GENERAL

How to Grab Vacant Seats After Mop-Up Round Maharashtra Counselling

Debanjali Biswas • 4 Mins read • 4 Jun 25

Missed out on a seat in the Mop-Up Round? Don’t lose hope just yet—there’s still one last chance! The Stray Vacancy Round is the final phase of Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 counselling, aimed at filling the remaining MBBS and BDS seats in private and newly established colleges. Every year, hundreds of seats are left vacant, making this a rare and valuable opportunity for eligible candidates who haven’t been allotted a seat yet. In this blog, we’ll guide you on how to stay eligible, apply wisely, and give yourself the best shot at securing a seat in this last round of medical admissions.

What is the Stray Vacancy Round?

The Stray Vacancy Round in Maharashtra NEET UG counselling is conducted to fill any remaining medical seats left vacant after the Mop-Up Round. These vacancies can occur due to last-minute withdrawals, candidates not joining, or seats that simply went unfilled in earlier rounds. As the final chance for eligible candidates to secure admission, this round plays a crucial role. The table below breaks down the common reasons why vacancies arise and highlights why the Stray Vacancy Round is such an important phase in the counselling process.

Cause of Vacancy	Description	Effect on Seat Availability
Resignation	Candidates who were allotted a seat in previous rounds but chose to resign.	Creates additional vacant seats.
Do not show up	Candidates who did not report to the allotted college within the specified time.	Results in seat loss and vacancy.
Unfilled Seats	Seats that were not allotted to any candidate in the Mop-Up Round due to a lack of eligible applicants.	Remain open for allotment in the Stray Vacancy Round.
Cancellation by Authorities	Any seat cancelled or blocked by the counselling authority or college for various reasons.	Seats become available again for fresh allotment.

Eligibility Criteria for Maharashtra NEET Stray Vacancy Round 2025

The Stray Vacancy Round is an opportunity reserved for candidates who confirm their candidature and go through the verification process. Here is a list of the basic requirements that a candidate must meet to participate in the stray vacancy round:

Eligibility Criteria	Details
Not allotted a seat previously	Candidates who didn’t get an MBBS seat after the Mop-Up Round
Resigned candidates	Candidates who voluntarily gave up their allotted seats in the previous rounds
NEET UG 2025 qualified	Must have a valid NEET UG 2025 score and should meet the minimum cut-off requirements
Domicile & other reservations	The candidate should comply with the Maharashtra domicile or category criteria, if applicable
Not already admitted	Candidates currently admitted to any medical seat are excluded from participation

Step-wise process for booking vacant seats

The final round of NRC 2025 Counselling is used for stray vacancy rounds to respond to updates on vacant seats, documentation, and registration for MBBS/BDS admission.

1. Stay Updated with Official Announcements: Keep checking the Maharashtra CET Cell website regularly and subscribe to notifications from either the Colleges or DMER. This way, you can be informed of deadlines or announcements related to any vacant seats.

2. Registration: You may be required to register either online or offline, depending on the instructions issued by the concerned authorities or the colleges.

3. Collect and Check Documents: Prepare your documents beforehand and get them verified so that you do not face any problems regarding documentation at the last minute. Some of the mist important documents are:

NEET UG 2025 Admit Card and Scorecard
Class 10 and 12 mark sheets and passing certificates
Caste Certificate (if applicable)
Maharashtra Domicile Certificate

4. Seat Allotment & Admission: Seats will be allotted based on merit and availability during the round. Once you receive your seat allotment:

Report to the allotted college within the given time to complete the admission formalities.
Missing the reporting deadline may result in loss of the seat, and you will also lose the admission opportunity.

Tips to Improve the Chances of Getting Vacant Seats

Getting a seat sometimes during the Stray Vacancy Round is almost impossible. To increase the chances of grabbing them, you need to follow some practical tips, some of which are:

Keep Prepared: Scan all documents and arrange them systematically for easy upload. Otherwise, you will be wasting a lot of time looking for papers.
Be Prompt: The vacant seats get snapped up the moment the round opens for booking. Do not delay, or else you will lose your chance to somebody else.
Explore All Options: Do not restrict yourself to government colleges. Usually, private and deemed universities have more vacancies, giving higher chances of admission.

Conclusion

Selecting a seat during the final rounds of Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 counselling, especially after the Mop-Up Round, is highly competitive and time-sensitive. The Stray Vacancy Round offers a final opportunity to secure an MBBS or BDS seat, so it’s important to stay updated with official CET Cell notifications, keep all necessary documents ready, and respond promptly when seats are announced. Being well-prepared can make all the difference at this stage.