New Delhi, Jul 30 (INB) Union Health Minister J P Nadda has reviewed preparations for NEET UG Counselling 2026, directing officials to ensure a transparent, technology-enabled and student-friendly admission process while proactively addressing candidates’ concerns, according to an official statement. During the review meeting, Nadda assessed the preparedness of the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and other stakeholders, including the counselling schedule, IT infrastructure, cybersecurity measures, grievance redressal mechanism and coordination with participating institutions, the statement issued on Wednesday by the Health Ministry said. The minister directed officials to maintain robust technical support, ensure prompt grievance redressal and facilitate the smooth functioning of the counselling portal throughout the admission process. He stressed that every proactive measure should be taken to address candidates’ concerns, it said. According to the statement, NEET UG Counselling 2026 will introduce several technology-enabled reforms aimed at enhancing transparency and simplifying admissions. These include a one-time physical reporting framework, allowing candidates opting for the “Freeze” option to complete admission formalities after a single visit, while those choosing the “Float” option can participate in subsequent counselling rounds with online document verification. The ministry said an online resignation facility has also been introduced, enabling eligible candidates to surrender allotted seats through the MCC counselling portal without physically visiting their institutes, subject to applicable rules. The counselling process will also feature pre-populated candidate data from the National Testing Agency (NTA), online document verification, National Medical Commission (NMC)-validated seat matrices and institute-level verification to improve transparency and operational efficiency, the statement said. To improve accessibility for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), the number of designated disability assessment centres has been increased from 16 to 61 across the country. Revised NMC guidelines also introduce an “Eligibility Certificate” and provide for an Appellate Disability Assessment Board, it added. The ministry further said the admission process under the NRI category has been fully digitised, while cybersecurity preparedness has been strengthened in coordination with the National Informatics Centre (NIC). Training has also been conducted for disability assessment boards, college nodal officers and document verification officers. A 24×7 toll-free helpline, bilingual guidance material, FAQs, guidance videos and a dedicated email-based grievance redressal mechanism have also been put in place to assist candidates during the counselling process, the statement said. The National Testing Agency declared the NEET (UG) 2026 results on July 16, while counselling for All India Quota MBBS, BDS and B.Sc. (Hons.) Nursing seats is expected to commence shortly, according to the statement.
