The Atal Medical and Research University (AMRU) in Himachal Pradesh has published the final prospectus and schedule for the 2026 NEET Undergraduate (UG) counselling. This process is crucial for students seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses in the state’s government and private medical and dental colleges. Candidates who qualify NEET UG 2026 can apply online for the counselling by August 17, 2026.
How HP NEET UG Counselling Works
AMRU conducts the centralised counselling on behalf of the Himachal Pradesh government. The counselling allocates seats based on merit, determined by NEET UG 2026 scores. It covers admissions to six government medical colleges, one government dental college, three private dental colleges, and one private medical college in Himachal Pradesh.
Applicants must pay an application fee to participate: Rs 2,500 for general, NRI, OBC, and other categories; Rs 1,500 for SC, ST, and EWS candidates; while persons with disabilities (PwD) are exempt from the fee.
Key Dates and Counselling Process for 2026
- Round 1 application window: August 13 to 17, 2026
- Provisional merit list release: August 18, 2026
- Final merit list: August 19, 2026
- Choice filling for courses and colleges: August 21 to 23, 2026
- Provisional seat allocation: August 25, 2026
- Final seat allocation: August 26, 2026
- Joining allotted colleges: August 28 and 29, 2026
- Round 2 and Round 3 counselling sessions follow in late August through September with similar timelines for applications, merit lists, seat allocation, and joining dates
Details for the stray round will be announced separately.
Seat Distribution Across Colleges
The six government medical colleges each offer 120 MBBS seats, divided into 15% All India Quota and 85% State Quota. One college, Sh Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College in Ner-Chowk, also reserves 36 seats under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) quota.
Government and private dental colleges have varying seat capacities. The H.P. Government Dental College in Shimla has 75 seats, while private dental colleges have between 60 and 100 seats, with management quota seats available in private institutions.
Maharishi Markandeshwar Medical College, the only private medical college in the counselling, has 150 seats: 25% under state quota and 75% under management quota, with further reservation breakdowns for categories such as SC, ST, OBC, PwD, and others.
Why This Counselling Schedule Matters for Medical Aspirants
The release of the counselling schedule and seat matrix provides clarity and structure for thousands of NEET-qualified candidates aiming to secure medical or dental seats in Himachal Pradesh. Timely application and understanding of seat allocation rules are critical for candidates to maximize their chances of admission.
With rising competition and increasing fees in many private medical colleges nationwide, the state counselling process offers a transparent and merit-based pathway to medical education. It also ensures reserved category candidates and PwD applicants have clear guidelines and fee concessions.
Prospective students should monitor official AMRU announcements closely for any updates or changes to the counselling timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who conducts the HP NEET UG counselling for 2026?
A: Atal Medical and Research University (AMRU) conducts the centralised counselling on behalf of the Himachal Pradesh government.
Q: What is the last date to apply for the first round of counselling?
A: Candidates can submit their online applications for round 1 counselling until August 17, 2026.
Q: How are the MBBS seats distributed among government medical colleges?
A: Each government medical college has 120 MBBS seats, with 15% reserved for All India Quota and 85% for State Quota. One college also has 36 seats under the ESI quota.
