Maharashtra NEET PG 2026: Choice Filling Opens Nov 2, Merit List Out for 7,200+ Candidates

More than 7,200 candidates are eligible for Maharashtra NEET PG 2026 choice filling, and the window opens tomorrow, November 2. The Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell has released the provisional state merit list for MD, MS and PG Diploma seats, and the final provisional list along with the Round 1 seat matrix is due on November 2. If you are on the list, the next three days decide where you study.

The merit list covers the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) for state quota seats. It decides admission to 50 percent of state quota seats in government and municipal corporation medical colleges, and 100 percent of institutional quota seats in private unaided medical colleges in Maharashtra. Your state merit rank, not just your all India rank, sets your place in this queue.

Your state rank decides your seat order

Open the merit list PDF and search for your name or roll number with Ctrl+F. Check four things before you do anything else. First, your State Merit Rank (SMR). Second, your NEET PG All India Rank and total score. Third, your category and quota details, including EWS, PwD and in-service status where they apply. Fourth, whether your caste certificate verification status is shown correctly.

Spotted a mistake in the provisional list? The grievance window ran from October 30 to November 1, till 12 noon, and the CET Cell asked for supporting documents with every correction request. Requests without proof were not considered. That window has now closed, so the final provisional list due on November 2 is the one your choices will run on.

CAP Round 1 dates: mark these five days

The CET Cell has revised the Round 1 schedule, and these are the dates that matter now.

• November 2: Final provisional state merit list, in-service state merit list and Round 1 seat matrix published.
• November 2 to 4: Online preference and choice filling, open till 11:59 pm on November 4.
• November 5: CAP Round 1 selection list published.
• November 6 to 10: Physical reporting and joining at the allotted college, up to 5:30 pm.
• Later rounds: The schedule for the next CAP rounds will be announced separately.

Do not wait till the evening of November 4 to fill your choices. Portals slow down on the last day, and a half-filled form helps no one. Fill early, then use the remaining time to reorder your preferences if you change your mind.

How to check the merit list and fill your choices

The process runs on the official CET Cell portal, and every step below happens there. You can apply on the official portal for Maharashtra NEET PG 2026 counselling.

• Go to the CET Cell portal and pick the admission portal for 2026-27, or go straight to medical2026.mahacet.org.
• Open the NEET PGM 2026 section from the home page menu.
• Find the provisional or final state merit list link and download the PDF.
• Search the PDF for your name, roll number or application number and note your state merit rank.
• When choice filling opens on November 2, log in and enter your college and course preferences in order.
• Submit before 11:59 pm on November 4 and keep a printout or screenshot of your submitted choices.

One habit saves a lot of regret later. List your choices in the order you actually want them, not in the order you think you will get them. The system works down your list from the top. A safe choice placed above a dream choice will win, even if your rank could have got you the dream seat.

Before you lock choices, check the fees

A seat you cannot afford to join is not a good choice, no matter how good the college looks on paper.

The CET Cell has told candidates to verify quota-wise fees before filling preferences. Fees differ sharply between government, municipal and private colleges, and between quotas. Open the seat matrix on November 2, match each college against its fee for your quota, and only then rank it. Students in other states are facing the same question right now: the Madhya Pradesh NEET PG Round 1 allotment runs on a similar reporting window, and the NEET PG 2026 fee rule for NBEMS seats changed how first-year fees are paid this year. For the full picture, browse the rest of the admissions section.

What happens after November 5

If your name appears on the selection list, you report in person at the allotted college between November 6 and 10, by 5:30 pm. Carry all original documents for verification, pay the admission fee, and complete the status retention form as per the college instructions. The CET Cell has also said cheques will be accepted only on holidays, and a cheque submitted on a holiday must be replaced with a demand draft on the next working day. Plan your payment so this does not trip you up at the counter.

Missed Round 1, or did not get a seat you want? Later CAP rounds will follow, and the CET Cell will publish their schedule separately. Keep checking the official portal instead of trusting forwarded messages, which often mix up old and new dates.