Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counselling 2025

Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counselling is conducted by the Department of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh and Registration is open from 30th October to 3rd November 2024, with editing for new candidates until 11:59 PM. Document verification takes place from 2nd to 4th November, closing at 5 PM. The seat matrix released on the 5th of November, and the merit list will follow on the 6th. Choice filling and locking are available from the 7th to the 9th of November, with seat allotment on the 10th. College reporting and admission cancellation occur on 12th November.

Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counselling is conducted for admission in BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS & BNYS courses and admission is solely based on NEET Exam rank. The curriculum for these AYUSH courses aligns with the standards set by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH), ensuring a complete education in traditional medical systems.  This year NEET Exam was conducted twice, the first exam was conducted on 5^th May 2024 and the second exam was conducted on 23rd June 2024 The National Testing Agency (NTA) has declared results on 4th June & 30th June 2024 respectively. Candidates who appeared in the NEET exam will be eligible to participate in Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counselling.

As per the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) there are 31 BAMS Colleges with 2643 seats, 25 BHMS Colleges with 2210 seats, 4 BUMS Colleges with 240 seats and 3 BNYS Colleges with 180 seats in Madhya Pradesh. Counselling for these colleges starts with the candidate’s registration on the counselling conducting authority’s official website https://ayush.mp.gov.in/. Department of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh conducts counselling for 85% of seats in government & private AYUSH colleges in Madhya Pradesh under State Quota. Counselling for the remaining 15% of seats in government & private colleges will be conducted by AYUSH Admissions Central Counseling Committee (AACCC) under All India Quota (AIQ).

This article has a detailed overview of Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counselling including important dates, counselling process, registration fees, participating colleges, etc.

Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counseling 2025 Highlight

Particulars	Details
Counselling Name	Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counselling
NEET Counselling Type	AYUSH UG Counselling
Counselling body	Department of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh
Entrance Exam	NEET Exam
Exam conducting authority	National Testing Agency (NTA)
NEET Exam Date	May 5, 2024, and June 23, 2024
NEET Result Date	June 4, 2024, and June 30, 2024
Madhya Pradesh NEET 2024 Counselling Starting Date	19th September 2024
AACCC Counselling Date	28th August 2024
Courses to Pursue	BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS & BNYS
Total No. of Govt Seats	BAMS: 513 SeatsBHMS: 100 SeatsBUMS: 60 SeatsBNYS: 0 Seats
Total No. of Private Seats	BAMS: 2130 SeatsBHMS: 2110SeatsBUMS: 160 SeatsBNYS: 180 Seats
State Counselling Official Website	https://ayush.mp.gov.in/
AACCC Counselling Official Website	https://aaccc.gov.in/ug-counselling/

Remaining Vacancy for Stray Vacancy Round-1 MP State Ayush NEET-UG Counselling – 2024 (BAMS, BHMS, BUMS) (Date 05_11_2024)

Counselling Schedule – State Quota

Counselling schedule for Stray Round (BAMS, BUMS and BHMS) For AIQ Quota

Event	Date & Schedule
Registration	30th Oct 2024 to 3rd Nov 2024 till 11:59 pm
Registration form editing (Only For the newly registered candidates of the Stray vacancy round-I.)	30th Oct 2024 to 3rd Nov 2024 till 11:59 pm
Document Verification	2nd Nov 2024 to 4th Nov 2024 till 5 pm
Seat matrix	5th Nov 2024
Publication of Merit List	6th Nov 2024
Choice filling & Locking & Editing	7th Nov 2024 to 9th Nov 2024 till 11:59 pm
Seat Allotment	10th Nov 2024 till 10:00 AM
Date of getting temporary admission after reporting at Pt. Khushi Lal Sharma Government Autonomous Ayurveda College, Bhopal, after completing the formalities and verification of records.	5th Oct 2024 to 8th Oct 2024 till 5 pm
Admission Cancellation	12th Nov 2024 (from 02:30 PM to 07:00 PM)

Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counseling Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria	Details
Entrance Exam	National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)
Conducted by	National Testing Agency (NTA)
General/Unreserved (UR)	50% aggregate marks
SC/ST Category	45% aggregate marks
Required Subjects	Physics, Chemistry, Biology (PCB)
English Requirement	Must have passed the 10+2 qualifying exam in English
Candidates with Disabilities	Eligibility based on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2018
Foreign Nationals	Require an equivalence certificate from the concerned University/Board and MEA of the Government of India

NEET 2024 Cut-Off

Category	Cut-Off Percentile	NEET Cut-Off 2023	NEET Cut-Off 2024	No. Of Candidates
UR/EWS	50th Percentile	720-137	720-162	11,65,334
OBC	40th Percentile	136-107	161-127	1,00,876
SC	40th Percentile	136-107	161-127	34,420
ST	40th Percentile	136-107	161-127	14,414
UR/EWS-PwD	45th Percentile	136-121	151-144	469
OBC-PwD	40th Percentile	120-107	143-127	269
SC-PwD	40th Percentile	120-107	143-127	54
ST-PwD	40th Percentile	120-107	142-127	13

Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counselling 

Madhya Pradesh AYUSH counselling is an important process for securing admission into AYUSH courses in the state. The counselling is categorized into two main types based on the overseeing authority and the quota of seats being filled. 

Type of AYUSH Counselling	Scope	Seat Allocation	Purpose
AACCC AYUSH Counselling	Conducted by the AYUSH Admissions Central Counseling Committee (AACCC).	15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government & private AYUSH colleges. All seats in prestigious institutions in Central Universities & Deemed Universities.	To provide a centralized counselling process that allocates seats in government and certain high-profile institutions based on NEET scores.
State Counselling (State Quota)	Department of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh	85% State Quota seats in government & private AYUSH colleges.	To manage the admission process for candidates within their respective states, ensuring regional students have access to local institutions.

Counselling Registration Process – State Quota

• Visit the Official Website: Go to http://ayush.mp.gov.in/.
• Select Registration Option: Choose online registration or visit a kiosk.
• Fill Out the Registration Form: Enter the required personal and NEET details.
• Submit the Form: Review and submit the completed form.
• Receive Registration Number and OTP: Get your unique registration number and one-time password via SMS or email.
• Log In: Use the registration number and OTP to log in to the counselling portal.
• Complete Additional Steps: Follow further instructions on the portal to finish the counselling process.
• Keep Credentials Safe: Save your registration number and OTP for future reference.

Counselling Process – State Quota

• Registration and Online Document Verification: Candidates register online and upload the necessary documents.
• Choice Filling and Locking: During online counselling, candidates select colleges based on their preferences and lock those selections.
• Seat Allotment: Seats are assigned based on merit rank (determined by NEET score) and candidates’ choices.
• Reporting at Allotted College: Selected candidates must report to their allotted college with the original documents they uploaded during registration and complete the admissions process.

Registration Fees

Category	Fees
Eligible Students	Rs.2,000

Documents Required

• NEET Admit Card
• NEET Score Card
• Class 10th (High School) Mark Sheet and Certificate (showing Date of Birth)
• Class 12th (Higher Secondary) Mark Sheet and Certificate (showing subjects studied)
• Domicile Certificate of Madhya Pradesh (if applicable)
• Category Certificate (if applicable) in the prescribed format (Annexure-02)
• Income Certificate (if applicable) in the prescribed format (Annexure-05)
• Six passport-size photographs
• Anti-ragging affidavit duly sworn in before the First Class Magistrate/Notary (Annexure-04)

AACCC UG Counselling Process

AACCC UG counselling process is structured into multiple rounds to ensure a systematic and fair allocation of seats to NEET-UG 2024 qualified candidates for AYUSH courses. The process involves registration, fee payment, choice filling, seat allotment, and physical reporting to the allotted college. Below is a table outlining the detailed process for each counselling round.

Round	Eligibility for Participation	Process
Round 1	Only NEET UG 2024-qualified candidates are eligible to apply.	1. Registration for AACCC-UG Counseling.2. Payment of Counseling Fee (Non-Refundable Registration Fee + Security Money).3. Choice filling and locking.4. Publication of Seat allotment list (Publication of result).5. Physical Reporting to the allotted college.
Round 2	NEET UG 2024 qualified candidates who have not registered in the 1st Round. Candidates registered for the 1st Round and were not allotted a seat. Candidates who opted for free exit in the 1st Round.d) Candidates who joined the allotted seat in the 1st Round and submitted willingness for upgradation in the 2nd Round.	1. Registration for AACCC-UG Counseling (The candidates who participated in the 1st Round need not register again).2. Payment of Counseling Fee includes Non-Refundable Registration Fee + Security Money (Need not pay by the candidates who already paid the counselling fee at the time of registration for 1st Round).3. Choice filling and locking.4. Publication of Seat allotment list (Publication of result).5. Physical Reporting to the allotted college.
Round 3	NEET UG 2024 qualified candidates who have not registered in the 1st & 2nd Round. b) Candidates who have already registered but were not allotted seats in the 1st & 2nd rounds. c) Candidates registered in the 1st Round/2nd Round & availed of Free Exit.d) Candidates joined in the 1st Round allotted seats and submitted willingness for upgradation but did not participate in the 2nd Round. e) Candidates joined in the 2nd Round allotted seat and submitted willingness for upgradation in the 3rd Round. f) Candidates who leave/resign the allotted seat in the 2nd Round, with forfeiture of Security money, three days before the commencement of the 3rd Round, can participate with payment of complete fees.	1. Registration for AACCC-UG Counseling (Those candidates who participated in the 1st Round/2nd Round need not register again).2. Payment of Counseling Fee includes Non-Refundable Registration Fee and Security Money (No need to pay by those candidates who have already paid the counselling fee at the time of registration for 1st Round /2nd Round).3. Choice filling and locking.4. Publication of Seat allotment list (Publication of result).5. Physical Reporting to the allotted college.
Stray Vacancy Round for AIQG/AIQGA/CU/NI	All registered candidates who have not been admitted to any of the seats through AACCC-UG counselling or counselling conducted by State/UTs are eligible for the Stray Vacancy Round.	There is no Fresh Registration in the Stray Vacancy Round. Candidates must submit willingness in the AACCC-UG portal to participate in the Stray Vacancy Round with an undertaking that they are not holding any UG (ASU&H) seats allotted through AACCC-UG counselling or counselling conducted by State/UTs.Option for choice filling is available in the Stray Vacancy Round.4. No upgradation is available from any of the 3 Rounds to the Stray Vacancy Round.
Stray Vacancy Round for Deemed University	All registered candidates who have not been admitted to any of the seats through AACCC-UG counselling or counselling conducted by State/UTs are eligible for the Stray Vacancy Round.	AACCC, M/o Ayush will send a list of eligible registered candidates to Deemed Universities, which is to be exercised strictly in order of merit in the Stray Vacancy Round. The seats are domicile-free, and only registered candidates of AACCC-UG counselling are eligible for admission.3. A List of ineligible candidates will be circulated to concerned State/UT counselling authorities, National Institutes/Central Universities/Deemed Universities to prohibit them from participating in any other AYUSH counselling (Central/State/UT/Nominated seat, etc.).

Note: It is mandatory for all candidates to take admission on their upgraded seats in the 3rd Round from Round 1 & 2 admitted seats. Such candidates, if not joined in the upgraded seats, are ineligible for any further AYUSH counselling (Central/State/UT/Central Pool Quota) and their security money will be forfeited.

Registration Fees & Security Money for AACCC UG Counseling

The registration fee is non-refundable, whereas the security fee is refundable under certain conditions. Below is a detailed table summarizing the registration and security fees for various categories and types of admissions.

Non-Refundable Registration Fee

Admission Type	Category	Amount
AIQ-Govt.-college/AIQ-Govt.-Aided-college/Central University/National Institute	UR/EWS/OBC-NCL candidates	Rs. 1000/-
AIQ-Govt.-college/AIQ-Govt.-Aided-college/Central University/National Institute	SC/ST/PwBD candidates	Rs. 500/-
Deemed University	All Categories	Rs. 5000/-

Refundable Security Fee

The refundable security fee will be refunded to candidates after joining the allotted college within the stipulated time mentioned in the schedule. If a candidate does not get a seat during all rounds of counselling, the security fee will be refunded to the bank account provided by the candidate at the time of registration for AACCC counselling.

Admission Type	Category	Amount
AIQ-Govt.-college/AIQ-Govt.-Aided-college/Central University/National Institute	All Categories	Rs. 10000/-
Deemed University	All Categories	Rs. 50000/-

Note: The non-refundable registration fee and the refundable security fee must be paid during the registration process for AACCC UG counselling.

Seat Allotment

AYUSH Counselling 2024 seat allotment is the process through which candidates are assigned seats in AYUSH courses (BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS, BNYS) based on their NEET UG rank, preferences, and availability of seats. The allotment is conducted in multiple rounds, including a mop-up round to fill any remaining vacancies. Once allotted a seat, candidates must download the allotment letter and report to the assigned college within the specified time for document verification and admission.

Reservation Policy

The Reservation Policy for AYUSH UG Counselling 2024 under state quota & All India Quota (AIQ) for seats in Government/Government Aided/National Institutes/Central Universities is as follows:

Category	Reservation Percentage – All India Quota
SC	15%
ST	7.50%
OBC-NCL	27%
GEN-EWS	10%
PwBD	5%

Candidates belonging to the Creamy Layer of OBC are not entitled to reservation benefits and are considered under the general (GEN) category, making them eligible only for open seats. The GEN-EWS reservation benefit is available only to those general category candidates who meet the criteria specified by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counseling Documents Required

1. Matriculation/High School Certificate (10th)

2. 10+2/Intermediate/Senior Secondary School Examination Certificate & Detailed Marks Sheet.

3. Character Certificate issued by the school/institute last attended.

4. Resident Certificate (if applicable)

5. Certificate of bonafide resident issued by competent authority (if applicable)

6. Caste Certificate issued by competent authority (if applicable)

7. Latest Income Certificate (if applicable)

8. Certificate concerning Benchmark Disabilities issued by competent authority (Medical Board of PGIMS, Rohtak)

9. Certificate of Dependent of Freedom Fighters issued by competent authority (if applicable).

10. Certificate of ESM issued by competent authority (if applicable).

11. Print out of Online Application form.

12. Provisional Allotment letter.

13. Proof of identification Aadhaar card / PAN Card / Driving license /Passport / Voter ID/Ration Card/any other (any two).

14. Four passport-size photographs against a white background (preferably the photograph used in NEET form).

15. NEET Exam Admit Card/Score Card

Participating AYUSH Colleges in Madhya Pradesh

List of BAMS Colleges

College Name	Type	Established Year	Seat Intake	Tuition Fees
Govt. Auto Ayurved College & Hospital, Gwalior	Government	1916	75	Rs. 75,552/-
Government Autonomous Ayurved College, Jabalpur	Government	1971	75	Rs. 93,150/-
Government Autonomous Dhanwantari Ayurved College, Ujjain	Government	1969	75	Rs.1,05,035/-
Pt. Shivnath Shastri Government Autonomous Ayurveda College & Hospital, Burhanpur	Government	1958	63	Rs. 80,235/-
Shaskiya Swashasi Ashtanga Ayurved Mahavidyalaya Indore	Government	1972	75	Rs. 82,735/-
Govt. (Auto) Ayurved College, Rewa	Government	1972	75	Rs.1,07,225/-
Pt. Khushilal Sharma Govt. (Autonomous) Ayurved College & Institute, Bhopal	Government	1995	75	Rs.40,000/-
Pt. Shivshaktilal Sharma Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Ratlam	Private	2000	100	Rs.1,91,000
Shubhdeep Ayurved Medical College, Indore	Private	2000	100	Rs.2,06,000/-
Ajivan Swasthya Samvardhan Ayurved Mahavidyalaya Arogyadham, Deendayal Research Institute, Satna	Private	2008	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Rajiv Gandhi Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Bhopal	Private	2001	50	Rs.1,40,000
Rani Dullaiya Smriti Ayurvedic P.G. College & Hospital, Bhopal–	Private	2002	100	Rs.2,92,500/-
Veenavadini Ayurved College & Hospital, Akbarpur, Bhopal	Private	2002	100	Rs.1,40,000
Om Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital, Jamthi,  Betul	Private	2002	40	Will Be Notified Soon
Bhanwar Lal Nahata Samriti Sansthan,Mandsaur Institute of Ayurved Education & Research, Mandsaur	Private	2007	100	Rs.2,50,000/-
Mansarovar Ayurvedic Medical College, Hospital & Research Center, Bhopal	Private	2015	100	Rs.2,14,000
Parashar Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital, Bhopal	Private	2015	60	Rs.1,56,000
Sam College of Ayurvedic Sciences & Hospital, Raisen	Private	2015	60	Rs.1,56,000
Vijayshree Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital, Jabalpur	Private	2016	60	Will Be Notified Soon
L.N. Ayurved College & Hospital, Bhopal,	Private	2017	100	Rs.2,50,000
Sri Sai Institute of Ayurvedic Research & Medicine, Bhopal	Private	2016	100	Rs.1,50,000/-
R.N. Kapoor Memorial Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital, Indore	Private	2019	100	Rs. 1,25,000/-
Poornayu Ayurvedic Chikitsalaya Evam Anusandhan Vidyapeeth Girls College,  Jabalpur	Private	2019	100	Rs. 2,25,500/-
Sardar Ajit Singh Smriti Ayurved Mahavidyalay, Bhopal-	Private	2020	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Faculty of Ayurveda, Sehore	Private	2020	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Department of Ayurveda and Community, IES University Bhopal	Private	2022	100	Will Be Notified Soon
School of Ayurveda & Siddha Studies, Pachama, Sehore	Private	2021-22	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Ram Krishna College of Ayurveda and Medical Science Bhopal.	Private	2021-22	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan College of Ayurveda, Hospital & Research Centre,  Bhopal	Private	2021-22	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma Ayurved College,  Bhopal	Private	2018	60	Will Be Notified Soon
Sardar Patel Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital,  Balaghat.	Private	2020	100	Will Be Notified Soon

List of BHMS Colleges

College Name	Type	Established Year	Seat	Tuition Fees
Government Homeopathy College, Bhopal	Government	1990	100	Rs.93,750/-
Arihant Homoeopathic Medical College, Barbani	Private	2007	100	Rs 1,15,000/-
Anushree Homoeopathic Medical College, Jabalpur	Private	2003	100	Rs.90,000
District Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Ratlam	Private	1990	100	Rs.1,10,000/-
H.K.E. Society’s Narayan Shree Homoeopathic Medical College, Bhopal	Private	1999	100	Rs.56,000/-
Hahnemann Homoeopathic Medical College, Bhopal	Private	1965	100	Rs.46,000/-
Indira Gandhi Memorial Homoeopathic Medical College, Dhar	Private	1998	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Lal Bahadur Shastri (L.B.S.) Homoeopathic Medical College, Bhopal	Private	1966	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Mahatma Gandhi Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Jabalpur	Private	2001	100	Rs.41,000/-
Om Charitable Chikitsa Samiti’s K.S. Homoeopathic Medical College, Gwalior	Private	1973	60	Rs. 51,500/-
R. N. Kapoor Memorial Homoeopathic Hospital and Medical College	Private	2017	100	Rs.1,50,000/-
R.K.D.F. Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bhopal	Private	2000	100	Rs.1,29,400/-
Ram Krishna College of Homoeopathy & Medical Sciences, Bhopal	Private	2015	100	Rs.1,36,600/-
Rani Dullaiya Smriti Homoeopathy College & Hospital, Bhopal	Private	2003	100	Rs. 91,000/-
Sagar Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital Research Centre, Sagar	Private	2002	50	Will Be Notified Soon
School of Homoeopathy, Sri Satya Sai University of Technology & Medical Sciences, Sehore	Private	2016	100	Rs.1,50,000/-
Sendhwa Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Sendhwa	Private	2001	100	Rs. 58,000/-
Sheetla Sahai Homoeopathy Medical College & Research Institute Cancer Hospital, Gwalior	Private	2000	60	Will Be Notified Soon
Shivang Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Bhopal	Private	2001	100	Rs.1,10,000/-
Shri Gujarati Samaj Shrimati Kamlaben Raoji Bhai Patel Gujarati Homoeopathic Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Indore	Private	1999	90	Rs. 44,500/-
Shri Ramnath Singh Siksha Prasar Samiti Homoeopathic Medical College, Bhind	Private	2000	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Smt. S.M. Deo Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Balaghat	Private	2000	50	Rs.33,000/-
Sophia Homoeopathic Medical College (Swastik Educational & Social Welfare Society’s), Gwalior	Private	2002	100	Will Be Notified Soon
Swami Pranavanand Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Chhatarpur	Private	1967	50	Will Be Notified Soon
Vasundhara Raje Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Gwalior	Private	1958	50	Rs.2,75,000

List of BUMS Colleges

College Name	Type	Established Year	Seat Intake	Tuition Fees
Hakim Syed Ziaul Hassan, Govt. Unani Medical College & Hospital Bhopal	Government	1998	60	Rs. 35,000/-
Saifia Hamidia Unani Tibbia College & Hospital, Khandwa	Private	1962	50	Rs.65,000
Al-Farooque Unani Tibbia College, Indore	Private	1997	50	Rs.8,75,00
Hakeem Abdul Hameed Unani Medical College – Hospital	Private	2003	60	Rs.71,000

List of BNYS Colleges

List of Colleges	Status	Established Year	Seat Intake	Fees
Sant Hirdaram Medical College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences Bhopal	Private	2009	70	Rs.1,03,000
PBGM Medical College Bhopal	Private	2001	50	Will Be Notified Soon
SMA Ayush Medical College of Naturopathy and Yogic Science	Private	2017	60	Will Be Notified Soon

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counseling?

A: Madhya Pradesh AYUSH Counseling is conducted by the Department of AYUSH, Government of Madhya Pradesh, for admissions into BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS, and BNYS courses based on NEET Exam ranks.

Q: When is the counselling expected to start?

A: The counselling is tentatively expected to start in the first week of September 2024.

Q: What are the eligibility criteria for participating in the counselling?

A: Candidates must have passed the NEET exam, have a minimum of 50% aggregate marks for the General/Unreserved category or 45% for the SC/ST category in 10+2 with PCB, and must have passed English.

Q: How many seats are available for AYUSH courses in Madhya Pradesh?

A: There are 31 BAMS colleges with 2,643 seats, 25 BHMS colleges with 2,210 seats, 4 BUMS colleges with 240 seats, and 3 BNYS colleges with 180 seats.

Q: What is the registration fee for the counselling?

A: The registration fee for eligible students is Rs. 2,000.

Q: What documents are required for registration?

A: Required documents include NEET Admit Card, NEET Score Card, Class 10th and 12th Mark Sheets, Domicile Certificate, Category Certificate (if applicable), Income Certificate (if applicable), six passport-sized photographs, and an anti-ragging affidavit.

Q: How are seats allotted during the counselling process?

A: Seats are allotted based on the merit rank determined by the NEET score and the choices filled by the candidates during the counselling process.