Maharashtra NEET UG 2026: New Medical Colleges Await Approval
Two new medical colleges in Maharashtra are pending affiliation as NEET UG counselling progresses, raising concerns about seat availability.
Two new medical colleges in Maharashtra await MUHS affiliation for NEET UG 2026.
Existing colleges have 150 additional MBBS seats approved but not yet included in the state matrix.
Potential total increase of 300 MBBS seats for the upcoming academic year if approvals are granted.
In Maharashtra, the ongoing NEET UG counselling for the 2026 academic year is facing complications as two new medical colleges are still awaiting affiliation from the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS). The delay in approval raises concerns about their participation in the admission process, which has already commenced with the state-level stray vacancy round.
The two new institutions, Mauli Medical College Hospital and Research Center in Buldhana and Ideal Institute of Medical Science in Palghar, have not yet been integrated into the state's admission framework. According to officials, MUHS has raised queries regarding faculty qualifications during inspections, which has contributed to the delay in securing the necessary affiliation.
As of October 17, the State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell confirmed that only those colleges that have received a Government Resolution (GR) and university affiliation are eligible for the admission process. The CET Cell did not specify if the new colleges could join the current counselling or if they would have to wait until the next academic year for inclusion. This uncertainty has left prospective students and their families anxious about available seats.
In addition to the new colleges, two existing medical colleges, Smt. Kashibai Navale Medical College in Pune and Smt. Sakhubai Narayanrao Katkade Medical College in Kopargaon, have been granted an additional 150 MBBS seats by the National Medical Commission (NMC). However, these additional seats have yet to be reflected in the state seat matrix, further complicating the admission landscape for the upcoming academic year.
If the two new colleges receive their approvals, they could add 150 MBBS seats to the admission pool. Coupled with the additional seats from the existing colleges, this could potentially increase the total number of MBBS seats available for the 2026–27 academic year to 300. The situation remains fluid, and stakeholders are awaiting further updates from the CET Cell regarding the status of the new colleges and the additional seats.
