The NEET UG 2025 Round 1 counselling has been completed, and thousands of MBBS and BDS aspirants have locked their seats in top medical and dental colleges across India. However, not all seats get filled in the first round. Every year, a large number of seats remain vacant due to withdrawals, non-reporting, or students waiting for better options in Round 2.
Why Do Seats Remain Vacant After Round 1?
Even though Round 1 sees the maximum participation, several reasons lead to vacancies:
- Non-reporting: Students allotted to a college but not reporting within the deadline lose their seats.
- Upgradation wait: Many prefer to wait for Round 2 in hopes of securing a better branch or college.
- Fee & bond issues: Some students skip allotted private/deemed universities due to high fees or bond conditions.
- Category shifts: Reserved category seats may remain unfilled if eligible candidates do not apply.
Last Year’s Trends: Vacant Seats After Round 1
Looking at NEET UG 2024 gives a clear picture of what to expect in 2025:
| NEET UG Counselling Guide 2025 | |
|---|---|
| State-wise MBBS/BDS Counselling Guide eBook 2025 | 📥 Download |
| MCC NEET UG Counselling Guide eBook 2025 | 📥 Download |
| AACCC AYUSH NEET Counselling Guide eBook 2025 | 📥 Download |
| Type of College | Total Seats (Approx.) | Filled in Round 1 | Vacant After Round 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government MBBS | 59,000+ | Majority filled | Very few vacant |
| Private MBBS | 58,000+ | 60–70% filled | 12,000+ vacant |
| Deemed Universities | 11,000+ | 40–50% filled | 4,000+ vacant |
| BDS Colleges | 27,000+ | 40% filled | 15,000+ vacant |
Based on the previous year’s counselling trends, NEET UG 2025 students can expect over 25,000 to 30,000 seats to remain vacant after Round 1 counselling across India. Most of these vacancies are likely to be in private and deemed medical colleges due to higher tuition fees, while BDS courses may see the largest number of vacant seats as demand for dentistry is comparatively lower. On the other hand, government MBBS seats are expected to have very limited vacancies, since they are usually the first choice for most candidates.
Key Insight: Government medical colleges usually have very few vacant seats after Round 1, while private and BDS colleges see the highest vacancies due to higher fees and lesser demand.
Join NEET News 2025 What Happens to Vacant Seats Now?
- All vacant seats move to NEET UG Round 2 counselling.
- Candidates who didn’t get a seat or wish to upgrade can apply again.
- Fresh choice filling is allowed in Round 2.
- If seats remain vacant even after Round 2, they are carried forward to mop-up and stray vacancy rounds.
What This Means for Students
- More chances in Round 2: Vacant seats improve the chances of students who missed out in Round 1.
- Better college upgrades: Students can slide into higher-preference colleges.
- Private & BDS openings: Students with lower ranks often get new opportunities in private and dental colleges.
Education experts suggest that aspirants should not panic if they miss out on Round 1. Vacant seats in Round 2 and the mop-up round open multiple chances for admission. Staying updated with MCC and state counselling portals is crucial.
NEET UG 2025 Round 1 is over, but thousands of MBBS and BDS seats are still vacant across India. These seats will be up for grabs in Round 2, giving students another opportunity to secure admission in government, private, or deemed medical colleges. Aspirants should carefully analyse the seat vacancy lists and plan their choices wisely for the upcoming rounds.
Read Also: MCC NEET UG Round 2 Counselling 2025: 10 Tips & Strategy of Choice Filling
Read Also: NEET UG 2025 Round 2 Counselling Strategy for AIQ/Central/Deemed Seats
