Option Entry: Turn Your Rank Into The Right Seat
Option entry — also called choice filling — is where your NEET PG counselling is actually won or lost. This guide walks through exactly how to add, order and lock your choices for AIQ and State Quota, and how our counsellors help you get the sequence right.
What is option entry in NEET PG counselling?
Option entry, also called choice filling, is the step where you select and rank every college and course you are willing to accept, in the exact order you'd take them. The counselling software then allots you a seat based on this order, your rank, and which seats are still available in that round — so the order you set matters as much as the rank you hold.
How option entry actually works
The same five steps repeat every round, whether you're on the AIQ portal or your state's counselling site.
Log in and confirm eligibility
Sign in to the MCC portal for AIQ, or your state's counselling portal for State Quota, and check that your rank, category and documents are verified before you start.
Add your choices one by one
Search colleges and courses you're eligible for and add each one individually — there's no bulk import, so this step takes time and patience.
Reorder by genuine preference
Drag your choices into the exact sequence you'd accept them in, with your most-wanted realistic option placed first, not your most ambitious one.
Save, review, then lock
Save your list well ahead of the deadline, read through it once more end to end, then lock it — a locked list can't be changed for that round.
Wait for seat allotment
The system allots the highest choice on your list that your rank still qualifies for that round, based on real-time seat availability.
Option entry: AIQ vs State Quota
The steps are similar, but the portals, deadlines and rules are not interchangeable.
All India Quota (MCC)
State Quota
Mistakes that cost aspirants their best seat
Adding too few choices
A short list increases the risk of no allotment in a round — add every option you'd genuinely accept.
Ordering by ambition, not likelihood
Ranking aspirational colleges first can push a realistic, winnable seat further down the list than it should be.
Lock only after a second review
Read the full list once more the day before the deadline — most errors are caught on a second pass, not the first.
Option entry questions, answered
What is option entry in NEET PG counselling?
Option entry, also called choice filling, is the step where a candidate selects and ranks the colleges and courses they are willing to accept, in the exact order of preference. The counselling software allots a seat based on this order, the candidate's rank, and seat availability.
Can I edit my choices after submitting them?
Yes — choices can usually be added, removed or reordered as many times as needed until the choice-locking deadline for that round. Once the list is locked or the window closes, it's final for that round.
What happens if I don't lock my choices?
Most counselling authorities auto-lock whatever choice list was last saved when the deadline passes, even if you never clicked lock. It's safer to lock manually once you're certain, since an auto-lock leaves no room to catch a last-minute mistake.
How many choices should I add?
There's usually no meaningful upper limit, so most counsellors recommend adding every college and course you'd genuinely accept, not just your top few. A longer list reduces the risk of ending up with no allotment in a round.
Does choice order affect my chances, or only my rank?
Your rank determines which seats you're eligible for, but choice order determines which of those eligible seats you actually get. The system always allots the highest-ranked choice on your list that's still available to your rank that round.
Let's build your choice list before the deadline gets close
Share your rank and category — we'll walk through your realistic options and help you sequence a list built to convert, not just fill space.
