9,783 new seats: NEET PG 2026 total jumps to 68,305, govt colleges get the biggest share

9,783 new postgraduate medical seats have been added for the 2026-27 academic year. The total now stands at 68,305, up from 58,522 last year. These are the seats NEET PG 2026 candidates are competing for in counselling, and government medical colleges have taken the biggest share of the new seats.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) published the updated seat matrix on November 6. It came through the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB), the arm of the NMC that clears new courses and extra intake. The matrix covers MD, MS, diploma and six-year MCh seats in broad specialities such as general medicine, surgery and paediatrics.

The rise is sharp. A gain of 9,783 seats on a base of 58,522 works out to about 17 per cent in a single year. MARB president Dr M K Ramesh told The Times of India that the new seats were added after the board processed applications from colleges for more intake and new courses.

NEET PG 2026: where the 9,783 new seats have gone

Government medical colleges got 4,373 of the new seats. Private colleges got 4,148, and deemed universities got 1,262. The split matters for students because government seats carry far lower fees than private ones. The biggest gain has landed where most candidates want to study.

After the addition, government colleges hold 34,473 PG seats. Private colleges hold 24,732, and deemed universities hold 9,100. Just over half of all PG seats in the country now sit in government colleges.

The new seats come from two routes. Some colleges got permission to raise the intake of PG courses they already run. Others got the go-ahead to start new PG courses. MARB processed the applications and added both kinds to the matrix.

Karnataka leads, five states hold half the seats

Karnataka has the most PG medical seats in the country, with 8,998 approved for 2026-27. Maharashtra follows with 7,682. Uttar Pradesh has 6,983, Tamil Nadu 6,819 and Telangana 4,417.

Put together, these five states hold 34,899 seats. That is about 51 per cent of the national total. Students in other states will still find seats closer home, but the map stays tilted towards the south and west.

General medicine remains the biggest draw. MD General Medicine has 6,983 seats, the highest for any single course. MD Anaesthesiology has 6,419 seats and MS General Surgery has 6,349. MS Obstetrics and Gynaecology has 5,466 seats, and MD Paediatrics has 4,893.

What this means for Round 2 counselling

The timing is good news for candidates waiting for the next round. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) received the seat matrix for the newly approved seats from the NMC on November 3. MCC has said the Round 2 schedule will be revised, with the new dates expected from November 7 onwards. The day-wise dates are not out yet.

Candidates should check the MCC website for the revised schedule before locking choices. The new colleges and courses may only show up in the Round 2 seat matrix, so it is worth waiting for that list rather than going by the old one.

The NEET PG 2026 Round 1 seat allotment is done, and allottees have reported to colleges. For those still in the race, the extra seats mean more chances in Round 2 and the rounds after it. A seat that was out of reach in Round 1 may now fall within range, mostly in the new and expanded courses.

Colleges get 7 days to submit bank guarantee

There is one catch. A seat counts only after the college files its paperwork. MARB has told colleges to submit an electronic bank guarantee within seven days of the November 6 notice. The letter of permission for a new course or extra intake comes only after the guarantee is checked and found in order.

MARB has also warned colleges not to admit anyone beyond the approved intake. The notice says counselling bodies must go by the latest matrix on the NMC website, and any change to the matrix will replace the earlier version.

“No Medical College/Institution shall admit any candidate against seats exceeding its approved annual intake capacity.”

The matrix can still change. MARB says it will stay open to revision, and seats in super speciality courses will come in a later update. Students should treat the numbers as the latest official count, not the final word.

For now, the picture is clear. More seats, more government seats, and more choice in Round 2. Candidates can check the full state-wise and course-wise list in the updated seat matrix on the NMC website. We will keep tracking every change in this counselling cycle in our education news section.