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Choice locking in NEET counselling
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Choice locking is the step in NEET counselling that freezes the list of colleges you filled in. Once you lock, the portal uses that list, in that order, to allot your seat for the round. The Tamil Nadu prospectus for 2026-27 states that choices cannot be changed once locked, so treat locking as a final submission.
What happens at the lock
Before you lock, the list is only a draft that you can edit. When you lock it, the system takes the list as your final preference order. Allotment results are produced from the locked lists of all candidates, ranked by merit, which is why the portal needs everyone's choices frozen at the same time.
If you fill choices but never lock them, you risk being left out of the allotment or being allotted from a list you did not mean to submit. What happens to an unlocked list is set by the information bulletin for that round, so read it before the window opens.
A pre-lock checklist
- Count your choices. More choices means more fallback options.
- Check the top of the list. Your first choice should be the seat you most want, not the one you most expect.
- Check quota and course. An MBBS seat and a BDS seat, or a government and a private seat, are different entries.
- Check the deadline. The window closes at a set time, so lock well before it.
- Save the confirmation. Keep a copy of your locked list for reference after the result.
Locking and your next move
After the result you decide whether to join, and the rules differ by round. In the Tamil Nadu 2026-27 rules, Round 1 and Round 2 allow a free exit before the stipulated date. Not joining in Round 3 or later, called the mop-up round in Tamil Nadu, forfeits the deposit. Read each round's notice before you lock.
The Tamil Nadu counselling guide explains the rounds, and the general counselling guide covers MCC.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my choices after locking?
In Tamil Nadu, no. The 2026-27 prospectus says choices cannot be changed once locked. For MCC, follow the rules in the current round's notice.
Do I have to lock choices in every round?
Check each round's schedule. Every round has its own window for filling and locking choices.
Official sources
- Tamil Nadu Selection Committee: 2026-27 prospectus and round schedules.
- MCC website: information bulletin and round notices.
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- Choice fillingChoice filling is listing the colleges and courses you want, in order, before NEET seat allotment. See how the order drives your seat and how to build the list.
- MCCMCC, the Medical Counselling Committee under DGHS, runs NEET counselling for All India Quota, deemed, central and AIIMS seats. See its steps, rounds and limits.
- Mop-up roundThe mop-up round is Round 3 of Tamil Nadu NEET counselling, with stricter joining and deposit rules. See what changes, the 2026 dates and how to prepare.
- NEET counselling processHow NEET counselling works: what MCC and state authorities each run, the steps from registration to reporting, rounds, choice filling and documents.
- Tamil Nadu NEET counsellingTamil Nadu MBBS/BDS counselling for 2026-27: seat matrix, nativity rule, 69% reservation, the 7.5% government-school quota, rounds and documents.
More in NEET
- Deemed universityA deemed university can award its own degrees, and MCC counsels its MBBS seats, not the state. See how it differs from state seats, plus fees and registration.
- All India Rank (AIR)NEET All India Rank (AIR) is your position in NTA's national merit list. See how it differs from category and state rank, how ties break and where it is used.
- All India Quota (AIQ)All India Quota is the 15% of state government medical seats filled by MCC for candidates of any state. See how it works and Tamil Nadu's 2026-27 seat numbers.
- 7.5% government school quotaThe 7.5% quota gives government school students preference in Tamil Nadu MBBS and BDS seats. See who qualifies, how Act 34 of 2020 applies and the proof needed.
- Information bulletinThe NEET information bulletin is NTA's official rulebook for each exam cycle. See what it covers, why older bulletins mislead and the 2027 bulletin's status.
- Management quotaManagement quota is a category of private medical seats with higher fees. See the Tamil Nadu 2026-27 share, fees and deposit, and how it differs from NRI quota.
- MCC security depositThe MCC security deposit is refundable and paid at registration, unlike the fee. See the 2026 reported amounts, Tamil Nadu's deposit rules and when it is lost.
- Nativity certificateA nativity certificate proves you are a native of Tamil Nadu, which the state quota requires. See why a residence certificate is not accepted and who may apply.