NEET UG 2026: NMC Adds 13,186 MBBS Seats, Total Intake Reaches 1.4 Lakh

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved 13,186 additional MBBS seats for the 2026-27 academic session, taking the total medical undergraduate intake across the country to 1,40,214 seats in 836 medical colleges.

The revised seat matrix comes as NEET UG 2026 counselling is progressing across the country. The increase provides medical aspirants with a larger pool of MBBS seats this admission cycle, although actual allotments will depend on the counselling process and students' eligibility and rankings.

Private medical colleges account for the majority of the latest increase. Of the 13,186 newly approved seats, 10,400 have been added across 391 private institutions. Government medical colleges have contributed another 2,786 seats across 445 colleges.

Following the increase, government colleges collectively offer 63,971 MBBS seats, while private colleges account for 76,243 seats. Overall, the national intake has risen by around 10.4%, from 1,27,028 seats to 1,40,214.

Karnataka has recorded the largest increase, with 1,650 additional MBBS seats. The state now has 15,745 seats across 76 medical colleges.

Tamil Nadu follows with 1,250 new seats, taking its total intake to 14,299. Bihar has added 1,240 seats and now has 4,660 MBBS seats, while Uttar Pradesh has received 1,200 additional seats, raising its total to 14,400.

Rajasthan has added 1,100 seats, while Telangana has increased its intake by 1,010. West Bengal has received another 975 seats. Maharashtra has added 550 seats, taking its overall MBBS intake to 13,249.

The latest expansion does not apply uniformly across the country. While 27 states and Union Territories have recorded an increase, seven have reported no change in their latest seat matrix. These include Delhi, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Some regions have received comparatively small increases. Himachal Pradesh has added one seat, Manipur has received 25, while Chandigarh, Goa, Punjab and Tripura have each added 50 seats.

For NEET UG aspirants, the additional seats could improve the overall availability of MBBS places during the 2026-27 admission process. However, the increase does not guarantee that every newly approved seat will be offered in every round of counselling.

Counselling authorities have been instructed by the NMC to adhere to the approved seat matrix. Any discrepancy in the listed intake is required to be referred to the Medical Assessment and Rating Board.

Medical colleges have also been cautioned against admitting students beyond their officially approved intake. Institutions that exceed their sanctioned capacity could face regulatory action.

With the provisional Round 2 allotment process already underway, the revised seat matrix could be significant for candidates who have not yet secured an MBBS seat. The additional capacity gives aspirants a broader pool of options, but final admission will continue to depend on counselling rules, seat availability and merit.