Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Round 1 Choice Filling: Final Merit List & Choice Filling Starts on 26 August

Introduction

The State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, Maharashtra, has published the Final Merit List and Seat Matrix for CAP Round 1 of NEET UG 2026 counselling, for admission to MBBS and BDS courses under the 85% State Quota. This is a big step forward in the counselling process, and it directly leads into the Round 1 choice-filling window, which is now open.

If you registered for Maharashtra state counselling, this is exactly the update you've been waiting for. Let's go through what's been released, what it means, and what you need to do right now.

Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Round 1: Important Dates

The important point here is that both activities are scheduled for the same date and time.

So, candidates should first check their final merit position and then proceed with their college preferences once the choice-filling window becomes available.

Final Merit List and Choice Filling Start Together

There is one thing candidates should particularly notice about this schedule.

The Final Merit List is scheduled to be published at:

🕓 4:00 PM on 26 August 2026

And the Round 1 Choice Filling also starts at:

🕓 4:00 PM on 26 August 2026

So candidates don't need to wait for another day to start planning their choices.

Once the choice-filling window opens, you can begin entering your preferred colleges and courses as per the official counselling process.

What Should You Do Before 26 August?

Don't wait until choice filling opens to start thinking about your preferences.

Use the time before the window opens to prepare your list.

A simple way to do this is to divide your options into three groups.

🥇 Your Top Choices

These are the colleges you would prefer the most.

Put them at the top of your preference list.

🥈 Realistic Choices

These are colleges where you believe your chances are more realistic based on your merit position, category, and previous trends.

🥉 Backup Choices

These are colleges you would still be comfortable joining if your preferred options are not available.

This gives your choice list some depth instead of making it dependent only on a few highly preferred colleges.

How to Prepare Your Maharashtra Choice List?

Before you start filling choices, consider these points:

1. Your Final Merit Position

First, check your final merit position after the list is published.

This gives you a better idea of where you stand in the counselling process.

2. Your Category

Your category can affect the seats and options available to you.

So make sure the category details shown in the counselling process are correct.

3. College Preference

Think about the colleges you genuinely want to join.

Don't put a college at the top simply because someone else recommended it.

4. Budget

This is especially important when you're considering different types of colleges.

Before adding a college, understand whether its fee structure is something your family is comfortable with.

5. Expected Cutoff

Previous-year cutoff trends can help you understand whether a particular college is a realistic option.

But don't treat an old cutoff as a guaranteed cutoff for 2026.

Cutoffs can change depending on the candidate pool, seat availability, preferences, and other counselling factors.

Step 1: Check Your Final Merit Position

Before you touch choice filling, take a few minutes to actually check where you stand on the Final Merit List.

How to check:

1. Visit the official portal, medical2026.mahacet.org
2. Log in with your application ID and password
3. Look for the "Final Merit List of NEET-UG-2026 (Group A)" link, or search the published PDF directly
4. Use "Ctrl+F" on your computer to search for your NEET roll number or name, since this is a large document covering over 35,000 candidates
5. Note down your State Merit List (SML) rank

Being on the final list means you're eligible for choice filling — but your exact rank position is what actually determines which colleges are realistically within reach for you, so don't skip this step.

Step 2: Study The Seat Matrix Before You Fill Choices

The seat matrix, released alongside the final merit list, shows vacant MBBS and BDS seats across government, government-aided, municipal, and private unaided colleges in Maharashtra, broken down by course and category.

This is worth studying carefully before you start ranking your preferences — not after. Compare it against your category and your rank, and get a realistic sense of which colleges are genuinely within your range, along with which ones might be worth including as ambitious or backup options.

Step 3: Round 1 Choice Filling

Window: 26 August 2026 to 29 August 2026, up to 5:30 PM

This is where you actually select and rank the colleges and courses you'd like to be considered for. A few things worth keeping in mind while you do this:

Don't wait until the last hour on 29 August. Server load tends to spike sharply as any deadline approaches, and technical glitches near a closing time can genuinely cost you an entire round. Try to complete your choice filling at least a day early.

Build a wide list, not a short one. Since your final seat depends entirely on what you've added to your list, don't restrict yourself to just a handful of top picks. Add every college and course combination you'd honestly be willing to accept.

Verify your order before locking. Once your choices are submitted, they determine your eligibility for provisional seat allotment in Round 1 — so go through your ranked list one more time before finalizing it.

Keep a record. Take screenshots or a printout of your submitted choices once you're done, for your own reference.

Step 4: Round 1 Seat Allotment Result

Once choice filling closes on 29 August, the CET Cell will declare the Round 1 seat allotment result on 30 August 2026. This tells you which college and course, if any, you've been allotted based on your rank and the choices you filled.

Step 5: Physical Reporting

If you're allotted a seat, you'll need to physically report to your allotted institute between 31 August and 4 September 2026, carrying your original certificates for verification and to complete your admission formalities.

What Happens After Choice Filling?

Once you submit your choices, the next stage is the Round 1 seat allotment.

Your submitted preferences are then considered along with the applicable counselling factors and available seats.

If a seat is allotted, candidates will need to follow the instructions issued by the Maharashtra counselling authority regarding the next admission steps.

So don't stop checking the official counselling portal after submitting your choices.

Documents You Should Keep Ready

Based on what's typically required for Maharashtra CAP reporting, keep these ready in original, well before 31 August:

• NEET UG 2026 admit card and scorecard
• HSC (12th) and SSC (10th) mark sheets and certificates
• Domicile certificate
• Category certificate, Caste Validity Certificate, and Non-Creamy Layer Certificate, if applicable
• A valid government photo ID
• Recent passport-size photographs
• Any category-specific proof relevant to your admission

Having these ready and organised now means you won't be scrambling once the allotment result is out and the reporting window begins.

FAQs

Conclusion

The Maharashtra NEET UG 2026 Round 1 Choice Filling process is about to begin, and candidates should use this time wisely.

The Final Merit List and Round 1 Choice Filling are both scheduled for 26 August 2026 at 4:00 PM. So, don't wait for 4 PM to start thinking about your colleges.

Check your expected options, compare colleges, consider your merit position, category, budget, and expected cutoff, and prepare your preference list beforehand.

Once the final merit list is published, verify your position and then start filling your choices carefully. And before submitting, take one final look at the order.

Your choice list should reflect what you actually want, not what someone else told you to fill.