The Medical Counseling Council (MCC) is expected to announce the counseling schedule for the National Undergraduate Entrance Test (NEET UG) 2026 soon, bringing the admission process for over 20 lakh medical aspirants across the country into focus. For many candidates, the next question is where their grades can take them. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2026 ranking provides an indicator of comparison among leading medical colleges in India, although admissions to MCC are based on NEET UG ranking, category, seat availability and counseling options. The latest NIRF ranking places New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at the top, followed by Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh and Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore.
Counseling covers MBBS, BDS and other seats
MCC will provide consultation for 15% quota seats in the All India Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course. It will also provide consultation for 100% seats in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and other participating institutions. According to the National Medical Council (NMC) seat matrix for the academic year 2026-27, there are a total of 1,36,939 MBBS seats in 823 medical colleges across the country. According to the Dental Council of India (DCI), apart from MBBS admissions, the counseling process will cover 27,868 Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) seats in 319 dental colleges.
AIIMS Delhi Leading the ranking
AIIMS New Delhi continues to top the list of medical institutions in the NIRF 2026 ranking, with both government and private institutions in the top 10. Top 10 medical colleges in India according to NIRF 2026:
| rank | medical school | State/Utah |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi | delhi |
| 2 | Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) | Chandigarh |
| 3 | Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore | tamil nadu |
| 4 | Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) | pondicherry |
| 5 | Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) | uttar pradesh |
| 6 | Banaras Hindu University (BHU) | uttar pradesh |
| 7 | National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience (NIMHANS) | Karnataka |
| 8 | King George’s Medical University (KGMU) | uttar pradesh |
| 9 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapitham | tamil nadu |
| 10 | Kastba Medical College, Manipal | Karnataka |
The NMC’s seat matrix shows that there are 63,296 MBBS seats in government medical colleges while there are 73,643 seats in private medical colleges across the country. The increase in the number of seats is preceded by the counseling process which includes registration, selection filling, seat allotment, document verification, fee payment and reporting to the allotted college.
What should candidates do next?
Candidates are advised to have their documents ready and check the MCC website regularly after the counseling schedule and registration dates are announced. While the NIRF ranking provides a benchmark for institutional performance, admission will ultimately depend on the candidate’s NEET UG rank, booking category, preference filled during counseling and seat availability in each round.
