NEET PG Counselling Security Deposit, Forfeiture & Auto-Forfeiture Rules: Quota-Wise Amounts & Conditions

The NEET PG security deposit is an important part of counselling registration because it is refundable only when the candidate complies with the applicable counselling rules. The amount varies depending on whether the candidate is participating in AIQ or Deemed University counselling and, for AIQ, according to the applicable category.

A candidate can also lose the deposit through NEET PG forfeiture rules if they fail to join an allotted seat from Round 2 onwards, or if admission is cancelled because of incorrect information or failure to produce required documents.

What Is the NEET PG Security Deposit?

The NEET PG security deposit is the refundable component of the counselling payment made during registration with MCC. It is separate from the non-refundable registration fee.

The security deposit is intended to discourage candidates from blocking seats and then failing to complete admission. Under the MCC scheme, the deposit is generally returned after counselling to eligible candidates, subject to the applicable forfeiture conditions.

The MCC counselling payment therefore has two components:

NEET PG Security Deposit Amount

As per the latest revised MCC PG Information Bulletin available, the NEET PG security deposit amount is as follows:

NEET PG Deposit Amount by Counselling 

The NEET PG security deposit amount varies depending on whether you are participating in AIQ or Deemed University seats. Here is a quick breakdown of the applicable deposit for each seat type.

When Is the NEET PG Deposit Refunded?

The NEET PG security deposit refund is generally processed after completion of the counselling rounds, provided the candidate is eligible for refund and the deposit has not been forfeited.

MCC's refund instructions state that the security amount is refunded only after the completion of all rounds. The Financial Custodian is to initiate the refund within 15 days of MCC notifying completion of counselling and complete the process within 30 days of that notification.

The refund is made to the same bank account or card from which the security deposit was originally paid. MCC advises candidates to keep that account or card active until the refund process is completed.

MCC also states that candidates do not ordinarily need to separately request their security deposit refund. MCC publishes the list of candidates eligible for refund after counselling, following which the Financial Custodian processes the payments.

A July 2026 MCC notice regarding pending PG 2025 refunds further confirms that refund processing continued after the counselling cycle and that candidates with pending refunds could be asked to submit the prescribed Annexure A and supporting banking documents.

When Can the NEET PG Deposit Be Forfeited?

The core NEET PG forfeiture rules are set out in the MCC counselling scheme.

The security deposit can be forfeited when:

1. The candidate does not join a Round 2 or subsequent allotted seat

MCC states that when a candidate is allotted a seat in Round 2 or a subsequent round and does not report or join the allotted college to complete admission, the security deposit is forfeited.

2. The candidate surrenders the allotted seat in circumstances covered by the forfeiture rules

The MCC bulletin also states that security deposit may be forfeited where a candidate surrenders the seat due to unforeseen reasons after being allotted a seat in the relevant rounds.

3. Admission is cancelled after allotment

Security can also be forfeited when admission is cancelled after allotment. MCC gives examples such as providing incorrect information during registration or failing to produce required documents at the time of admission.

Therefore, NEET PG seat forfeiture is not limited to simply refusing a seat. An admission-related issue caused by incorrect information or documentation can also affect the security deposit.

What Is NEET PG Auto-Forfeiture?

NEET PG auto forfeiture is commonly used by candidates to describe a situation in which the security deposit is forfeited automatically because the candidate has triggered one of the conditions prescribed in the counselling scheme.

However, the MCC 2025 bulletin does not separately define "auto-forfeiture" as an independent counselling category or additional penalty. Instead, it specifies the circumstances under which the security deposit will be forfeited.

In practical terms, a candidate should treat the forfeiture as automatic once an applicable condition occurs. For example, if a candidate is allotted a Round 2 seat and fails to report/join it, MCC's scheme provides for forfeiture of the security deposit.

There is no separate "auto-forfeiture amount" in addition to the security deposit.

Situations That Trigger NEET PG Deposit Forfeiture

The following situations carry particular risk under the MCC scheme:

NEET PG Round-Wise Forfeiture Rules

The risk of losing your security deposit changes with each counselling round. Understand when free exit is allowed and when non-joining can lead to forfeiture.

Round 1: Free Exit

Round 1 is comparatively flexible.

A candidate allotted a Round 1 seat can exercise free exit and participate in Round 2. MCC's counselling flow chart specifically identifies Round 1 as the free-exit stage.

Therefore, simply not joining a Round 1 seat does not ordinarily trigger NEET PG seat forfeiture.

Round 2: No Free Exit

Round 2 introduces a major change.

A candidate allotted a Round 2 seat must report and complete the admission process. If the candidate does not join the allotted Round 2 seat, the security deposit is forfeited. Candidates who exit with forfeiture in Round 2 can proceed to Round 3 only with a fresh payment of fees.

This is one of the most important NEET PG allotment tie and deposit rules to understand when filling choices, because accepting a Round 2 allotment carries financial consequences if the candidate subsequently does not join.

Round 3: Forfeiture Plus Elimination

In Round 3, the rules are stricter.

A candidate who does not join the allotted Round 3 seat may exit with forfeiture of the security deposit and is eliminated from further MCC counselling rounds. A candidate who joins a Round 3 seat cannot upgrade or resign from that seat under the stated scheme.

Stray Vacancy Round

The Stray Vacancy Round is the final stage of MCC's four-round structure.

Candidates receiving a seat in the Stray Vacancy Round have to report and join the allotted institution. The MCC bulletin states that failure to join results in forfeiture of the security deposit.

The choices filled in Round 3 are not carried over automatically to the Stray Vacancy Round. Fresh registration and fresh choice filling are provided for the Stray Round under the 2025 scheme.

Examples for Round-Wise Forfeiture Rules

Below examples show how the security deposit is treated when a candidate exits, does not join, or accepts a seat in different counselling rounds.

Example 1: Round 1 free exit

A candidate pays a ₹25,000 AIQ security deposit and receives a Round 1 seat. The candidate decides not to join and exits from Round 1.

Result: The candidate can participate in Round 2, and the security deposit is not forfeited under the free-exit rule.

Example 2: Round 2 seat not joined

A candidate has paid ₹25,000 as an AIQ security deposit and receives a Round 2 seat but does not report to the allotted college.

Result: The ₹25,000 security deposit is forfeited. The candidate can participate in Round 3 under the applicable fresh-payment rules.

Example 3: Deemed University seat

A candidate participating for Deemed University seats pays a ₹2 lakh security deposit. The candidate receives a Round 2 Deemed University seat but does not join.

Result: The ₹2 lakh security deposit is liable to forfeiture under the same Round 2 and subsequent-round rule.

Example 4: Wrong information during registration

A candidate provides incorrect information during registration. A seat is allotted based on that information, but the admission authority subsequently cancels the admission when the discrepancy is identified.

Result: MCC specifically lists this type of cancellation as a circumstance in which the security deposit can be forfeited.

Example 5: No seat allotted

A candidate participates in all applicable MCC rounds but is never allotted a seat.

Result: MCC states that the security deposit is refundable to the same account from which the payment was made, subject to the applicable refund process.

How to Avoid Losing Your NEET PG Deposit

The simplest way to protect your NEET PG counselling deposit is to treat every choice as a serious commitment, particularly from Round 2 onwards.

Before submitting choices, check the college, course, eligibility requirements, fee structure and other admission conditions. MCC specifically advises candidates to verify college-specific fees and conditions before filling choices and states that it does not take responsibility for the fee structure of participating institutions.

Candidates should also keep their original documents ready before reporting. Missing essential documents can prevent admission and may lead to cancellation and security-deposit forfeiture.

Finally, keep the bank account or card used for payment active until the NEET PG security deposit refund has been completed. MCC's refund instructions specifically warn that closing the payment account can cause refund failures and delays.