The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has intensified its candidature scrutiny for the ongoing open round of the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI-CET January 2026). As the admission cycle for the January session reaches its absolute finality, the AIIMS examination section has shifted its entire focus toward a strict compliance focus, ensuring that every document provided by postgraduate aspirants meets the statutory requirements. Today, February 19, marks a pivotal junction where the digital records of thousands of doctors are being cross-referenced with the stringent eligibility criteria set for the premier medical institutes of India. This phase of candidature scrutiny is essential to maintain the academic integrity of the Institutes of National Importance (INIs) and to fill the remaining specialized seats with high precision.
The Mechanism of Candidature Scrutiny and Open Round Logistics
The open round of counselling serves as the final gateway for candidates who did not secure a seat in the initial phases. AIIMS has implemented an automated yet human-supervised candidature scrutiny process to filter out non-compliant applications before the software executes the final seat allotment.
| Phase of Admission | Status (As of Feb 19, 2026) |
| Registration & Choice Filling | Successfully Concluded |
| Candidature Scrutiny | In-Progress (High Priority) |
| Result of Open Round | Expected February 21, 2026 |
| Mandatory Reporting | February 22 to February 26 |
| Session Completion | February 28, 2026 |
- Verification of Category Certificates: A major part of the candidature scrutiny involves checking the validity of OBC (NCL) and EWS certificates. AIIMS requires these to be issued within the specific "validity window" mentioned in the information bulletin.
- Compliance Focus on Internship: Candidates must have completed their compulsory rotatory internship by January 31, 2026. Any applicant failing this compliance focus check is being immediately moved to the ineligible list.
- Open Round Security Deposit: To prevent seat blocking, AIIMS has mandated a security deposit of ₹3.00 Lakh. The candidature scrutiny also verifies the successful realization of this payment through the official examination portal.
Seat Matrix and INI-CET January 2026 Trends
The open round seat matrix, updated on February 17, revealed a significant number of vacancies in specialized branches across AIIMS Rishikesh, JIPMER Puducherry, and NIMHANS Bengaluru. The current compliance focus ensures that these high-value seats are not occupied by candidates with mismatched credentials.
| Institute Name | Available Seats (Open Round) | Popular Branches |
| AIIMS New Delhi | 42 | Radio-Diagnosis, Orthopaedics |
| JIPMER Puducherry | 28 | General Medicine, Paediatrics |
| NIMHANS Bengaluru | 15 | Neurology, Psychiatry |
| PGIMER Chandigarh | 33 | General Surgery, Anaesthesia |
- Institute Diversity: The INI-CET January 2026 session includes 11 AIIMS campuses alongside other INIs, all of which follow a unified Common Counselling platform managed by AIIMS New Delhi.
- Strict Documentation: During the candidature scrutiny, the AIIMS team is verifying the MBBS degree recognition as per the National Medical Commission (NMC) database.
- Choice Prioritization: Since the open round is a "no-exit" phase, the compliance focus also involves checking that candidates have only chosen branches they are genuinely prepared to join.
Timeline and Final Allotment Expectations
The results of the candidature scrutiny will be reflected in a provisional eligibility list expected to be published by midnight today. This transparency allows candidates to raise immediate grievances before the final open round allotment result is declared on February 21.
- Discrepancy Resolution: If a candidate's file is flagged during candidature scrutiny, they may be given a 12-hour window to upload a rectified document via the AIIMS academic section.
- Joining Mandatory: Under the INI-CET January 2026 rules, any seat allotted in the open round must be joined. Failure to do so leads to the forfeiture of the ₹3-lakh deposit.
- Reporting Protocol: Candidates who clear the candidature scrutiny must report to the respective institutes with all original documents for a final manual check before formal admission.
Conclusion
The current compliance focus demonstrated by the AIIMS examination section underscores the high standards expected at India's Institutes of National Importance. The candidature scrutiny for the open round is not merely an administrative hurdle but a vital filter that ensures the most deserving medical professionals secure their place in specialized training. As of February 19, the high stakes of INI-CET January 2026 are evident, with the 3-lakh-rupee security deposit serving as a deterrent against non-serious participation. Once the open round allotment is finalized on February 21, the focus will shift to the rapid integration of these doctors into the clinical workforce. This rigorous process guarantees that the nation's premier medical centers continue to be led by residents who meet the highest levels of academic and professional compliance, ultimately strengthening the specialized healthcare delivery system in India. Aspirants are advised to keep a close watch on the official AIIMS exams website for the definitive results of this crucial scrutiny phase.
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