Can I skip choice filling and still participate in NEET counselling?

No, you cannot participate in NEET counseling if you skip the choice filling and locking process. Choice filling and locking is a mandatory step in every round of NEET counseling (both MCC's All India Quota and State Quota).

Here's why it's important:

• Seat Allotment Basis: Seats are allotted based on your NEET rank, reservation category, and the choices you have filled in order of your preference. If you don't fill any choices, the system has nothing to allot to you.
• No Automatic Allotment: Even if you register and pay the fees, a seat will not be automatically assigned to you. You must tell the counseling authority which colleges and courses you are interested in.
• Disqualification from that round: If you register but do not fill choices or fail to lock them by the deadline, your application for that particular round of counseling will not be considered for seat allotment. In some cases, if you don't lock, your last saved choices might be auto-locked, but relying on this is risky.
• Loss of Opportunity: Skipping choice filling means you miss out on the chance to get a seat in that round. You would then have to wait for subsequent rounds (if eligible) and repeat the choice filling process.

The general steps for NEET counseling are always:

1. Registration (and fee payment)
2. Choice Filling
3. Choice Locking
4. Seat Allotment
5. Reporting to college

Therefore, to actively participate and be considered for a seat, you absolutely must complete the choice filling and locking steps within the specified timeline for each round.