The Maharashtra NEET counselling is an important step for medical aspirants who want to pursue MBBS, BDS, and other allied health science courses in medical colleges across the state of Maharashtra. Maharashtra NEET UG Counselling is conducted by the state common entrance test cell (CET Cell) for admission to MBBS and BDS courses in government, private, and deemed universities for 85% of the state quota seats in government, private, and deemed universities.

As we know, the NEET 2025 results are about to be released in June, and students and parents are looking forward to the counseling process. Maharashtra counselling round 1 is the most important phase, as most of the seats of the top medical colleges get filled during this round. 

In this blog, we are going to cover everything about the Maharashtra counselling round 1, important dates, eligibility, documents required, registration process, and more.

Maharashtra NEET UG counselling 2025 key highlights

The Maharashtra NEET counselling 2025 is conducted by the state common entrance test cell, Maharashtra. If you fulfill the eligibility criteria of NEET Counselling, you can apply for the counselling process. Here is the table below about the counseling process and other details about the Maharashtra NEET 2025 counselling:

the

What is Maharashtra NEET UG counselling round 1?

Maharashtra NEET UG counselling round 1 is the first and most important step for admission in the state-level admission process. The students who have qualified for the NEET Exam for taking admission in MBBS, BDS, and other health science courses in colleges across Maharashtra go for the round 1 counselling. Here are the key features of round 1.

• It is open for NEET UG-qualified students who fulfill Maharashtra's eligibility criteria.
• Candidates are allowed to register online, upload documents, and fill out college preferences based on their NEET rank.
• In round 1 counselling, seats are allotted on the basis of the candidate’s merit, reservation category, and choice preferences.
• The candidates who have been allotted a seat must report to the college with all the required documents and complete the admission process.

Importance of  round 1 of counselling and its objectives

Round 1 of the counselling is most important, as most of the seats get filled in this round. Here are the points of the importance of Round 1 of counselling and its objectives:

• In this round, most of the seats get filled by the students, especially in the government colleges.
• The candidates with the higher rank have a high chance of getting into premier institutions.
• There are numerous rounds (round 1, round 2, mop-up, stray vacancy round) in counselling, still round 1 plays an important role in the allocation of the seats.

Objectives:

• The objective of round 1 counselling is to allocate seats fairly and transparently based on NEET UG score and category reservations.
• It allows the students to secure a seat in the college and the course of their choice.
• It initiates the admission process across medical and dental institutions in Maharashtra.

Important dates of Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 counselling round 1 (Tentative)

Here is the table below of the tentative dates of Maharashtra NEET UG counselling round 1. Keep updated with the official CET Cell website for actual notifications.

Who is eligible for Maharashtra NEET counselling 2025?

The eligibility criteria for the Maharashtra state quota NEET counselling round 1 need to be fulfilled by the candidates to secure a seat in the counselling process. Here is the eligibility criterion required for participation in the counselling process:

1. Academic qualifications

• A candidate must have passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology from a recognized board.
• A candidate must have qualified for NEET UG 2025 with the minimum required marks.

2. NEET qualifying criteria

• A candidate must have qualified for the NEET UG 2025 exam with a valid score.

3. Age criteria

• A candidate's minimum age should be 17 years as on 31st December 2025.
• There should be no upper age limit (as per NMC guidelines).
• A candidate’s maximum age should be 25 years and 30 years for the reserved category.

4. Domicile requirement

• A candidate or parent must hold a domicile of Maharashtra for state quota seats.
• Domicile is not required for the Management or NRI quota.

5. Non-Resident Indian (NRI) Quota

• The NRI candidate can also apply under NRI/OCI/PIO/Foreign quota if it is applicable.

Documents required for Maharashtra NEET UG counselling round 1

Here are the details of the documents required for admission in round 1 of the counselling. Keep the documents ready to avoid last-minute panic.

• NEET UG 2025 admit card
• NEET UG 2025 scorecard
• Class 10 marksheet and passing certificate
• Class 12 marksheet and passing certificate
• School leaving certificate
• Domicile certificate
• Caste/Income/EWS certificate (if applicable)
• Caste validity certificate (for reserved category)
• Medical fitness certificate
• Aadhar card
• Transfer certificate
• Nationality certificate
• Verification slip
• Allotment Letter
• Passport-size Photographs

Read More :Document Verification for Maharashtra Counselling 2025: Checklist & Tips

Step-by-step process of round 1 counselling 

The process of counselling in round 1 is very important for the students for the allocation of the seat, because in this phase, students get their preferred college based on their rank. Here is the detailed breakdown of the step-by-step process of round 1 counseling of Maharashtra NEET UG:

1. Registration on the CET cell portal

• A candidate needs to visit https://cetcell.net.in/NEET-UG-2025 
• Click on “New Registration.”
• Fill in details such as NEET roll number, personal info, and academic history.
• Pay the registration fee online:
• • General: ₹1,000
  • Reserved categories: ₹1,000
  • Institutional/NRI: ₹5,000

Once registered, the candidate will receive login credentials and a unique registration number.

2. Document upload

• A candidate needs to upload the scanned copies of the required documents in PDF format.
• He/She must make sure each document is clear and as per the given size limits.
• Cross-verify with the checklist before submission.

3. Publication of provisional merit list

• After scrutiny, CET cell releases a provisional state merit list.
• Candidates can check their State rank, category, and eligibility.
• If there are discrepancies, raise objections during the grievance period.

4. Final merit list

• After resolving all objections, the Final Merit List is published.
• Only candidates listed in this are allowed to participate in the choice filling.

5. Choice filling & college preferences

• Log in to your account to fill out the option Form.
• Select your preferred colleges and courses in order of priority.
• You can choose MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, BPTh, BSc nursing, etc.
• Submit the final choices before the deadline.

 Tips for choosing filling:

• List the top government colleges first.
• Include a mix of aspirational, realistic, and safe choices.
• Don’t leave the form blank.

6. Seat allotment result (Round 1)

• Based on your NEET rank, category, and preferences, the CET Cell releases the round 1 seat allotment result.
• Check your allotment status and download the provisional allotment letter.

7. Reporting to the allotted college

• Candidates must physically report to the allotted college with all original documents and fees.
• Verify documents and complete biometric verification.
• If he/she accepts the seat:
• • Submit admission confirmation.
  • He/she is ineligible for further rounds (unless there's an upgrade).
• If he/she wants to upgrade, choose the “Willing for Round 2” option while retaining round 1 seats.

What happens after round 1 of counselling?

After round 1 of counselling, there are various scenarios faced by the students. Here is the scenario and details of the  outcome of round 1 counselling: 

1. Candidates who accepted the seat and do not wish to upgrade → Final admission
Some candidates receive a seat allotment letter in round 1 according to their preferences, whether it’s the college of their choice, the desired course (MBBS, BDS, etc.), or a favorable location.

What happens next:
The students have the option to accept the seat or opt for higher preferences. They need to confirm their admission through:

• The candidate must report to the allotted college within the stipulated time.
• He/she needs to submit the required documents.
• The candidate needs to pay the fee of the respective college.
• The candidate needs to complete the biometric verification and document verification.

After reporting to the college, the candidates are not eligible for further rounds, which also includes upgradation.

 2. Candidates who accepted the seat but want an upgrade → Eligible for round 2

The candidates accept the allotted seat in round 1 but want to upgrade for higher references, so they move to a further round, that is round 2.

What happens next:

• The candidate can accept and upgrade, they are eligible to retain their current seat, and still be considered for a better option in the next round.
• In round 2 counselling, if the higher preference is available, then the seat will be allocated accordingly.
• If the candidate has upgraded, the previous seat will be cancelled automatically and it will be reassigned to another candidate in Round 2.

This is a better strategy for the students who wish to secure a seat and still want to upgrade for higher preferences without any risk involvement.

3. Candidates who did not get a seat → Automatically considered for round 2

The candidates who did not get a seat in round 1 due to their NEET UG score or the availability of the seat are automatically shifted to round 2 Counselling.

What happens next:
The candidates shifted to Round 2 counseling do not need to register again.

• The candidate can modify or resubmit the choice filling form.
• They can add new colleges or courses based on the round 1 cut-offs and the seat matrix

Important tips for round 1 counselling success

Here are the important tips for the candidate for their success in round 1 counselling:

• A candidate must check the eligibility criteria carefully (Domicile, Caste validity, NCL, EWS, etc.)
• A candidate must register early to avoid last-minute errors.
• A candidate must arrange their documents in advance to avoid last-minute panic.
• A candidate must research colleges according to the cutoffs, infrastructure, faculty, etc.
• A candidate must analyse previous year cutoffs for realistic choices.
• A candidate must seek expert guidance or consult counselors or professionals.

FAQS

1 - Who conducts the Maharashtra NEET UG counselling?

Maharashtra NEET counselling is conducted by the state common entrance test cell, Maharashtra.

2 - Can outsider candidates apply for round 1?

Yes, they can apply, but only for Institutional Quota Seats (15%); for State Quota seats, they must fulfill the Maharashtra domicile and eligibility criteria.

3 - Is round 1 mandatory for all NEET-qualified students in Maharashtra?

No, Round 1 is not mandatory, but it is important as it offers maximum seat availability and chances of getting preferred colleges.