The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has officially announced the counselling schedule for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Master of Dental Surgery (NEET MDS) 2025. Aspiring dental postgraduate students who qualified for the exam can now prepare for the counselling process, with Round 1 registration set to begin on June 24, 2025. The counselling will be conducted online via the official MCC website, mcc.nic.in.
Key Dates and Details for NEET MDS 2025 Counselling
The NEET MDS 2025 exam, held on April 19, 2025, saw a total of 30,435 candidates registering, with results declared on May 15, 2025. The Dental Council of India (DCI) has set June 30, 2025, as the deadline for completing the mandatory one-year rotatory internship, ensuring more candidates can participate in the counselling process.
Here’s a breakdown of the Round 1 counselling schedule:
- Registration and Choice Filling: June 24 to June 30, 2025
- Seat Allotment Processing: July 1 to July 3, 2025
- Round 1 Seat Allotment Result: July 4, 2025
- Reporting to Allotted Institute: July 5 to July 10, 2025
The counselling process will include up to four rounds, depending on the availability of vacant seats, to fill approximately 1,326 MDS seats under the 50% All India Quota (AIQ) scheme across 259 dental colleges in India. The remaining 50% of seats will be filled through state-level counselling conducted by respective state authorities.
Eligibility and Registration Process
To participate in NEET MDS 2025 counselling, candidates must:
- Have qualified the NEET MDS 2025 exam with the minimum cutoff score (General/EWS: 261, General PwBD: 244, SC/ST/OBC: 227 out of 960).
- Hold a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree from a DCI-recognized institute.
- Be registered with the DCI or State Dental Council (SDC) with permanent or provisional registration.
- Complete their 12-month compulsory rotatory internship by June 30, 2025.
The registration process involves:
- Visiting mcc.nic.in and selecting the “PG Medical Counselling” section.
- Registering using NEET MDS roll number, application ID, and other required details.
- Filling in personal and academic information.
- Paying the non-refundable counselling fee: Rs 1,000 for General category and Rs 500 for SC/ST/OBC for AIQ/Central University seats; Rs 5,000 for all categories for Deemed University seats.
- Choosing preferred colleges and courses, followed by locking the choices by June 30, 2025.
Candidates are advised to keep their login credentials secure and carry essential documents, including the NEET MDS scorecard, BDS degree, internship completion certificate, and DCI/SDC registration, for verification during admission.
What to Expect in the Counselling Process
The NEET MDS 2025 counselling is conducted online for 50% AIQ seats, Central Universities, Deemed Universities, and ESIC colleges. Seat allotment is based on the candidate’s rank, choices filled, seat availability, and reservation criteria. A provisional seat allotment list will be released, allowing candidates to raise grievances, if any, before the final result.
After seat allotment, candidates must report to the allotted institute within the specified timeline to complete document verification and fee payment. Those unsatisfied with their allotted seat can opt for upgradation in subsequent rounds, subject to seat availability. Candidates can also withdraw their admission within the stipulated period by following MCC guidelines.
Important Notes for Candidates
- The MCC has emphasized that no separate entrance exams will be conducted by state governments or private dental colleges for MDS admissions, making NEET MDS the sole gateway for PG dental courses in India.
- Individual scorecards for AIQ seats will be available on May 24, 2025, via natboard.edu.in.
- Candidates who changed their nationality from Indian to NRI for Round 1 must ensure compliance with MCC’s guidelines, as announced earlier.
For the latest updates and detailed schedules, candidates should regularly check mcc.nic.in and natboard.edu.in. The extended internship deadline and structured counselling process aim to provide a fair opportunity for all eligible BDS graduates to pursue their postgraduate dental education.