Every round, both tracks, one plan
Other sites sell “MCC counselling” and “state counselling” as separate packages. They are one decision with two tracks — and the rules change every round. Here is each round's playbook, with the allotment-day decision tree and what every exit costs.
One registration covers the 15% All India Quota, ALL deemed universities, AIIMS, JIPMER and central institutes. Four rounds, dated below.
Runs 13 Aug–29 Aug (R1) and 31 Aug–15 Sept (R2) inside MCC's alignment windows. Exit and bond rules are the STATE's own — your state guide has them.
The timing trap is designed: state R1 closes before MCC R2 results. Hold both tracks until a round forces the choice — the data sharing that eliminates double-holders starts only at R3/stray.
MCC Round 1
reg 5 Aug–12 Aug · result 17 Aug- →Register on mcc.nic.in the day it opens — payment gateways fail on deadline day, and the fee window closes early evening.
- →Fill a LONG choice list in true preference order and lock it — unlocked lists are lost at window close.
- →This is the calm round: nothing you do here costs a deposit yet.
Report physically at the college with originals (FREEZE). Done for the season if you stay happy with it.
Submit willingness for upgradation online (FLOAT). Do NOT report physically. You keep this seat if the upgrade fails, and every choice ABOVE it stays live for R2.
Round 1 has FREE EXIT: walk away with no forfeiture. But decide, don't drift — and remember free exit dies with this round.
MCC Round 2
reg 25 Aug–29 Aug · result 2 Sept- →New here? Fresh registration opens (full fee + security deposit).
- →Everyone fills FRESH choices — R1 lists don't carry over. Use the R1 closings now published.
- →From this round, leaving an allotted seat costs the security deposit. Read the exit rules before locking.
Report physically with originals, or float for R3 (online willingness, no physical reporting). Floating is free; the seat stays yours if R3 doesn't improve it.
Not reporting, or resigning after joining, forfeits the security deposit — and Round 3 then needs FRESH payment of security. Decide against the deposit, not against pride.
MCC Round 3
reg 11 Sept–15 Sept · result 18 Sept- →Last regular round. Candidates who resigned or skipped R2 reporting must pay fresh security to enter.
- →Only list colleges you will genuinely JOIN — the exit door is welded shut after this result.
Report physically. Every R3 allottee must report — including R1/R2 floaters who didn't upgrade (report at your held college).
Not reporting = forfeiture + elimination from ALL further rounds, MCC and beyond. A joined R3 seat cannot be vacated at all. There is no cheap way out of this round.
Your R2 seat is GONE the moment the upgrade lands — there is no claim on it. This is why floats into R3 must be genuinely preferred, not just 'better on paper'.
MCC Stray round
reg 28 Sept–30 Sept · result 3 Oct- →Fresh registration for everyone. MCC shares data with every state first — a state allotment anywhere eliminates you here.
- →One rule decides whether to enter: would you join ANY seat on this list? If not, don't register.
You MUST join. Not joining forfeits the deposit and bars you from any further round anywhere. The stray round is a commitment, not an option.
Keeping an MCC allotment while your state's round runs is normal and allowed — the endgame narrows it: MCC shares allotment data with every state after R3 and stray, and a seat on record in one system eliminates you from the other's stray rounds. Leaving a JOINED state seat follows the state's own bond and forfeiture rules, not MCC's. The full deposit table and refund traps: exit rules.
Dates are MCC's published plan of 1 Aug and can slip mid-season — 2025 ran ~3 weeks late. Rules per the UG 2026 information bulletin; the bulletin on mcc.nic.in wins any disagreement with this page.