Introduction
Wondering how many NEET PG seats in Maharashtra you’re actually competing for? Here’s the direct answer: Maharashtra offers roughly 2,500+ MD/MS/PG Diploma seats through its own state seat matrix, and it holds the number one spot in India for government NEET PG seats. Between its government colleges, private and deemed institutes, and central institutions like Tata Memorial and BARC, the state remains one of the strongest options in the country for PG medical admissions. This guide breaks down the exact seat matrix, course-wise distribution, top colleges, and how Maharashtra stacks up against Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and other major states.
Maharashtra NEET PG Seat Matrix 2026
The State Common Entrance Test Cell (CET Cell) publishes the Maharashtra NEET PG seat matrix on cetcell.mahacet.org separately for each CAP round, once NBEMS declares the NEET PG 2026 result and MCC completes its first All India Quota round. Until the fresh matrix drops, the most reliable reference point remains the previous cycle’s confirmed matrix, which the state has carried forward with only minor course-wise tweaks in recent years.
| Category | MD/MS Seats | PG Diploma Seats | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government colleges | 1,522 | 16 | 1,538 |
| Private/Minority colleges | 988 | — | 988 |
| Combined | 2,510 | 16 | 2,526 |
This baseline forms the Maharashtra NEET PG seat matrix 2026 figure most aspirants use for planning — government colleges hold roughly 61% of seats, which keeps fees dramatically lower for the majority of the state’s MD/MS intake. Maharashtra also hosts several central and autonomous institutions — Tata Memorial Hospital, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune that run their seats through separate AIQ or institutional processes, outside the CET Cell’s state quota count.
MCC’s All India Quota counselling covers 50% of government college seats and stays open to candidates from anywhere in India. Maharashtra’s own CAP rounds handle the remaining 50% state quota, plus the state’s share of private and minority seats. You can cross-check both quota splits and round-wise updates directly on mcc.nic.in and the CET Cell portal.
MD/MS Seat Distribution by Course
Seat counts vary sharply by specialty. Here’s where the bulk of Maharashtra’s MD MS seats actually sit, combining government and private colleges:
| Specialty | Government Seats | Private Seats | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD Anaesthesiology | 158 | 105 | 263 |
| MD General Medicine | 135 | 115 | 250 |
| MS General Surgery | 137 | 113 | 250 |
| MD Obstetrics & Gynaecology | 140 | 78 | 218 |
| MS Orthopaedics | 70 | 107 | 177 |
| MD Paediatrics | 96 | 62 | 158 |
| MD Pathology | 93 | 73 | 166 |
| MD Community Medicine (PSM) | 99 | 27 | 126 |
| MD Microbiology | 78 | 18 | 96 |
| MD Radio-Diagnosis | 73 | 61 | 134 |
Anaesthesiology, General Medicine, and General Surgery carry the largest seat pools in Maharashtra — a pattern most large states share, since these specialities need the widest faculty base and see the steadiest hospital demand. Orthopaedics leans private-heavy in the state, while Pathology, Microbiology, and Community Medicine skew government-weighted.
For Personalized Guidance
Participating Medical Colleges
Roughly 65 colleges across Maharashtra accept NEET PG candidates, split between government, municipal, private, and deemed institutions. Aspirants target these names every cycle:
Government & municipal colleges:
- Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai
- Grant Medical College, Mumbai
- Topiwala National Medical College (TNMC) & BYL Nair Hospital, Mumbai
- Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College (LTMMC), Sion, Mumbai
- BJ Government Medical College, Pune
- Government Medical College, Nagpur
- HBT Medical College & Dr RN Cooper Hospital, Mumbai
- Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation PG Institute (YCM Hospital)
Central/autonomous institutions:
- Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai
- Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai
- Armed Forces Medical College, Pune
Private/deemed institutions:
- KJ Somaiya Medical College & Research Centre, Mumbai
- Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
- Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College, Pune
- Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha
Mumbai and Pune together hold the bulk of Maharashtra’s seat capacity. Nagpur, Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), and Nashik still run sizeable government PG programmes worth considering.
Maharashtra NEET PG CAP Counselling Process
Once NBEMS declares the NEET PG 2026 result, Maharashtra’s state quota seats move through the CET Cell’s Centralised Admission Process (CAP) at cetcell.mahacet.org, running separately from MCC’s All India Quota rounds at mcc.nic.in. At a high level:
- Candidates register on the CET Cell portal with their NEET PG roll number and personal details.
- The portal collects documents and verifies them online — MBBS certificates, internship completion, NMC/SMC registration, and category certificates where applicable.
- CET Cell publishes a provisional merit list based on NEET PG scores, ranked separately under state, institutional, NRI, and minority categories.
- Candidates fill choices, ranking preferred college-course combinations, and can revise them until the round closes.
- CET Cell allots seats strictly by merit-cum-preference.
- Allotted candidates report to their college and confirm status retention within the published window.
Maharashtra typically runs CAP Round 1, Round 2, and a Round 3/Mop-Up round, followed by an institute-level stray vacancy round for any seats still open. This article focuses on seat strength rather than the counselling calendar — for exact dates, fees, and round-by-round strategy, Career Plan B’s step-by-step PG medical counselling guide walks through the full process.
Maharashtra NEET PG Seats Compared With Other States
The “Maharashtra is #1” headline needs a bit more nuance than it first suggests.
On government seats specifically, Maharashtra genuinely leads the country. Official government data puts its government PG seat count at roughly 3,576, ahead of Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. That figure runs higher than the CET Cell’s own MD/MS/Diploma matrix (1,538 government seats) because it folds in central and autonomous institutions — Tata Memorial, BARC, and AFMC Pune that sit outside the state CAP matrix.
Total seats tell a different story. Karnataka’s private PG pool is the largest in India, at over 4,500 seats, and most independent trackers place Karnataka’s combined total above Maharashtra’s once private capacity gets added in. Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh also stay close behind Maharashtra on overall numbers.
| State | Government PG Seats (approx.) | Private PG Seats (approx.) | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 3,576 (highest in India) | 2,500 | #1 in govt seats |
| Karnataka | 1,800–3,100 | 4,593 (highest in India) | #1 in private/total seats (per most trackers) |
| Tamil Nadu | 2,765 | 2,369 | Consistently top 5 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 2,900 | Varies | Consistently top 5 |
The accurate takeaway: Maharashtra holds India’s top spot for government NEET PG seats — the category that matters most for candidates chasing affordable, high-reputation MD/MS seats — while Karnataka edges ahead on total seat count once private colleges enter the picture.
How Career Plan B Helps
Choosing the right state and college for your PG medical journey takes more than seat count — it takes fit.
Career Plan B offers personalised career counselling, Psycheintel career assessment tests, and admission and academic profile guidance to help NEET PG aspirants map realistic college choices and build a clear career roadmap around their rank, budget, and specialty interests.
Our complete NEET PG counselling guide covers strategy for both AIQ and state rounds in more depth.
Get In Touch With Us
FAQs
Q1. How many NEET PG seats are there in Maharashtra?
Maharashtra’s state seat matrix offers around 2,526 MD/MS and PG Diploma seats (1,538 government, 988 private), not counting central institutions like Tata Memorial and AFMC Pune, which run separate quotas.
Q2. What is the Maharashtra NEET PG seat matrix 2026 for government and private colleges?
The confirmed baseline carries 1,522 MD/MS seats in government colleges, 988 in private/minority colleges, and 16 government PG Diploma seats. CET Cell will release the official 2026 matrix round-wise on cetcell.mahacet.org.
Q3. Why does Maharashtra have the highest number of NEET PG seats?
Maharashtra tops the country specifically in government PG seats, thanks to its large network of municipal and state medical colleges in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur, plus several central institutions based in the state.
Q4. How does Maharashtra’s NEET PG seat count compare with other states?
Maharashtra leads on government seats, but Karnataka’s larger private college network gives it the edge on total combined seats in most independent estimates. Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh also rank among the top five states.
Q5. What is the Maharashtra NEET PG CAP counselling process?
It’s the state’s Centralised Admission Process for the 50% state quota seats, covering registration, document verification, merit list publication, choice filling, and seat allotment across multiple CAP rounds.
Q6. How many MD/MS seats are there in Maharashtra?
Combined government and private MD/MS seats total 2,510, with General Medicine, General Surgery, and Anaesthesiology carrying the largest seat pools.
Conclusion
Maharashtra’s NEET PG seat matrix gives aspirants one of the strongest government-college pipelines in India, backed by a solid private and deemed college network across Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur. Keep an eye on cetcell.mahacet.org for the official 2026 matrix once CAP Round 1 opens, whether you’re targeting a state-quota government seat or weighing private options. Ready to figure out which Maharashtra college, or which state altogether, fits your rank and goals? A quick counselling session can save you rounds of guesswork.