Tamil Nadu Medical Selection Committee, Directorate of Medical Education & Research, Chennai, has released the tentative Round 3 counselling schedule for MBBS and BDS admissions for the 2026-27 academic session.
Round 3 counselling will cover admissions to Tamil Nadu Government Medical and Dental Colleges, ESIC Medical College, Government Quota seats in self-financing medical colleges, dental colleges, State Private Universities and Wards of IRT Candidates.
Tamil Nadu NEET UG Round 3 Counselling 2026 Schedule
| Counselling Activity | Date & Time |
|---|---|
| Registration & Fee Payment | September 28, 2026, 10:00 AM to September 30, 2026, 5:00 PM |
| Choice Filling & Locking | October 1, 2026, 2:00 PM to October 9, 2026, 5:00 PM |
| Processing of Virtual Vacancies | September 30, 2026 |
| Processing of Seat Allotment | October 10 & 11, 2026 |
| Round 3 Result Publication | October 12, 2026 |
| Download Provisional Allotment Order | October 12 to October 14, 2026, up to 12:00 Noon |
| Last Date for Joining | October 14, 2026, up to 5:00 PM |
Round 3 Registration and Choice Filling
Candidates who registered in Round 1 or Round 2 and did not receive a seat are not required to register again. Candidates who were allotted a seat but did not join in Round 1 or Round 2 also do not need to register again.
Candidates who joined in Round 2 and had opted for upgradation will have their seats shown as virtual vacancies in Round 3.
Candidates who had joined in Round 2 but earlier selected “No” for upgradation and now wish to participate in Round 3 must log in during the registration window and confirm their participation.
Fresh registration is permitted for Round 3 for candidates who did not register in Round 1 or Round 2, provided they have already applied to the Tamil Nadu Medical Selection Committee and their names are included in the published merit list.
Choice Filling and Seat Allotment
Candidates participating in Round 3 must fill their choices after registration. The Selection Committee has advised candidates to select only their preferred colleges carefully.
Choices can be edited any number of times before locking. However, once the choices are locked, they cannot be changed.
Seat allotment will be based on NEET UG rank and applicable reservation rules. Virtual vacancies will become actual vacancies only if the candidate holding the earlier seat vacates or upgrades from that seat.
Candidates who are re-allotted a seat in Round 3 will have their previous MBBS or BDS seat allotted to other candidates in descending order.
Important Rule for Round 3 Allottees
Candidates allotted a seat in Round 3 must join the allotted college within the prescribed deadline.
The notification states that candidates allotted and joined in Round 3 will not be eligible for the subsequent stray vacancy round and any additional rounds, if conducted.
Once a candidate joins the Round 3 allotted seat, they cannot upgrade or resign from that seat.
Candidates who download the Round 3 allotment order but do not join the allotted seat will be treated as joined and will have to forfeit the registration fee, security deposit and tuition fee already paid. They will also become ineligible for subsequent counselling rounds.
Similarly, candidates allotted a Round 3 seat who do not download the allotment order will forfeit the applicable registration fee, security deposit and tuition fee already paid and will not be eligible for subsequent rounds.
Fee Payment and Reporting
Allotted candidates must download their provisional allotment order and join the concerned medical or dental college within the date and time mentioned in the order.
Certificate verification will be conducted at the selected college. Candidates must produce their original certificates in person, along with scanned copies of the original certificates.
If a candidate does not report to the allotted institution within the prescribed deadline, the selection and/or admission will be cancelled without further notice.
7.5% Special Reservation for Tamil Nadu Government School Students
Selection Committee has also released a separate Round 3 counselling schedule for the 7.5% Special Reservation for Tamil Nadu Government School Students. For this category, the schedule is the same:
- Registration: September 28 to September 30, 2026
- Choice Filling & Locking: October 1 to October 9, 2026
- Seat Allotment Processing: October 10–11, 2026
- Result: October 12, 2026
- Allotment Order Download: October 12–14, 2026, up to 12:00 Noon
- Last Date to Join: October 14, 2026, up to 5:00 PM
Candidates under the 7.5% special reservation are not required to pay processing fee, security deposit or tuition fee as mentioned in the notification.
Fee Relief for Eligible SC, SCA, ST and SCC Candidates
The Selection Committee has also issued an important notice regarding candidates belonging to SC, SCA, ST and SCC categories whose parents’ annual income is below Rs.2.50 lakh.
Such eligible candidates are exempt from upfront payment of tuition fees, development fees and other non-refundable fees fixed by the Fee Fixation Committee.
The concerned colleges have been directed to admit eligible candidates without insisting on upfront payment and to facilitate their Post Matric Scholarship claims.
The notification further states that tuition fees will be collected only for 4½ years of academic study, as applicable under the prescribed norms, and no tuition fee will be collected for the one-year compulsory rotating medical internship.
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