INI CET Counselling 2026: Registration, Choice Filling and Round-Wise Seat Allotment

INI CET 2026 counselling is conducted centrally by AIIMS New Delhi on behalf of all Institutes of National Importance (INIs) for admission to postgraduate medical and dental programmes — MD, MS, MCh (6 years), DM (6 years), and MDS. Round 1 counselling is complete; Round 2 is the next milestone, with PwBD verification scheduled for July 11, 2026, and remaining dates to be notified on aiimsexams.ac.in.

• The counselling runs in four rounds: Mock Round, Round 1, Round 2, and Open Round, managed entirely through the AIIMS portal at aiimsexams.ac.in.
• Round 1 seat allotment results were released in June 2026; the acceptance and reporting deadline was June 30, 2026.
• On receiving an allotment, you must choose between Accept & Freeze, Accept & Upgrade, or Withdraw — each option shapes your participation in subsequent rounds.
• The non-refundable counselling registration fee is ₹4,000 for General/OBC/EWS students and ₹3,200 for SC/ST students.
• A refundable security deposit of ₹3,00,000 (or submission of original documents) is required when accepting an allotted seat.
• Failing to join an allotted or upgraded seat without valid withdrawal attracts a penalty of ₹3,00,000.
• PwBD students allotted a seat must report to the Registrar Office, Academic Section, AIIMS New Delhi for Medical Board disability certificate verification on the date specified for their round.

Reservation of Quotas for INI CET Counselling 2026

INI CET seat allocation follows central government reservation norms, applicable uniformly across all postgraduate courses at all participating Institutes of National Importance. There is no domicile or home-state quota in INI CET counselling — every seat is filled on an all-India merit basis within each category.

Important points on reservation in INI CET counselling:

• OBC-NCL certificate: Only a central government–format OBC-NCL certificate is accepted. State-format OBC certificates issued by state authorities are not valid for INI CET counselling and will cause your application to be treated as General category.
• EWS certificate: The Income and Asset Certificate (IAC) must be in the prescribed central government format and issued for the current financial year (2025–26). Certificates from a previous year are invalid.
• PwBD verification is mandatory for allotted seats: PwBD students who receive an allotment in any round must physically report to the Medical Board at AIIMS New Delhi on the round-specific PwBD verification date. No seat confirmation is issued without board approval.
• No domicile quota: Unlike state counselling processes, INI CET has no state-wise or regional reservation. Merit within category is the sole criterion.
• Institute-specific provisions: Certain seats at JIPMER Puducherry and PGIMER Chandigarh may follow institute-specific statutes regarding category allocation. Refer to the AIIMS-released seat matrix for exact institute-wise, category-wise vacancy counts.

How to Apply for INI CET Counselling 2026?

INI CET counselling registration is entirely online through the AIIMS portal at aiimsexams.ac.in. The registration window opens after results are declared and closes within a short period — students who miss it cannot participate in any counselling round. Registering for counselling is mandatory — your exam rank alone does not guarantee a seat.

The process follows five stages: portal registration, fee payment, document upload, choice filling and locking, and finally seat acceptance followed by physical reporting at the allotted institute.

Step 1: Registration on the AIIMS Portal

Visit aiimsexams.ac.in and navigate to the INI CET July 2026 counselling section. Log in using your INI CET 2026 roll number, date of birth, and the password set during exam registration. Complete the counselling registration form by entering your personal information, MBBS/BDS academic details (college, university, year of passing, aggregate percentage), internship completion date, and NMC/SMC registration details. Double-check every field — particularly your category and internship date — because errors here directly affect your eligibility for reserved category seats and your ability to report after allotment.

Step 2: Payment of Registration Fee

After submitting the registration form, pay the non-refundable counselling registration fee through the portal’s payment gateway (net banking, credit card, or debit card). The fee is ₹4,000 for General / OBC-NCL / EWS / Foreign National / OCI students and ₹3,200 for SC / ST students. A payment receipt is generated immediately after successful payment — save and print it. The counselling registration fee is non-refundable in all circumstances, including non-participation in choice filling and non-receipt of a seat.

Step 3: Upload Documents

After fee payment, upload scanned copies of all required documents in the formats and file sizes specified on the portal. Mandatory uploads typically include the MBBS/BDS degree or provisional certificate, NMC/SMC registration certificate, internship completion certificate, category certificate (if applicable), and a valid photo identity document. Ensure scans are clear, legible, and correctly oriented. Illegible or mismatched uploads are flagged during physical document verification at the reporting stage and can result in admission cancellation.

Step 4: Choice Filling

During the choice filling window (open separately before each round), log in and select your preferred institute–speciality combinations from the available seat matrix. Arrange them in strict priority order — most preferred at the top. Fill at least 15–20 choices to maximise your chances across all rounds. The allotment engine assigns the highest-ranked choice in your locked list for which a seat is available at your rank and category. You may modify your choices any number of times before the locking deadline. Once you lock, no further changes are permitted for that round.

Step 5: Seat Allotment and Reporting

After the choice locking window closes, AIIMS processes allotments and publishes the result on the portal (as a downloadable PDF and in your individual login dashboard). If a seat is allotted, you must log in and exercise one of three options before the deadline: Accept & Freeze (finalize the seat), Accept & Upgrade (keep the seat but stay in the pool for a better allotment in Round 2), or Withdraw (exit the process). For accepted seats, pay the ₹3,00,000 security deposit or arrange original documents, then report physically to the allotted institute within the specified reporting window.

How to Lock Choices for INI CET Counselling 2026 (Step-by-Step Guide)

Locking your choices is irreversible for that round — once confirmed, the portal freezes your list and feeds it directly into the allotment algorithm. Follow these steps during the active choice filling window.

Step 1: Log In to the AIIMS Counselling Portal

• Go to aiimsexams.ac.in and click on the INI CET July 2026 Counselling link.
• Log in with your roll number, date of birth, and password.
• Ensure you are inside the choice filling window (visible on your dashboard with a countdown timer).

Step 2: Open the Choice Filling Module

• From the counselling dashboard, click on "Choice Filling / Change of Choices".
• A list of all available institute–speciality–course combinations will load, sorted by institute by default.
• Use filters to browse by course type (MD / MS / MDS / DM / MCh) or by institute name.

Step 3: Add and Arrange Your Choices

• Click each preferred institute–speciality combination to add it to your preference list on the right.
• Drag and drop (or use the up/down arrow buttons) to arrange the list in your priority order — most preferred at position 1.
• Include all realistic options, not just your top choices; a longer list improves your chances in later rounds.

Step 4: Save Your Choices

• Click "Save" to store your current list. You can return and edit it repeatedly before locking.
• A saved but unlocked list is NOT submitted for allotment — saving only stores a draft.
• If you close the browser without locking, your saved draft is preserved for your next login.

Step 5: Lock Your Choices

• When fully satisfied with your list, click "Lock Choices".
• A confirmation pop-up will display your entire list for final review. Read it carefully.
• Click "Confirm Lock" — the portal will display a locked status message and generate a printable lock confirmation. Download and keep a copy.

Once locked, your choice list is submitted and cannot be changed until the next round opens a fresh window (if applicable). Unlocked lists are not processed for allotment.

INI CET Counselling Documents Required 2026

You must carry all original documents along with self-attested photocopies when reporting to the allotted institute. AIIMS and the participating INIs conduct strict document verification at the time of joining — missing a single mandatory certificate can lead to cancellation of your allotment. Begin collecting and verifying your documents as soon as you receive a seat allotment, not on the reporting day.

• INI CET July 2026 Rank / Score Card (downloaded from aiimsexams.ac.in)
• INI CET 2026 Admit Card
• Seat Allotment Letter for the relevant round (downloaded from the AIIMS counselling portal)
• MBBS / BDS Degree Certificate or University Provisional Degree Certificate
• MBBS / BDS Final Year Mark Sheets (all parts / phases / professional exams)
• Compulsory Internship Completion Certificate issued by the parent medical college or affiliated hospital
• Permanent or Provisional Registration Certificate issued by NMC / DCI / SMC / State Dental Council
• Valid Photo Identity Proof (Aadhaar Card / PAN Card / Passport / Voter ID / Driving Licence)
• Category Certificates (as applicable):
  • OBC-NCL: Central government–format certificate; state-format certificates are not accepted
  • SC / ST: Caste certificate issued by the competent authority
  • EWS: Income and Asset Certificate (IAC) in central government format for financial year 2025–26
  • PwBD: Original disability certificate in the prescribed format (required for Medical Board verification at AIIMS New Delhi)
• Passport-size Photographs (minimum 6 copies, identical to those used during registration)
• Bank Account Details with Cancelled Cheque (for security deposit refund processing, if cash deposit is paid)
• Security Deposit of ₹3,00,000 (via bank draft / online transfer as specified, OR original documents to be pledged as security)
• Migration Certificate from parent university (if required by the allotted institute)
• Character Certificate from the parent institution
• Gap Certificate (if any gap exists between MBBS/BDS completion and internship start, or between internship and counselling)

Note: PwBD students must also report to the Registrar Office, Academic Section, AIIMS New Delhi, on the round-specific PwBD verification date (Round 1: June 25, 2026; Round 2: July 11, 2026) for Medical Board verification. Carry the original PwBD certificate — photocopies are not accepted by the Medical Board. Seat allotment for PwBD students is contingent on Medical Board approval.

How Much Money is Needed for INI CET Counselling 2026?

INI CET counselling involves two distinct payments: a non-refundable registration fee collected upfront at the time of counselling registration, and a refundable security deposit collected when you accept an allotted seat. Planning for both amounts in advance prevents last-minute delays during the acceptance window.

Non-Refundable Registration Fee

The registration fee is a one-time, upfront payment made online when you register for counselling on the AIIMS portal. It is charged to every registrant regardless of whether a seat is allotted, and regardless of whether you participate in choice filling or ultimately withdraw. Unlike the exam application fee (paid earlier at the time of INI CET registration), this is a counselling-specific charge collected separately.

Refundable Security Deposit

When you accept an allotted seat — whether through Accept & Freeze or Accept & Upgrade — you must provide a security deposit of ₹3,00,000. This amount is refundable after your admission is confirmed and all joining formalities at the allotted institute are completed. As an alternative, you may submit your original documents in lieu of the cash deposit; both serve as security and either option satisfies this requirement. If you withdraw after accepting a seat, or fail to report to the institute after allotment, the security deposit is forfeited as a penalty.

Note: The ₹3,00,000 non-joining penalty is a separate liability from the security deposit forfeiture. If you submitted original documents (instead of paying the cash deposit) and then fail to join, you remain liable for the ₹3,00,000 penalty, which AIIMS recovers independently.

INI CET Round-Wise Seat Allotment 2026

INI CET July 2026 counselling runs in four rounds. The mock round is non-binding and serves purely as a rehearsal — seeing your probable allotment helps you refine your choice list before Round 1 locks. Rounds 1 and 2 carry binding allotments that require you to exercise a formal option. The Open Round fills any seats that remain vacant after Round 2.

How the allotment algorithm works:

• The algorithm assigns the best available seat matching your rank, category, and locked choice list. It scans your list from choice 1 downward and stops at the first choice for which a seat is vacant at your rank and category.
• In Round 2, only students who selected "Accept & Upgrade" in Round 1 and students not allotted any seat in Round 1 participate. Students who froze a seat in Round 1 are not included in Round 2 allotment.
• The Open Round typically fills remaining vacant seats and is open to students who exited the main rounds (by withdrawal or non-allotment). Students who froze a seat in Round 1 or Round 2 are generally excluded from the Open Round.
• Seat allotment results are published as a PDF on aiimsexams.ac.in and are also visible in your individual login dashboard, listing your allotted institute, speciality, and course.

Upgrade vs Freeze vs Withdraw: What Should You Do?

After receiving a seat allotment in Round 1 (or Round 2), the AIIMS portal presents three options. You must select one before the option-exercise deadline — failure to choose is treated as automatic withdrawal with financial penalty. This is among the most consequential decisions in the counselling process.

Decision guidance:

• Choose Accept & Freeze if the allotted institute and speciality meet your requirements and you want certainty. This removes all risk of losing the seat in Round 2.
• Choose Accept & Upgrade if your locked choice list has choices ranked higher than your current allotment and your rank is competitive enough to realistically move up. If Round 2 allots you a better seat, your Round 1 seat is automatically vacated — you cannot reclaim it. If no upgrade is available at your rank, you retain the Round 1 seat.
• Choose Withdraw only if the allotted seat is definitively unacceptable and you have a confirmed alternate plan. Withdrawal causes financial loss (registration fee forfeiture + possible penalty) and removes you from subsequent INI CET rounds.
• Failing to exercise any option within the deadline is treated as implicit withdrawal — your seat is released, your security deposit is forfeited, and you may face the ₹3,00,000 penalty. Always log in and choose an option before the portal deadline, even if you are uncertain.

Note: If you choose Upgrade and Round 2 allots you a seat that falls lower in your priority order than your Round 1 seat (which can happen if better-ranked choices are unavailable), you must accept that Round 2 allotment — you cannot revert to your Round 1 seat. Review your locked choice list carefully before selecting Upgrade.

Reporting to the Allotted Institute After INI CET Counselling 2026

Physical reporting at the allotted institute is the final and mandatory step. Reporting within the scheduled window completes your admission; late or non-reporting without prior approval from the institute is treated as forfeiture of the seat and triggers financial penalties.

Step 1: Accept the Seat Online and Pay the Security Deposit

• Log in to the AIIMS counselling portal and exercise your option (Freeze or Upgrade) before the deadline for your round.
• Pay the security deposit of ₹3,00,000 through the portal’s online payment gateway, or note that you will submit original documents at the time of reporting as an alternative.
• Download and print the seat acceptance confirmation and allotment letter — you will need these at the reporting venue.

Step 2: PwBD Medical Board Verification (PwBD Students Only)

• PwBD students must report to the Registrar Office, Academic Section, AIIMS New Delhi on the designated PwBD verification date for their round (Round 1: June 25, 2026 at 9:30 AM; Round 2: July 11, 2026 at 9:30 AM).
• Carry the original PwBD/disability certificate in the prescribed format — photocopies are not accepted by the Medical Board.
• A seat confirmation letter for PwBD students is issued only after the Medical Board approves the disability certificate. Do not proceed to the allotted institute before receiving this confirmation.

Step 3: Travel to and Report at the Allotted Institute

• Report physically to the allotted INI (AIIMS campus / PGIMER / JIPMER / NIMHANS / SCTIMST, as applicable) on or before the last date of the reporting window for your round.
• Proceed to the Academic / Admissions Section of the institute and present your allotment letter and a valid photo ID.
• Carry all original documents and self-attested photocopies as listed in the Documents Required section.

Step 4: Document Verification at the Institute

• Institute officials will verify each document against the copies uploaded during counselling registration.
• Submit the security deposit (if not paid online) in the form directed by the institute — bank draft or as otherwise specified.
• Sign the admission register and collect your admission confirmation acknowledgement.

Step 5: Complete Remaining Institutional Formalities

• After document verification and admission confirmation, complete any additional formalities directed by the institute — tuition fee payment, hostel registration, library card issuance, identity card processing, etc.
• Your admission is officially complete only after the institute confirms your enrolment in its records. Keep all acknowledgement receipts safely.