Andhra Pradesh PG Dental (MDS) Phase-I Counselling 2026-27: Web Options Schedule for Competent Authority Quota Seats

Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences (UHS), Vijayawada, has notified the schedule for exercising Web Options in Phase-I counselling for Competent Authority Quota (CQ) seats in PG Dental Degree and PG Diploma courses for the 2026-27 academic year. Here's the complete breakdown for candidates in this process.

Which Seats Are Covered

This Phase-I web options round covers two specific seat categories: seats available in Government Dental College, Vijayawada and Government Dental College, Kadapa, after 50% of their intake has already been contributed to the All India Quota; and Category-A Convenor Quota seats (50% of intake) in Private Un-aided Non-Minority Dental Colleges across Andhra Pradesh, all affiliated to Dr. NTR UHS.

The Web Options Schedule

The Notification for exercising web options was issued on 2nd September, 2026.

Exercising of Web Options is open from 4:00 PM on 2nd September, 2026, to 4:00 PM on 4th September, 2026 - a 48-hour window for candidates to log in and submit their preferences.

All of this happens through the official university website, https://drntr.uhsap.in , where candidates must log in to exercise their web options. The university has also made a recorded procedural video available online and strongly advises candidates to review the User Manual on the website before beginning.

Who's Eligible for This Round

Only candidates listed in the CQ Provisional Final Merit List, displayed on 2nd September, 2026, are eligible to exercise options in this Phase-I round. Candidates should confirm their presence on this list before attempting to log in and fill preferences.

No Limit on the Number of Choices

Unlike many counselling systems that cap the number of preferences, Dr. NTR UHS has explicitly stated there is no limit on the number of web options candidates can exercise - candidates can select any number of specialties and colleges available to them. That said, the notice specifically advises candidates to only opt for courses and colleges they are genuinely interested in joining, since a careless, oversized preference list can create complications later in the allotment process.

Understanding the MRC (Meritorious Reserved Candidate) Concept

This is one of the more technical but important details in the notice. If a reserved-category candidate (say, SC) is allotted an Open Category seat in the Open Round of Phase-I based on their NEET-MDS rank and web options, they become classified as a Meritorious Reserved Candidate (MRC). If that same candidate then slides to a reserved-category seat (their own category, such as SC) in the subsequent Category Round on the same day, the Open Category seat they vacate is filled strictly by merit from within that same reserved category - not offered generally. This mechanism exists specifically to maintain a 50:50 ratio between Open and Category (reserved) seats across BC/SC/ST candidates.

Fees You Need to Know

University Fee: Selected candidates must log in and pay a University Fee of ₹25,600 to download their Allotment Order, payable online via Debit Card, Credit Card, or Internet Banking. This fee, once paid, is non-refundable under any circumstances.

Tuition Fee (Private Un-aided Colleges, CQ seats): For the 2026-27 academic year, per G.O.Rt.No.786 dated 29-08-2026, the tuition fee is ₹3,92,783 for Clinical Degree/Diploma courses and ₹3,53,504 for Para Clinical Degree/Diploma courses - both subject to the outcome of pending Writ Petitions (W.P.Nos. 32975, 33162 & 35090 of 2022).

Important Rules Candidates Should Know

Candidates who joined an allotted seat and later wish to withdraw face serious consequences: per G.O.Ms.No.67 dated 21-04-2017, withdrawing from a joined seat in the final counselling phase results in a 3-year debarment from PG Dental admissions in Andhra Pradesh, plus a penalty of ₹3,00,000. Discontinuation is permitted only after the counselling process fully closes as per the MCC-notified schedule.

Candidates who discontinued their course from the 2023-24 academic year onward - regardless of admission batch - are debarred for 2026-27, with the list of debarred candidates published on the university website.

Government Dental College & Hospital, Vijayawada has been reclassified as a Non-Statewide Institution since 2024-25 (per G.O.Ms.No.86), now falling under Andhra University's jurisdiction rather than being treated as a state-wide institution.

Joined candidates from Phase-I or Phase-II remain eligible for upgradation only up to the Phase-III (Mop-Up) round. A "Free Exit" option is available for Phase-I joined candidates, as per a schedule to be notified separately.

What to Do Now

Confirm your name appears on the CQ Provisional Final Merit List before attempting to exercise web options, since only listed candidates are eligible for this round.

Log in at https://drntr.uhsap.in well before the 4th September, 4:00 PM deadline, and watch the recorded procedural video and read the User Manual first if you're exercising web options for the first time.

Exercise options only for colleges and specialties you would genuinely accept, despite there being no cap on the number of choices, since an allotted and joined seat carries serious financial and multi-year debarment consequences if you later try to withdraw.

Keep ₹25,600 ready for the University Fee if you're selected, and remember this amount is non-refundable regardless of what happens afterward.

Key Things to Remember

Web options for AP PG Dental Phase-I (CQ seats) are open from 4:00 PM, 2nd September to 4:00 PM, 4th September, 2026, on https://drntr.uhsap.in.

Only candidates on the CQ Provisional Final Merit List (displayed 2nd September) are eligible for this round.

There's no limit on the number of options a candidate can exercise, but careless or uninterested choices are discouraged given the consequences of withdrawal after joining.

University Fee is ₹25,600 (non-refundable); CQ tuition fees for private colleges are ₹3,92,783 (Clinical) and ₹3,53,504 (Para Clinical) for 2026-27.

This article is based on the official notification issued by Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada, dated 2nd September 2026. Candidates should verify all details, the seat matrix, and further updates directly on https://drntr.uhsap.in.