MCC counselling fees, security deposit and refund rules

Registering for MCC counselling means paying two separate things: a non-refundable registration fee, and a refundable security deposit that you get back after all rounds are over. How much depends on which quota you register for and your category.

AIQ, Central Universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC, AFMC and B.Sc. Nursing

Deemed Universities

What 'exit with forfeiture' means

If you are allotted a seat in Round 2 or a later round and decide not to join it, you can leave - but you lose the security deposit you paid. That is forfeiture. Round 1 is the exception: it carries a free exit, so leaving a Round 1 seat costs you nothing. And once you join a seat after Round 3, resignation is not available at all.

Candidates who forfeit and want back into Round 3 must pay a fresh security deposit to participate.

How the refund works

The security deposit is refunded only after every round of counselling is complete. You do not apply for it. MCC publishes the list of candidates eligible for refund on www.mcc.nic.in, and the Financial Custodian - HLL Lifecare Ltd, a Government of India undertaking under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare - handles the money.

1. 1MCC publishes the eligible list on its portal once counselling ends.
2. 2The Financial Custodian initiates refunds within 15 working days of that publication.
3. 3Refunds are completed within 30 days of it.
4. 4MCC then publishes refund details with dates and transaction numbers within 30 days.
5. 5The money reaches your account 2 to 15 days after the Financial Custodian releases it, depending on your bank.

The rules that catch people out

• Do not pay from someone else's card or account. MCC will not redirect a refund to a different account, so paying from an unrelated account creates a problem you cannot fix later.
• Never raise a chargeback claim with your card issuer. Doing so blocks the Financial Custodian from issuing a direct refund, and undoing it needs a written no-objection certificate from your bank confirming the claim is withdrawn.
• Paid twice by mistake? Approach the Financial Custodian 10 days after the registration window closes. Excess payments are refunded within 30 days of that window closing, less an administrative deduction of 50% of the registration fee or Rs. 500, whichever is lower.
• You cannot pay from an NRI account. RBI rules stop MCC refunding to one. Transfer funds to an NRO account first and pay from there - the refund will come back to the NRO account.
• MCC pays no interest on the security deposit, and does not cover your bank charges. Net banking generally costs less than paying by card.
• Once you have successfully registered, the registration is treated as a service rendered - the registration fee is not refundable.

Who to email about money

• Refund issues: financemcc@lifecarehll.com
• All other Financial Custodian issues: callcentremcc@lifecarehll.com, or the helpline 1800-102-7637
• MCC administrative queries: adgme@nic.in

Two conditions matter here. The Financial Custodian replies only to mail sent from the address registered with MCC, and for refund queries you should wait until 10 days after the counselling window closes or 15 days after refund details are published. Mails to the wrong address are not considered, and replies come only during office hours, 10:00 to 18:00.