Open State MBBS Counselling Guide for Non-Domicile Candidates (2026)

In short

Uttar Pradesh and Bihar open 100% of private medical college seats to candidates from any Indian state, with no domicile certificate required. Haryana and West Bengal release unfilled seats to non-domicile candidates in the later rounds. For a candidate whose home state has high private cutoffs, registering in an open state is usually the single highest-value move of the counselling season.

Which states admit non-domicile candidates?

Why register in more than one state?

State counselling runs on independent calendars and independent seat matrices. Registering in a second open state costs a counselling fee and a security deposit, and buys an entirely separate set of allotment chances. Candidates who register in one state only, and miss, generally have no route left once mop-up closes.

The security deposit rule that costs candidates ₹2,00,000

State portals take a refundable security deposit at registration. It is forfeited if you are allotted a seat, accept it, and then fail to report or resign outside the permitted window. The deposit is not a penalty for changing your mind — it is a penalty for blocking a seat that another candidate could have taken. Read each state’s free-exit rules before you lock a choice list, not after an allotment arrives.

Round-by-round strategy

  1. Round 1. Register everywhere you might realistically attend. Fill choices honestly in preference order — the algorithm allots your highest reachable choice, so a low-preference college placed high can block a better one.
  2. Round 2. Cutoffs move after government allotments settle and candidates resign private seats to upgrade. This is where most low-score admissions are actually made.
  3. Mop-up and stray vacancy. The last chance, and the point at which cutoffs fall furthest. Seats unfilled here lapse for the entire five-year cycle, which is why colleges are most flexible at this stage.

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Sources and how to verify this page

Cutoffs and fees on this page are compiled estimates for the 2026 cycle, not official figures. Every claim about eligibility, counselling process and legality can be checked against the primary sources below, and you should check them before acting.

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Not affiliated with the National Medical Commission, the Medical Counselling Committee or any state counselling authority. Cutoffs and fees are compiled estimates — verify on the official portal before acting.