Is there a mop-up round in NEET counselling?

Yes, there is a Mop-Up Round in NEET counseling. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) generally conducts four rounds of counseling for the All India Quota (AIQ) and Deemed/Central University seats:

• Round 1
• Round 2
• Mop-Up Round (often referred to as Round 3, though sometimes there's a separate Round 3 before a mop-up for some categories)
• Stray Vacancy Round (the final round, usually conducted by the colleges themselves after MCC sends the list of eligible candidates).

Purpose of the Mop-Up Round:

The Mop-Up Round is conducted to fill any seats that remain vacant after Round 1 and Round 2 of counseling. These vacant seats can arise because:

• Candidates chose a "free exit" in Round 1.
• Candidates were allotted a seat in Round 1 or 2 but did not join.
• Seats became available due to upgrades from lower rounds.

Key features of the Mop-Up Round:

• Fresh Registration (sometimes): Candidates who did not register in earlier rounds, or who had an "exit with forfeiture" in Round 2, might be allowed to register fresh for the Mop-Up Round. Always check the official notification for eligibility.
• Fresh Choice Filling: All participating candidates generally need to fill fresh choices for the Mop-Up Round, as the seat matrix will be different (only vacant seats).
• Strict Rules: The Mop-Up Round has very strict rules regarding joining. If you are allotted a seat in the Mop-Up Round and do not join, your security deposit will almost certainly be forfeited, and you might be debarred from participating in future counseling rounds (including the Stray Vacancy Round) for that year.
• State Mop-Up Rounds: Similar to the MCC's AIQ Mop-Up Round, individual states also conduct their own Mop-Up rounds (and often a final Stray Vacancy Round) for their 85% State Quota seats.