The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has put the choice filling and locking process for Round 1 of NEET UG 2025 counselling on hold, triggering uncertainty among thousands of medical aspirants. The move was announced late Monday night via an official notification, which stated that the process has been temporarily suspended and a revised schedule will be issued shortly. The Committee did not provide a reason for the abrupt suspension. However, it confirmed that the counselling process will resume once the updated timeline is finalized. "The Choice Filling & Choice Locking for Round-1 has been put on hold. The revised schedule will be announced shortly," the MCC notice read.

According to the previously announced timeline, candidates were expected to submit and lock their choices by August 4, with Round 1 seat allotments slated for release on August 6. The schedule had already undergone a revision to accommodate additional time for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) to obtain necessary certification from designated centers.

The delay has added to the anxiety among medical aspirants, many of whom had planned their academic calendar around the original schedule.

Amid the pause in the process, the MCC has directed all participating institutions—including AIIMS, central and deemed universities, and BSc nursing colleges under the All India Quota (AIQ)—to re-verify their tentative seat matrices. The move is aimed at ensuring accuracy in seat availability before the counseling process resumes.

In a parallel development, the MCC has approved Non-Resident Indian (NRI) status for 188 candidates eligible for Round 1. These applicants had submitted their documentation via email by August 3 and were granted NRI status following a detailed verification of their credentials.

Despite a significant 39% increase in MBBS seats over the last four years, thousands of undergraduate medical seats continue to remain vacant across the country. Data tabled in the Lok Sabha on August 1 by Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel revealed that MBBS seats rose from 83,275 in 2020–21 to 115,900 in 2024–25. However, the number of unfilled seats has remained a concern, dropping only marginally from 4,146 in 2022–23 to 2,849 in the current academic year. The figures raise questions about the effectiveness of seat allocation mechanisms and underscore the urgency for timely and transparent counseling procedures.

What’s next - With no clear explanation for the suspension and the counseling process in limbo, candidates now await the revised Round 1 timeline. The MCC is expected to release a fresh schedule in the coming days. Candidates have been advised to regularly check the official MCC website for updates and not to rely on unofficial sources for information.