Every year, thousands of NEET qualifiers assume the process ends with MCC. It doesn’t. If your score isn’t landing an MBBS or BDS seat, AYUSH counselling NEET 2026 is a completely separate admission route — different portal, different authority, different timeline — and missing it costs students a seat they were fully eligible for.
This is run by AACCC, not MCC. If you’ve only been tracking the MCC AIQ counselling timeline, you’re watching the wrong website for these seats. Before anything else, get honest about what your score realistically allows — that decides whether AYUSH is your backup or your primary plan.
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What AACCC Actually Is
AACCC stands for the AYUSH Admissions Central Counselling Committee. It works under the Ministry of Ayush and runs AYUSH counselling NEET 2026 on aaccc.gov.in — not mcc.nic.in.
Like MCC, AACCC allots the 15% All India Quota seats plus deemed, central and national institute seats. The remaining 85% are filled by your own state’s authority.
Courses covered under AACCC AYUSH counselling 2026:
- BAMS — Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery
- BHMS — Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery
- BUMS — Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery
- BSMS — Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery
BNYS (Naturopathy and Yoga) seats are mostly handled at state or institution level rather than through AACCC, so check that separately if it’s on your list.
Before you commit to any of these, look at how BAMS compares with BDS and at other career paths worth considering on the same NEET score. A BHMS admission NEET 2026 seat is a five-and-a-half-year commitment, not a placeholder.
Who Is Eligible
The bar is the same NEET qualification you already cleared:
- Qualified NEET UG 2026 at the 50th percentile (40th for SC/ST/OBC, 45th for General-PwD)
- Passed Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English
- Minimum 17 years of age as on December 31, 2026
There is no separate entrance test. Your NEET score and All India Rank carry over directly, which is why BAMS admission through NEET 2026 works on exactly the same rank logic as MBBS — just with different closing ranks.
Your certificates need to be in order here too, so keep your certificates ready early rather than scrambling when the window opens.
AYUSH Counselling NEET 2026 Schedule and Rounds
AACCC has not announced its 2026 dates yet. Historically it begins after MCC’s MBBS and BDS counselling gets underway — usually a few weeks later — because AACCC waits for the medical seat picture to settle first.
Expect four rounds, mirroring the MCC structure:
| Round | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | Full seat matrix, registration, choice filling, allotment |
| Round 2 | Vacant seats from Round 1, last round for fresh registration |
| Mop-Up | Deemed and central university seats only |
| Stray Vacancy | Final round, binding allotment, no exit |
The practical takeaway: AYUSH counselling registration 2026 will likely open somewhere between mid-August and September. Don’t treat that as a reason to relax — you should be shortlisting colleges long before it opens.
Also remember your state’s own counselling portal runs the 85% quota on a separate schedule, and most students get their AYUSH seat there, not through AIQ.
Registration Fees
Fees are paid at registration, and the deemed university deposit is substantial:
| Seat Type | Category | Non-Refundable Fee | Security Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government / AIQ | General / EWS | ₹1,000 | ₹20,000 |
| Government / AIQ | SC / ST / OBC / PwD | ₹500 | ₹20,000 |
| Deemed University | All categories | ₹5,000 | ₹1,00,000 |
The security deposit is refundable if you exit properly or don’t get a seat. Skip reporting after an allotment and you lose it.
Should You Actually Take an AYUSH Seat?
This is the part nobody discusses honestly. Be clear-eyed about it.
BAMS is a 5.5-year degree including a one-year internship, and graduates can practise, pursue MD in Ayurveda, or move into research, pharma and wellness sectors. In several states, BAMS practitioners have limited allopathic practice rights — but the rules vary sharply by state and remain contested, so never plan a career around that assumption.
BHMS admission NEET 2026 leads to a similar 5.5-year homoeopathy degree with its own internship year. BUMS and BSMS are more regionally concentrated, with fewer colleges and a narrower job market.
If you’re weighing this against dentistry, the comparison matters more than the seat simply being available.
The honest filter: take an AYUSH seat if you genuinely want to practise that system of medicine. Take it as a pure fallback and you’ll resent the classroom for five and a half years.
What to Do This Week
- Bookmark aaccc.gov.in — the AYUSH counselling NEET 2026 notice appears there first, not on mcc.nic.in.
- Check last year’s closing ranks for the colleges you’re targeting, both AIQ and your state.
- Register for state AYUSH counselling too — that’s where 85% of the seats are, and it runs separately from AACCC AYUSH counselling 2026.
- Decide before the window opens, not during it. Choice filling under a deadline is where panic decisions happen.
Final Word
AYUSH counselling NEET 2026 isn’t a consolation prize — it’s a legitimate medical career for students who actually want it, and a poor fit for students chasing any seat with “doctor” attached.
Work out which one you are now, while there’s still time to think. Then track the portal, keep your documents ready, and be prepared the day registration opens.
❓ FAQ Section
Q: When will AYUSH counselling 2026 start? A: AACCC has not announced the dates yet. It typically begins a few weeks after MCC’s MBBS and BDS counselling starts, so mid-August to September 2026 is the realistic window. Watch aaccc.gov.in for the official notice.
Q: Is AYUSH counselling separate from MCC counselling? A: Yes, completely. MCC handles MBBS, BDS and BSc Nursing on mcc.nic.in. AACCC handles BAMS, BHMS, BUMS and BSMS on aaccc.gov.in. Registering for one does not register you for the other.
Q: Do I need a separate entrance exam for BAMS or BHMS? A: No. Your NEET UG 2026 score and rank are used directly. You only need to have qualified at the required percentile for your category.
Q: Can I participate in both MCC and AYUSH counselling? A: Yes. Many students register for MCC, AACCC and their state counselling simultaneously. Just track all three timelines carefully, because the windows overlap and none of them wait for you.
Q: What NEET score is needed for a government BAMS seat? A: It varies widely by state and category. Government BAMS seats generally close well below MBBS cutoffs, but competitive states can still demand scores in the 400s for General category. Check state-specific closing ranks from last year.
Q: Is the AYUSH security deposit refundable? A: Yes, if you exit through the proper process or aren’t allotted a seat. If you accept an allotment and fail to report, the deposit is forfeited — ₹20,000 for AIQ seats and ₹1,00,000 for deemed universities.