NEET-PG choice filling: how many choices, and in what order

How MCC reads your list

A computer goes down the rank list, starting with rank 1. For each person, it looks at their list from the top and gives them the first seat that is still free. Then it moves to the next person. So the order of your list is everything. A “safe” choice placed above your dream choice costs you the dream, because the computer stops at the safe one first.

How many choices?

MCC lets you add as many choices as you like, and its bulletin says it is advisable to fill in 30 to 40. More choices do not hurt you, as long as every one is a seat you would really join and they are in the right order. If every seat on your list is gone before your turn comes, you get no seat in that round.

But only add seats you would actually join. From Round 2 onwards, a seat you are given and do not join costs your security deposit. See free exit and security deposit.

What order? Dream, moderate, safe

• Dream seats first. Seats whose past closing rank (the rank of the last person who got it) was better than your rank. You may not get them, but it costs nothing to try, because the computer only moves down your list if they are gone.
• Moderate seats next. Seats whose past closing rank was close to your rank.
• Safe seats last. Seats whose past closing rank was well past your rank. They catch you if everything above is taken.

Inside each group, put seats in the order you truly want them: the branch and college you would pick first, at the top. Past closing ranks are a guide, not a promise for this year; see how to read closing ranks.

An example list (made up)

This is only an example. The colleges below are not real and the order is not advice for your rank. It shows the shape of a good list: dream at the top, safe at the bottom.

A fresh list in every round

You fill and lock choices again in each round. MCC’s bulletin says fresh choice filling can be done in every round (page 59, Q39), and that Round 2 and Round 3 need fresh choices (page 55, Q16). In Round 1 only the clear-cut vacancies are shown. In Round 2 you see two kinds: clear-cut vacancies (seats not allotted in Round 1) and virtual vacancies, which are the Round 1 seats of candidates who opted to upgrade. A virtual vacancy can be filled in Round 2 only if its Round 1 holder actually upgrades or vacates (page 8, paras 2.20 to 2.23).

For a candidate who gave willingness to upgrade, MCC says the choice of higher preference is considered for the upgrade (page 55, Q16). Whether to keep the seat you hold or go for a better one is the Freeze or Float decision.

Before you add a seat to the list

• Fees and bond. The stipend, fee, course length and bond details on MCC’s site come from the colleges. MCC takes no responsibility for them, and says to check the college’s own website or contact it before filling choices; some All India Quota colleges, and especially deemed universities, can have a high fee (page 7, paras 2.14 and 2.15; page 57, Q23).
• The college itself. The bulletin suggests checking the address of each chosen college while choice filling (page 57, Q23), and preparing a tentative list from the seat matrix on paper before you go online (page 57, Q24).
• Your own eligibility. For the 50% institutional quota of the central universities and institutes, confirm your eligibility first. The same software handles All India Quota and the institutional quota, so one list in order of preference covers both (page 59, Q41; page 60, Q44).
• PwD choices. You can fill PwD choices only if you hold the online eligibility certificate from one of the designated medical assessment boards (page 9, para 2.28; page 53, Q10).

Locking and printing

You can add, delete and change choices as often as you like until you lock them (page 58, Q28). Check the list carefully before locking: a locked list cannot be changed or unlocked, not even by MCC, and a mistake can give you a seat you never wanted (page 54, Q13). If you have not locked by the deadline, the server locks what you saved (page 58, Q29). After locking you can print the list from the “Print Lock Choice” link after login (page 58, Q30).

Mistakes that cost seats

• Safe seats at the top. The computer gives you the first free seat, so you get the safe one and never reach your better choices.
• Adding seats you would not join. From Round 2 onwards, not joining costs your deposit. In Round 3, it also ends your MCC counselling.
• Not locking your list. If you do not lock it before the deadline, the computer locks whatever is saved at that moment. Once locked, nobody can change it, not even MCC.
• Forgetting to say you want to upgrade. To try for a better seat in Round 2 while keeping your Round 1 seat, choose Float: join the Round 1 seat online and give your willingness to upgrade on the MCC portal. If you do not, you will not be considered for an upgrade in Round 2.
• Reusing the old list. Each round needs a fresh list; your earlier list is thrown away.
• Wanting to keep your Round 1 seat but filling Round 2 choices. A better Round 2 seat cancels your Round 1 seat straight away. If you want to keep it, fill no Round 2 choices.
• Not checking fees and bonds. Tuition, stipend and service bond are set by each college and state. Check before you add a seat. See stipend and bond by state.

Choice-filling dates change every year; see the counselling calendar. Last year’s allotment results on MCC’s site are only a guide, with no guarantee for this year (page 53, Q12); how to read a closing rank shows how to use them.

Build your list with FindMyBranch

The full report includes a choice list builder. It starts your list from your own results in the right order (dream, then moderate, then safe), lets you drag rows up and down, and exports it so you can copy it into MCC’s choice-filling page.