Maharashtra NEET Counselling: No more institute-level MBBS admission in private medical colleges

In a significant move, the Maharashtra state government has eliminated institutional round admissions for MBBS in private medical colleges, bringing allotments under the state CET Cell’s Centralised Admission Process (CAP). Also, a penalty to curb seat blocking has been introduced. MCC NEET UG Counselling 2026 Live Updates

According to the Indian Express report, if students are allotted seats in the final round and they fail to join it, leaving it vacant, they will not be allowed MBBS and dental admissions in the state for the next two academic years.

All the admission icuding the stray vacancy rounds, will go through the State CET Cell’s CAP rounds, ending the practice of private medical colleges holding separate institution-level admission to fill the vacant seats.

The Medical Education and Drugs Department revised rules saying all admissions, including stray vacancy rounds, will now go only through CAP by the CET Cell, the IE report said.

However, the free exit for candidates after CAP rounds has been retained. Those who give away seats after the round 3 admission will remain ineligible for subsequent rounds.

VIMS Palghar plea to Bombay HC

In several instances, private medical colleges have reached out to Bombay HC, which eventually allowed institute-level MBBS admissions.

Last year, Vedantaa Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS), Palghar , a private medical college, moved to Bombay High Court (HC) to conduct an institute-level admission round. In another plea, the college also challenged the state’s decision to limit the NRI quota benefits to only the actual NRIs and their children.

The petition came after VIMS Palghar litigated for the college-level admissions earlier.

The new rule brings an end to the practice of private medical colleges holding institutional rounds to fill vacant seats at the end of the admission cycle even after students, parents and activists criticised the arbitrary allotments and higher fee demands.

Also read Beyond Textbooks: How simulation labs in Tamil Nadu medical colleges are reshaping MBBS training

No possibility of ‘institutional round’, says official

A CET Cell official said that earlier colleges were allowed to fill leftover seats themselves through an ‘institutional round’ after the main admission process. Now, that option is gone. If medical seats aren't filled by the CET Cell's deadline, they will simply remain vacant.

“Now that all admissions have to be through CAP, the CET Cell will conduct admissions till the cut-off date. If seats remain vacant even after that, they will remain vacant, with no possibility of an institutional round,” a CET Cell official told IE .

The official further added that the medical colleges should discourage students from holding back seats for institutional rounds.