NEET Reservation: Category Quotas, AIQ vs State Explained

NEET reservation is the category-based quota system that sets aside a fixed share of MBBS, BDS and allied medical seats for Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL), Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates, applied on top of a candidate's NEET-UG rank. The percentages are fixed nationally at 10% EWS, 27% OBC-NCL, 15% SC, 7.5% ST and a 5% horizontal PwBD reservation cutting across every category, but they apply differently depending on whether a seat falls under the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) or the 85% state quota. This guide explains exactly how each quota works, how AIQ reservation differs from state-quota reservation, and what your category means for your effective cutoff and rank.

Key Takeaways

• NEET reservation percentages are fixed at EWS 10%, OBC-NCL 27%, SC 15%, ST 7.5%, and PwBD 5% (horizontal, applied across every other category), and these figures have held steady through the 2026 admission cycle.

• The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) applies these percentages only within the 15% All India Quota (AIQ); the remaining 85% state quota follows each state's own reservation rules, which can differ meaningfully from the central figures.

• EWS eligibility requires an annual family income below ₹8 lakh, plus asset limits (under 5 acres of farmland, under 1000 sq. ft. of residential property, and defined plot-size caps).

• PwBD candidates need a benchmark disability certificate (generally 40% or more) from an authorised medical board to claim the 5% horizontal reservation.

• Category reservation changes your effective qualifying percentile and, in state-quota seats, your domicile eligibility too; see our MCC NEET UG counselling guide for how these percentages convert into an actual seat allotment.

NEET reservation percentages: AIQ vs state quota

What is NEET reservation and why does it exist?

NEET reservation is the mechanism by which a fixed share of medical seats is set aside for candidates from specific social, economic or disability categories, an approach rooted in India's broader constitutional reservation framework rather than something NEET introduced on its own. Without it, seat allocation would run purely on NEET-UG merit rank, which would exclude the categories reservation is designed to protect. Reservation does not lower the exam a candidate takes; every candidate sits the identical NEET-UG paper. What changes is the qualifying percentile and the pool of seats a candidate competes within during counselling.

How does AIQ reservation differ from state quota reservation?

AIQ reservation and state quota reservation differ in who sets the rules and which seats they cover. The 15% All India Quota is filled by the Medical Counselling Committee under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and it applies the central reservation percentages (EWS 10%, OBC-NCL 27%, SC 15%, ST 7.5%, PwBD 5%) uniformly to seats in government medical and dental colleges nationwide, except those in Jammu & Kashmir. The remaining 85% of seats are the state quota, which each state counsels separately using its own reservation policy, its own list of recognised categories, and typically a domicile requirement that AIQ does not impose. This is why a candidate's effective reservation benefit can look different depending on whether they are competing for an AIQ seat or a state-quota seat in their home state.

What is the NEET EWS reservation criteria?

The 10% EWS reservation applies to candidates from the general category whose annual family income is below ₹8 lakh and who do not own specified assets above set thresholds. Beyond the income cap, a family must not own agricultural land exceeding 5 acres, a residential flat larger than 1,000 sq. ft., or a residential plot above 100 sq. yards in a notified municipal area (200 sq. yards in a non-municipal area). This quota was introduced in 2019 under a constitutional amendment and applies to central universities, national institutes and state government medical colleges that participate in EWS reservation.

How does OBC-NCL reservation work in NEET?

OBC-NCL candidates receive a 27% reservation within the 15% All India Quota, provided they submit a valid, current non-creamy-layer OBC certificate at the time of counselling. "Non-creamy layer" specifically excludes OBC candidates above a defined income and social threshold, so simply belonging to an OBC community is not enough; the certificate itself must state NCL status and be renewed within the validity window state authorities require, typically issued within the preceding 6 to 12 months. An expired or incorrectly filled certificate is one of the most common reasons candidates lose their reservation benefit during document verification.

Steps to claim NEET reservation during counselling

1. Confirm which category (EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, or PwBD) you are eligible for and check the income, asset, or disability threshold that applies.

2. Obtain the correct certificate from an authorised issuing authority: a District Magistrate or equivalent for OBC-NCL/SC/ST/EWS, or a designated medical board for PwBD.

3. Select your category accurately while filling the NEET-UG application form, since this cannot be changed after counselling registration in most cases.

4. Meet the category-adjusted qualifying percentile NTA sets each year to be eligible for counselling.

5. Register for AIQ counselling through MCC, or for state-quota counselling through your state's authority, and upload your category certificate for verification.

Once your category and cutoff are confirmed, a NEET college predictor can turn your reserved-category rank into a realistic shortlist, and the NEET UG 2026 result breakdown shows how qualifying percentiles played out by category in the most recent cycle.