent, since discrepancies found here can affect your admission status.

Sharing of Data by MCC (1 October): MCC compiles and shares the final data from this round, which feeds into subsequent stages of counselling if applicable.

Who Should Pay Attention To This Schedule?

Candidates who haven't registered for Round 2 yet — your window is 15 to 19 September, and this doesn't get extended just because choice filling has.

Candidates who were rushing to finish choice filling before the original 20 September deadline — you now have until 21 September, 10:00 AM, but use the extra time to review rather than to delay starting.

Candidates planning to lock their choices close to the deadline — remember that Choice Locking and Choice Filling share the same final cut-off time, so plan to lock well before 10:00 AM on 21 September rather than in the final minutes.

What To Do Right Now?

Confirm you've completed registration and payment, if you haven't already, since this deadline (19 September) hasn't moved even though choice filling has been extended.

Go through the Tentative Seat Matrix carefully before finalising your preference list.

Use the extended window to review your choices properly, rather than treating the extension as extra time to delay.

Lock your choices before 10:00 AM on 21 September, ideally with enough buffer time in case of last-minute portal load.

Keep your documents ready for the 23 September reporting date, since there's very little gap between allotment and joining.

Documents You Should Keep Ready

• NEET MDS 2026 admit card and scorecard
• Undergraduate (BDS) degree certificate and mark sheets
• Internship completion certificate
• State/Central Dental Council registration certificate
• Category certificate, if applicable
• A valid government photo ID
• Recent passport-size photographs

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This revised schedule gives you an extra day for Choice Filling, but it doesn't change your registration and payment deadline, and it doesn't change the fact that Choice Locking closes at the same time as Choice Filling, 10:00 AM on 21 September. Use the additional time to review your preferences carefully rather than as a reason to start late.

With reporting scheduled for just a day or two after the allotment result, it's worth having your documents ready well before the result is out, not after.

If you're unsure whether you've registered correctly, confused about how Choice Filling and Choice Locking overlap in this window, or want help finalising your preference order, reaching out to a trusted NEET counselling expert can help you avoid a last-minute mistake.

📞 Need help with NEET MDS Round 2 counselling, choice filling, or your next steps? Connect with NEET Support.