UP NEET UG Counselling 2026: Master Choice Filling & Avoid These Huge Mistakes

By Areeb | Second-Year MBBS Student at Maha Yogi Gorakhnath University

The most crucial stage of your medical journey begins right after the NEET UG results are declared—Counselling. For UP NEET UG aspirants, choice filling is where strategy beats luck. Small missteps here can cost you a seat you have rightfully earned, or worse, land you in a college with massive hidden fees.

I know this because I made a massive blunder during my own counselling. I am Areeb, and before you log into the DGME portal, I want to share my exact strategy—and the mistakes that almost cost me my seat.

[Embed YouTube Video Here: https://youtu.be/C3r1U9Ia8KM]

🛑 4 Massive Blunders I Made (And You Must Avoid)

Whether you are relying on expert advice from educational platforms, or navigating it yourself, avoid these traps at all costs:

1. The "Only Top Colleges" Myth

In my first round, I listened to a "so-called counselor" who told me that with my rank of 16,65,000, I would easily get in. I only filled two colleges: Hind Barabanki and Hind Sitapur. The result? I got nothing. I was in a complete panic.

Rule of thumb: Always provide a long, well-researched list. Never assume your rank guarantees a specific college.

2. Blindly Filling Choices Without Research

Because I panicked after Round 1, I filled out every single college in Round 2 without researching or ordering them properly. Because of that careless arrangement, I was allotted Subharti Medical College—a huge blunder because it was transitioning into a minority college, which meant massive fee hikes were possible.

3. Ignoring Hidden Fees & Minority Status

If I had rejected that Round 2 college, I would have lost my ₹2 Lakh security deposit. Luckily, by Round 3, I did my research and landed safely at SGMCHRC Gorakhpur, where the hidden charges are zero and the fees are highly transparent.

4. Forgetting to Manually "Lock" Your Choices

Never rely on the portal's auto-lock feature. Glitches happen. Once you are satisfied with your rearranged list, manually lock it before the deadline!

Pro Tip: Do not rank your colleges on the official portal right away. Make your list on paper first, refine it, and then enter it into the system.

My Pro Strategy: The College Comparison Sheet

Before you even open the UP NEET portal, you need a blueprint. I created this "College Comparison Sheet" to rank private colleges based on factors that actually impact your life as a medical student.

Here is what you need to track:

Patient Load: Medicine is practical. You need patients to learn. Look for 1.5k to 2k OPD. (For example, my college hospital is older and has a massive patient inflow).

Infrastructure: Is the campus established, or is it still under construction?

Location: Accessibility and safety. (e.g., How far is the auto stand or bus service?)

Hostel Fees: Compare Non-AC vs. AC hostel fees to plan your finances.

Hidden Charges: The silent budget killer. Ask seniors if the college charges extra for exams, library, or events.

Once you have evaluated 10-15 colleges based on these metrics, rank them from 1 to 15. This finalized rank order is exactly what you will input into the choice-filling portal.

💻 Step-by-Step Choice Filling Process

When the window opens, the process moves quickly. Here is exactly what you need to do:

1. Login: Access the official portal using your NEET UG roll number and password.

2. Select & Arrange: Add colleges from your pre-researched Comparison Sheet. Place your dream college at #1, your second choice at #2, and your safety colleges at the bottom. The system reads from top to bottom!

3. Review: You can add, remove, and reshuffle choices until the window closes. Take your time.

4. Lock Choices: Once you are 100% confident, manually click "Lock Choices" and print a copy for your records.

Need More Help?

Counselling is a test of patience. If you need a fully detailed PDF of different colleges, or want me and my team to guide you through the document upload and choice-filling process, check the link in my YouTube video description for my affordable counselling services. Or click here https://t.me/+fk4S4ovJ9H5iMDI1

Subscribe to my YouTube channel for my upcoming videos comparing specific medical colleges and my ultimate packing list for MBBS hostlers!