NEET Counselling Security Deposit, Fees & Refund Rules 2026: The Master Financial Guide
1. Why Security Deposits are Mandatory in Medical Counselling
To prevent non-serious candidates from blocking precious medical seats and abandoning them after allotment, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) and State DMEs mandate a Refundable Security Deposit at the time of online registration. This deposit is held in escrow and returned after the conclusion of all counselling rounds, provided the candidate adheres to reporting rules.
2. Deposit Amounts by Counselling Stream
| Counselling Stream | Non-Refundable Fee | Refundable Security Deposit | Total Online Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCC 15% AIQ / Central / AIIMS (General/EWS) | ₹1,000 | ₹10,000 | ₹11,000 |
| MCC 15% AIQ / Central / AIIMS (SC/ST/OBC/PwD) | ₹500 | ₹5,000 | ₹5,500 |
| MCC Deemed Universities (All Categories) | ₹5,000 | ₹2,00,000 | ₹2,05,000 |
| UP DGME Private Medical Colleges | ₹2,000 | ₹3,00,000 (Govt: ₹30k) | ₹3,02,000 |
3. When is Your Security Deposit Forfeited?
- MCC Round 1: NEVER forfeited. Free Exit is permitted.
- MCC Round 2: If allotted a fresh seat or upgraded seat in Round 2, and you fail to join the allotted college within the reporting deadline, your security deposit (₹10,000 or ₹2,00,000) is permanently FORFEITED. You can re-enter Round 3 only by paying a fresh registration fee and deposit.
- MCC Round 3 (Mop-Up): If allotted a seat and you do not join, the deposit is forfeited AND you are barred from the Stray Vacancy Round.
- Stray Vacancy Round: If allotted and you fail to join, the deposit is forfeited AND you face a mandatory 2-year debarment from appearing in NEET UG!
4. Refund Protocol & Timeline
Refunds are initiated automatically by MCC / HLL Financial Agency within 4 to 8 weeks after the final Stray Vacancy round concludes. The refund is credited back only to the exact originating bank account or debit card used during registration. Ensure that account remains active.
Official Source Disclaimer: Medical admission rules, seat counts, category reservation criteria, and counselling timelines are governed by statutory authorities including the National Medical Commission (NMC), Medical Counselling Committee (MCC / DGHS), AYUSH Admissions Central Counseling Committee (AACCC), and State Medical Counselling Directorates. The data and insights in this article reflect verified public records and official notifications. Candidates must refer to official candidate portals (mcc.nic.in and respective state DME portals) for live round notifications. For institution-specific verified cutoff analytics and AI admission chances, explore our NEET AI Predictor and Verified Cutoff Explorer.