NEET Reservation Policy 2026: AIQ, State Quota, Category-Wise Reservation & Documents Required

The NEET Reservation Policy 2026 aims to provide equality in admission to MBBS/BDS courses to students belonging to socially, economically, and physically backward classes. The reservation policy is implemented by the National Medical Commission (NMC), National Testing Agency (NTA), Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), and state counselling authorities.

Knowing the differences in 15% AIQ, 85% State Quotas, domicile criteria, and benefits for various categories is paramount for getting admission in government, private, as well as deemed universities for medical studies in India.

What Is the NEET Reservation Criteria 2026?

The criteria for the reservation categories in NEET 2026 remains the same as the previous year. It applies to 15% AIQ and 85% State quota seats.

• 15% AIQ seats follow a uniform central reservation policy across India
• 85% State Quota seats are governed by individual state rules and domicile conditions

Quota Type	Seats Covered	Reservation Policy
All India Quota (AIQ)	15% of total seats	Central reservation rules
State Quota	85% of total seats	State-specific policies
Deemed / Private Colleges	Varies	Limited or no caste reservation
Central Institutes (AIIMS/JIPMER)	100%	Same as AIQ

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What Is the NEET Reservation Policy 2026 for 15% All India Quota (AIQ)?

The 15% AIQ seats are allocated through centralized counseling organized by DGHS on behalf of the MCC. The seats are available in all government medical and dental colleges in the country, except in Jammu & Kashmir, unless the colleges opt in.

Category	Reservation Percentage
SC	15%
ST	7.5%
OBC-NCL	27%
EWS	10%
PwD	5% (Horizontal)

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What Is the NEET Reservation Criteria 2026 for EWS Candidates?

The Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota reserves 10% of seats for financially weaker candidates from the General category.

Eligibility Parameter	EWS Reservation Criteria
Reservation Percentage	10% of total seats
Applicable Category	General (Unreserved) only
Annual Family Income	Less than ₹8,00,000
Agricultural Land Ownership	Must be less than 5 acres
Residential Plot (Municipal Area)	Less than 1000 sq ft
Residential Plot (Non-Municipal Area)	Less than 100–200 sq yards
Asset Ownership Condition	Candidate must not own assets exceeding prescribed limits
Certificate Requirement	Valid EWS Income & Asset Certificate issued by a competent authority
Certificate Validity	Must be valid for the current financial year

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Which Institutes Participate in NEET EWS Reservation?

EWS reservation is applicable across central, national, and state government medical colleges participating in NEET counselling.

College Name	Location
Lady Hardinge Medical College	New Delhi
UCMS	New Delhi
VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital	New Delhi
IMS BHU	Varanasi
RML Hospital Medical College	New Delhi

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What Is the NEET Reservation Policy for Candidates with Disabilities (PwD)?

Candidates with benchmark disabilities are eligible for 5% horizontal reservation under NEET 2026, as per the RPwD Act, 2016. PwD reservation applies across all categories (UR, OBC, SC, ST, EWS) and requires certification from authorised medical boards.

Recognised Medical Boards for PwD Certification

Candidates must obtain certificates only from approved centres such as:

• AIIMS Nagpur
• VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi
• Grant Medical College, Mumbai
• Madras Medical College, Chennai
• IMS BHU, Varanasi

How Is OBC Reservation Implemented in NEET 2026?

OBC reservation is applicable only for candidates falling under the Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) category.

• "27% reservation as per AIQ.
• Mandatory OBC-NCL certificate required. Should be within 1 year.
• Applicable for MBBS & BDS Admission.
• Misunderstood documents cause deprivation of the reservation benefit.

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What is the NEET Reservation Policy for 85% State Quota Seats?

The 85% State Quota seats are managed by individual state counselling authorities and follow state-specific reservation and domicile rules.

Key Features of State Quota Reservation

• Domicile is mandatory
• Reservation percentages differ by state
• Includes state-specific categories and sub-quotas
• Management and NRI quotas exist in private colleges

What Is the NEET Reservation Policy for Deemed Universities and Central Institutes?

The 85% State quota seats are handled by the respective state counseling authorities and are subject to state rules regarding reservation and domicile.

• Main Features of State Quota Reservation
• Domicile: Mandatory
• Reservation percentages may vary from state to state
• Contains state-specific categories and sub-quotas
• Management and NRI quotas are available in private colleges

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Which Documents Are Required to Claim NEET 2026 Reservation Benefits?

Candidates must submit valid and original documents during counselling to claim reservation benefits.

Documents Required for NEET Reservation 2026

Category	Required Document
SC / ST	Valid caste certificate
OBC-NCL	Recent OBC-NCL certificate
EWS	Income & Asset certificate
PwD	Disability certificate (≥40%)
State Quota	Domicile certificate
NRI	Passport & NRI proof

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What Are the Other Reserved Categories in NEET 2026?

In addition to categories considered standard, NEET 2026 also includes:

• 7.5% reservation in govt school children in Tamil Nadu
• Central Pool provides seating for terror attack victims
• Union Territory candidates (requiring own declaration)
• NRI quota in private and deemed colleges

Conclusion

NEET Reservation Policy 2026 is very crucial in handling the admission process in India's medical institutions. Although 15% AIQ seats are allocated according to a central policy, the remaining 85% State Quota is allocated according to each state's policy, making it necessary for a candidate to know both.

Proper category selection, valid documentation, and awareness regarding the quota restrictions can go a long way in securing admissions for medical colleges.

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