Deepti · August 10, 2026 
The NEET PG seat matrix for the 2026 academic year has been updated. The National Medical Commission (NMC) published the revised PG Broad Speciality Seat Matrix on November 6, 2026, following its earlier publication dated September 29, 2026. The updated document lists 68,305 approved PG seats across medical colleges and institutions in India.
The NMC document shows the approved postgraduate intake by medical college, course, state and institution category. The counselling authorities use this data to prepare their counselling matrices. Knowing the difference between the NMC matrix, the MCC matrix and state counselling matrices helps you build better choices during NEET PG counselling 2026.
What Exactly Is a NEET PG Seat Matrix?
A NEET PG seat matrix provides information about postgraduate medical seats by college, course and institution. The NMC-approved matrix lists the annual intake approved for each medical college or institution. MCC and state counselling authorities publish separate counselling matrices showing the seats offered through their respective counselling processes and rounds.
In counselling-round seat matrices, candidates may come across different vacancy types:
- Clear vacancy: Seats that were never allotted in the previous round and are open again.
- Virtual vacancy: Seats held by candidates who got upgraded to a later round; these become available only if that candidate actually vacates.
- Newly added seats: Seats approved and added mid-counselling after institutions receive fresh clearance.
NEET PG 2026 Seat Matrix: Key Numbers at a Glance
NMC published the updated PG Broad Speciality Seat Matrix for the 2026–27 academic year on November 6, 2026. It lists 68,305 approved PG seats across government, private and deemed medical institutions.
The institution-category distribution is as follows:
| Particulars | Approved Seats |
|---|---|
| Government institutions | 34,473 |
| Private institutions | 24,732 |
| Deemed universities | 9,100 |
| Total approved seats | 68,305 |
These figures represent NMC-approved annual intake, not the number of vacant seats available in a particular counselling round. MCC and state counselling authorities use the latest approved matrix to prepare their respective counselling matrices, subject to applicable quotas, regulations and subsequent revisions.
The updated matrix includes additional seats approved by MARB for increased intake in existing PG courses and the commencement of new PG courses in existing medical colleges and standalone PG institutions. Institutions granted permission for new courses or increased intake must submit the prescribed electronic bank guarantee (e-BG) within seven days of the November 6 notice. MARB will issue the relevant permission letters after receiving and verifying the e-BG.
NMC may revise the matrix further after MARB, the competent Appeal Authority or another authorised body makes additional decisions. NMC will announce the additional PG Super Speciality seats for the 2026–27 academic year in a later update.
For the detailed state-wise, college-wise and course-wise approved intake, refer to the official NMC Updated PG Seat Matrix dated November 6, 2026.
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How the AIQ, Deemed, Central, and DNB Matrix Works
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) handles four separate matrices for its share of seats:
- 50% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government medical colleges
- 100% seats in Deemed Universities
- Central Institute and University seats (DU, AMU, BHU, and others)
- 100% DNB (Diplomate of National Board) seats
As an example of what this actually looks like, you can look at MCC’s PG counselling archive, which hosts the official AIQ, Central Internal Quota, Deemed University, and DNB seat matrix PDFs from previous cycles. These are useful to understand the document’s format and structure, but treat any older year’s numbers as illustrative only, not a prediction for 2026.
The updated NMC matrix dated November 6, 2026, shows the approved annual intake of PG courses at the institution level. The MCC NEET PG seat matrix is a separate counselling-level document that shows seats included in the relevant counselling process and round. Therefore, the NMC total of 68,305 should not be treated as the final MCC Round 2 vacancy count. DNB seats should also be checked separately through the relevant MCC and NBEMS documents.
Explore Private Medical Colleges Accepting Low NEET PG Score to understand your admission options, cutoff trends and fee details.
DNB Seat Matrix 2026 — Where to Check It
DNB, or Diplomate of National Board, is a postgraduate medical qualification awarded by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). It differs from MD/MS because DNB training and certification follow the NBEMS framework rather than a university MD/MS framework.
For Post MBBS DNB admissions, NEET PG serves as the entrance examination. The NEET-PG framework covers admission to Post MBBS DNB courses along with MD, MS and PG Diploma pathways. NBEMS conducts NEET PG, while counselling and seat allotment are handled by the designated counselling authorities.
Candidates should not confuse Post MBBS DNB with DNB Post Diploma. Post Diploma DNB admissions use DNB-PDCET and follow a separate NBEMS counselling process. NBEMS published a separate indicative seat matrix and counselling notices for DNB Post Diploma seats in 2026.
For the DNB Seat Matrix 2026, candidates should check the MCC PG Medical Counselling portal for DNB seats included in NEET PG counselling and the NBEMS official website for DNB-specific notices and updates. MCC’s PG counselling system has historically published separate DNB seat matrices alongside AIQ and other PG counselling matrices.
To complete a DNB Seat Matrix 2026 PDF Download, open the relevant counselling notice or seat-matrix section, select the 2026 PG counselling document, and download the PDF published by the authority. Always check the round and publication date before using a DNB seat list for choice filling.
Category-Wise Reservation: What Stays Fixed
While the total seat count shifts every year, the reservation percentages for AIQ seats are fixed by central policy and don’t change from cycle to cycle:
| Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
| Other Backward Class, Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% |
| Persons with Disability (PwD) | 5% horizontal, across all categories |
These percentages apply to the relevant AIQ reservation framework. State counselling can follow different reservation rules based on state policy, domicile conditions and applicable regulations. Candidates should read the current counselling notification before treating any category percentage as applicable to a specific state seat.
State-Wise Seat Matrix: A Different System Entirely
The updated NMC PG Seat Matrix dated November 6, 2026, provides a national college-wise and course-wise record of approved PG intake, with the state and institution category identified for each entry. However, the NEET PG Seat Matrix State Wise used for actual state quota counselling is published by the respective state counselling authority and may differ from the NMC-approved intake list.
For example, Karnataka candidates should check the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) for state counselling information and the state’s applicable seat matrix.
This means a candidate searching for the State Wise NEET PG Seat Matrix 2026 should distinguish between two documents: the NMC-approved national intake matrix and the state authority’s counselling matrix. The latter shows which seats participate in that state’s counselling process and how the state applies its quota and reservation rules.
Candidates comparing multiple states should check each official counselling portal instead of relying on one third-party combined PDF.
How to Read the NEET PG Seat Matrix PDF
The updated NMC PG Seat Matrix for 2026–27 is available. When reviewing the PDF, check the following details:
- College name and institution code
- State or Union Territory
- Institution category (Government, Private or Deemed)
- Course name and course type
- Total approved annual intake for the college and course
The NMC matrix does not show round-wise clear or virtual vacancies or the quota-wise seats offered during counselling. For these details, refer to the relevant MCC or state counselling seat matrix.
Don’t look only at the national seat count. Check the college, course and approved intake carefully, then confirm the actual seat availability through the relevant counselling authority.
Use the official NMC NEET PG Seat Matrix PDF for approved academic intake. Use the relevant MCC or state counselling PDF for the seats actually offered in that counselling process.
How Career Plan B Helps
Reading a seat matrix correctly and using it to build a realistic choice list is one of the most consequential parts of counselling. Here’s how personalised guidance can help.
- Personalized Career Counselling: Helps interpret what the live seat matrix means for your rank and category.
- Psychometric & Career Assessment Tests: Helps you prioritise specialities that fit your interests and strengths.
- Career Roadmapping: Connects your seat matrix choices with your longer-term medical career goals.
- Admission & Academic Profile Guidance: Helps build a realistic, ranked choice list from the current counselling data.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is the NEET PG 2026 seat matrix available now?
Yes, NMC published the updated PG Broad Speciality Seat Matrix for the 2026–27 academic year on November 6, 2026. It provides the approved college-wise and course-wise PG intake across government, private and deemed institutions.
Q2. Where can I check the official NEET PG 2026 seat matrix?
Download the latest NMC Updated PG Seat Matrix, published on November 6, 2026. For round-wise AIQ, Deemed, Central and DNB counselling matrices, check the MCC website. State candidates should visit their respective counselling authority’s website.
Q3. How many total NEET PG seats are there in 2026?
NMC’s updated PG Seat Matrix dated November 6, 2026, lists 68,305 approved PG seats for the 2026–27 academic year.
Q4. Where can I check the DNB seat matrix for NEET PG 2026?
Check the MCC PG Medical Counselling page for DNB seats included in NEET PG counselling. Check NBEMS for DNB-specific notices and separate Post Diploma DNB counselling updates.
Q5. Does the category-wise reservation percentage change every year?
The central AIQ reservation framework remains 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 27% OBC-NCL, 10% EWS and 5% horizontal PwD reservation. State quota counselling can follow state-specific rules.
Q6. Why does the NMC PG seat matrix get revised?
NMC may update the approved PG seat matrix when MARB grants additional intake in existing courses or approves new PG courses. The November 6, 2026, update includes such additional approvals. NMC has also clarified that the matrix may be revised further based on subsequent decisions by the competent authorities.
Conclusion
The NEET PG seat matrix 2026 has been updated by NMC for the 2026–27 academic year. The revised matrix, published on November 6, 2026, lists 68,305 approved PG seats across government, private and deemed institutions. Candidates should review the latest college-wise and course-wise intake while planning their choices. However, they must always check the relevant MCC or state counselling matrix for actual seat availability, quota details and round-wise vacancies, as the NMC-approved matrix may undergo further revisions.
