New Delhi: The Union Health Ministry will introduce a series of technology-enabled and student-centric reforms aimed at enhancing transparency, improving accessibility, and simplifying the admission process ahead of this year’s NEET UG counselling, according to an official statement.
The reforms include a one-time physical reporting framework to reduce the need for repeated visits by candidates, and an online resignation facility that allows candidates to relinquish an allotted seat through the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) portal without visiting the institute, wherever permitted under the counselling rules.
The ministry said it is also introducing measures to strengthen transparency and operational efficiency, including pre-populated candidate data from the National Testing Agency (NTA), online document verification, validation of the seat matrix by the National Medical Commission (NMC), and verification by participating institutes.
It added that special emphasis has been placed on accessibility for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), with the number of designated assessment centres expanded from 16 to 61 across the country.
The reforms were announced during a review of the preparedness for NEET UG Counselling 2026 chaired by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda.
The review assessed the preparedness for counselling of the All India Quota (AIQ) and other seats under the purview of the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the ministry said in a press release.
According to the ministry, Nadda emphasised that the counselling process must be conducted in a transparent, fair, and merit-based manner while ensuring a seamless experience for students.
He directed officials to maintain robust technical support, ensure prompt grievance redressal, and facilitate the smooth functioning of the counselling portal throughout the admission process.
