NEET Reservation 2026: Check Category-Wise Reservation, Eligibility, and Documents Required

Content Writer | Journalism Graduate | Updated on - Sep 17, 2025

The NEET Reservation Criteria 2026 will be the same as last year 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, 27% for OBC-NCL, 10% for EWS, and 5% horizontal for PwD.

The Other 85% of the state quota seats are given to the individual state authorities based on their NEET Reservation criteria and domicile requirements.

There is are total of 1,18,000 MBBS Seats in India across more than 780 Medical colleges, around 56,000 seats are from the government colleges and around 58,000 seats are from private colleges.
In NEET 2026, the upper age limit will be removed by NMC, ensuring that candidates of all age groups are eligible for the NEET Exam.

You have to understand the NEET Reservation, along with AIQ vs State Quota seats, domicile rules, and application form requirements for admission into medical government, private or deemed universities.

What is the NEET Reservation Criteria?

The NEET Reservation Criteria 2026 will make sure that there is a fair distribution of MBBS/BDS seats for 15% of AIQ Seats and 85% of State Quota Seats.

The AIQ Seats are fixed, but the state quota seats follow rules set by each state according to their domicile requirements and category policies.

Quota Type	Seats Covered	Reservation Policy
All India Quota (AIQ)	15% of total seats	SC – 15% ST – 7.5% OBC-NCL – 27% EWS – 10% PwD – 5% (horizontal)
State Quota	85% of total seats	Managed by state authorities Based on domicile % varies by state
Deemed/Private Colleges	Varies (AIQ + State)	Often no caste-based reservation Includes Management/NRI quota
Central Institutes (AIIMS/JIPMER, etc.)	100% of seats	Same as AIQ rules (SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, PwD)

NEET Reservation Criteria State-Wise

The NEET Reservation criteria will ensure an equal representation among SC, ST, OBC, EWS and PwD candidates in both 15% AIQ Seats and 85% State Quota Seats.

The NEET AIQ Seats will be managed by the central government and the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).
The State Quota Seats are set by the individual seats counselling authorities according to the domicile rules and reservation policies.

NEET Reservation Criteria for AIQ Seats (15% Seats)

Around 6,400 MBBS Seats, which are 15% of the total MBBS Seats, are filled by the AIQ Seats.
The AIQ Reservation is the same across India and is not different according to the state policies.
In the Central and government universities, most AIQ Seats for the Reserved category candidates are available.

Category	Reservation %	Criteria
SC	15%	Applicable within 15% AIQ
ST	7.5%	Nationwide quota
OBC-NCL	27%	As per the Central OBC list
EWS	10%	Based on family income ≤ ₹8 lakh
PwD	5%	Horizontal across all categories

NEET Reservation Criteria for State Quota Seats (85% of Seats)

Around 36,000 MBBS Seats are under the State Quota Seats.
The NEET Reservation criteria for state quota seats will differ according to the different states.
The State domicile rule is important, as only the state residents can claim the state quota seats.

Basis	Criteria
SC/ST/OBC/EWS	As per the respective state government policies
PwD	5% horizontal in most states
Domicile	Mandatory for eligibility under the state quota
Management/NRI Quota	Available in private colleges (varies state-wise)

NEET 2026 Reservation Criteria

The NEET Reservation Criteria shows how the seats are divided across different categories in both AIQ and State Quota. The NEET Reservation criteria are based on the requirements based on the constitution and the government policies to get equal access for socially and economically backwards candidates.

How to Claim a Reservation in NEET 2026

For claiming a reservation in NEET, the candidates should belong to a reserved category and should provide valid certificates in the counselling process. Reservation is applied in both 15% AIQ and 85% State quota seats during the seat allotment process.

Candidates have to properly select the category in the NEET application form and have to do proper document verification during the counselling.

Select Correct Category: Candidates should select their proper category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD) while they are filling the NEET Application form.
Valid Certificates: They should have valid certificates from the competent authorities of the caste/income or the disability.
Uploading: Candidates have to upload and submit the scanned copies of the certificate during the registration for MCC or state counselling.
Verification: Candidates have to carry original certificates for the physical verification process during various counselling rounds.
Category-wise choice: During the submission of college preference, candidates should consider their reservation benefits and category-wise cutoff.

NEET Reservation List

The NEET UG follows a reservation policy which is based on the Government of India guidelines under 15% AIQ and 85% state quota seats by individual states.

The reserved seats are distributed between different categories like SC, ST, OBC-NCL and PwD to ensure equal access to medical education in India.

NEET Reservation List Under AIQ

Category	Reservation Percentage	Remarks
Scheduled Caste	15%	Applicable to All AIQ and Central Institutions
Scheduled Tribe	7.5%	It requires a valid SC/ST certificate issued by a valid authority
Other Backwards Classes	27%	Only for OBC candidates in Central List (Non-Creamy Layer)
Economically Weaker Section	10%	With an Annual income less than ₹8 lakh and no reservation under SC/ST/OBC
Persons with Disabilities	5% (Horizontal)	Across all categories with 40% disability as per the RPwD Act, 2016
Unreserved	Remainder of seats	Open merit category, not eligible for reserved benefits unless under PwD or EWS

NEET Reservation Chart

NEET Reservation for Girls

In NEET, there is no reservation based on tender, but some state medical colleges and their institutions offer some reservation for female candidates under the state quota.

These reservations were formed to promote women in medical education, and they can vary as per the state policies and institutional norms.

State/Institution	Reservation for Girls	Applicable Quota	Remarks
Bihar	33% of seats reserved for girls	85% State Quota	It applies to all the government medical colleges.
Rajasthan	25% reserved for female candidates	85% State Quota	It is only for the government medical colleges of Rajasthan.
Madhya Pradesh	30% for girls in MBBS/BDS	85% State Quota	It is applicable for both unreserved and reserved categories.
Uttar Pradesh	No fixed %, but some colleges offer girls seats	State/College Quota	It is based on institutional discretion.
AIIMS/JIPMER/Deemed	No separate reservation for girls	15% AIQ/Central Quota	Admission is on the basis of merit and category.

NEET Reservation Cutoff

The NEET Reservation cutoffs are the minimum qualifying marks or ranks that are required by the candidates in the reserved categories such as SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS and PwD to get admissions into MBBS/BDS Courses.

The NEET Cutoff differs every year due to the difficulty level of the exam, a number of candidates who appeared and the availability of seats.

In NEET 2024, SC/ST/OBC candidates who passed with low marks, such as 107, can get a seat, showing the huge benefit of reservation.
Even with lower qualifying marks, candidates with above 500 marks occupied most MBBS seats in OBC and EWS, particularly in high-demand states.
While the OBC/ST/SC cutoff was approximately 107–136, admission to high-ranking reservation government colleges demanded 480+ marks, showing the difference between qualifying and admission cutoffs.

NEET 2026 Category Wise Expected Cutoff Percentile and Marks

Category	Qualifying Percentile	Expected Cutoff Marks (2026)
General (UR)	50th	720 – 137
OBC-NCL / SC/ ST	40th	136 – 107
General-PwD	45th	136 – 121
OBC/SC/ST - PwD	40th	120 – 107

NEET 2026 Category-wise Reservation

The NEET Reservation UG 2026 policy for the 15% AIQ is regulated by the central government to ensure fair access to medical education. A specific percentage of AIQ seats is reserved for each category, while the rest of the 85% State Quota seats are governed by state-level reservation rules.

The category-wise allocation is given below:

NEET Reservation for General Category 2026

Parameter	Details
NEET Reservation %	0% (No reservation under AIQ)
Eligible Candidates	General category without any reservation claim
Counselling Quota	15% AIQ & 85% State Quota (open merit)
Horizontal Reservation	5% for Pwd in the General category
Required Certificate	Not required (if applying under UR only)

NEET Reservation for EWS 2026

Parameter	Details
NEET Reservation %	10% under AIQ
Income Limit	Annual family income less than ₹8 lakh
Asset Criteria	No large agricultural land, residential plot, etc.
Counselling Quota	15% AIQ is also applicable in many states
Required Certificate	Valid EWS Income and Asset Certificate

NEET Reservation for OBC 2026

Parameter	Details
NEET Reservation %	27% under AIQ
Creamy Layer Exclusion	Annual family income must be less than ₹8 lakh
Valid Certificate	OBC-NCL Certificate should be issued within 1 year
Counselling Quota	15% AIQ difference in state counselling
Horizontal Reservation	5% for PWD within the OBC category

NEET Reservation for SC 2026

Parameter	Details
NEET Reservation %	15% under AIQ
Caste Certificate	Required from the issuing authority
Counselling Quota	15% AIQ is also applicable in state counselling
Horizontal Reservation	5% for PWD within the SC category

NEET Reservation for ST 2026

Parameter	Details
NEET Reservation %	7.5% under AIQ
Caste Certificate	Required from the issuing authority
Counselling Quota	15% AIQ is also applicable in state counselling
Horizontal Reservation	5% for PWD within the ST category

NEET Horizontal Reservation for PWD 2026

Parameter	Details
NEET Reservation %	5% in each category (UR, OBC, SC, ST, EWS)
Disability Criteria	Less than 40% benchmark for disability (as per RPwD Act, 2016)
Certificate Required	A disability certificate issued by the authorised medical board
Applicable On	Both AIQ and State Quota

What is the reservation for NEET 2026?

In NEET 2026, AIQ seats have the central reservation policy as follows:

27% for OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)
15% for SC
7.5% for ST
10% for EWS
5% horizontal reservation for PWD across each category

Is the state quota removed in NEET UG 2026?

No, the state quota is not removed in NEET UG 2026. The 85% State Quota seats are intact and are occupied by respective state counselling authorities based on domicile, category, and rules of local reservation.

Only 15% of the seats are available under the AIQ.

NEET 2026 Reservation for NRI Candidates

In NEET 2026, NRI candidates are eligible for NRI quota seats in private and deemed medical colleges. These candidates do not belong to conventional NEET Reservation categories such as SC, ST, OBC, or EWS, but can apply for seats especially reserved for NRIs.

The admission and NEET Reservation process for NRI candidates is different and involves the submission of documents required to establish their NRI status.

Eligibility Criteria	Details
Age Limit	Minimum age 17 years, no maximum age limit for NRI candidates.
Qualification	Should have passed 10+2 or equivalent with required subjects.
NRI Status	Should submit evidence of NRI status (valid NRI passport).
Documents Required	NRI passport Sponsorship letter (if any) Residence proof abroad NEET scorecard.
Seats Available	Depends on the institution; usually 5%-15% of total seats in private and deemed universities.
Admission Process	NRI candidates should apply separately through counselling and submit supporting documents.
Fee Structure	Tuition fees is higher than that of Indian students under normal quotas.

NEET Reservation Percentage

The NEET Reservation for 15% AIQ seats in NEET UG 2026 is as per central government norms to ensure equitable representation of reserved categories. Also, 5% seats in each category are reserved for PWD candidates under horizontal reservation.

Category	Reservation Percentage (AIQ)
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%
Other Backwards Classes – NCL	27%
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)	10%
Persons with Disabilities (PWD)	5% (Horizontal, within each category)
Unreserved (General)	No NEET Reservation

What is a caste certificate for NEET 2026?

A NEET 2026 caste certificate is a valid certificate issued by an appropriate authority that confirms the SC, ST, or OBC status of a candidate.

The certificate is required for candidates who want admission from NEET Reservation category seats.

The certificate should be issued within a limited period (generally within a year) and should be presented at the time of counselling to take advantage of the reservation.

NEET 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The NEET 2026 eligibility requirements are different for different categories of candidates.

Candidates need to fulfil some age, educational qualification, and reservation requirements in order to be eligible for the examination and the counselling process.

The following are the detailed eligibility requirements for each category.

Criteria	General (UR)	OBC-NCL / SC / ST / EWS	PwD
Age Limit	17–25 years	17–30 years	17–30 years (5-year relaxation)
Qualifying Exam	10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Bio-Tech	10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Bio-Tech	10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Bio-Tech
Minimum Marks	50% aggregate(45% for Pwd)	40–45% aggregate	Same as the respective category
Certificate Required	None	OBC-NCL/SC/ST/EWS certificate	PwD certificate

NEET 2026 Seat Allotment

The NEET 2026 seat allotment will be done through the centralised counselling for AIQ and State Quota seats.

The allotment will be done based on rank, category, and preference of the candidate. AIQ and State Quota will have different allotment procedures, and seat distribution will be based on the reservation policy.

Quota Type	Seat Share	Eligible Candidates	Counselling Authority
All India Quota	15% of government seats	All the qualified NEET Candidates	MCC
State Quota	85% of government seats	Domicile holders of the state	Respective State Authorities
Deemed/Central Universities	100% seats	All India eligible candidates	MCC
Private College Quota	Varies by state	As per the state rules	State Counselling Bodies
NRI/Management Quota	Varies by institute	NRI/Management category students	College/Respective Authority

Documents Required for NEET Reservation

To take NEET reservation 2026 under the different categories, candidates need to provide valid and current documents during counselling.

Documents proving the candidate's eligibility for reserved seats have to be issued by a proper authority. If documents are not provided, the reserved seat claim might be cancelled.

Reservation Category	Required Document(s)
SC / ST	Original Valid Caste Certificate by the competent authority(in prescribed government format)
OBC-NCL	Recent OBC-NCL Certificate (not more than 1 year old) & declaration of non-creamy layer status
EWS	Income & Asset Certificate according to recent government guidelines (for the current financial year)
PwD	Disability Certificate issued by a governing medical board (having at least 40% disability)
State Quota	Proof of Residence or Domicile Certificate according to respective state standards
NRI Quota	Passport copy, NRI status proof, and the sponsor's documents

Colleges Accepting NEET 2026

All the medical and dental colleges in India will accept NEET 2026 scores for admission into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other allied medical courses.

More than 600 medical colleges and 300 dental colleges are part of the NEET admission system, including deemed universities and central, as well as private colleges and government colleges.

College Type	College Name	Location
Government Medical College	All India Institute of Medical Sciences	Delhi
	Maulana Azad Medical College	New Delhi
	King George’s Medical University	Lucknow
	Grant Medical College	Mumbai
Deemed University	Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research	Puducherry
	DY Patil Medical College	Pune
	Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University	Pune
Private Medical College	Christian Medical College	Vellore, Tamil Nadu
	Kasturba Medical College	Manipal, Karnataka
	SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre	Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Central University	Banaras Hindu University: Institute of Medical Sciences	Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Central University	Aligarh Muslim University: Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College	Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
Dental College (Govt)	Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences	New Delhi
Dental College (Private)	Manipal College of Dental Sciences	Manipal, Karnataka

NEET Reservation 2026- Quota for Deemed Universities

For Deemed Universities, the DGHS conducts the AIQ Counselling, including seats in medical colleges like ESIC and AFMS institutes. AFMC admissions also follow specific rules and procedures set by the Ministry of Defence.

Here's a table summarizing the reservation system for deemed universities under NEET:

Aspect	Details
Quota Type	- No State Quota - All seats are filled through All India Counseling (MCC).
Management Quota	Open to all NEET-qualified candidates, irrespective of category or domicile.
NRI Quota	Reserved for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) candidates.
Minority Institution Quota	- Muslim Minority Colleges: Reserved seats for Muslim candidates (e.g., Hamdard University). - Christian Minority Colleges: Reserved seats for Christian candidates (e.g., CMC Vellore).
SC/ST/OBC/EWS Reservation	Not mandatory, but some institutions may voluntarily offer relaxation for these categories.
General Category Seats	Open to all candidates, regardless of reservation category.
Fee Structure	- Higher than government colleges. - NRI Quota fees are significantly higher.
Counseling Authority	Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) conducts counseling for deemed universities.
Website for Counseling	MCC Official Website

Candidates must be careful while selecting their category during filling out the NEET application form. Incorrect information or failure to submit the required certificates will lead to disqualification from the reserved category benefits.

NEET Reservation 2026- Important Points to Remember

Document Verification: Ensure all certificates are properly verified and submitted. Documents such as caste certificates, income certificate and disability certificates must be from an authorized official.
Counseling Process: The counseling process may vary from state to state. Always stay updated to the NEET counseling dates and procedures announced by MCC or the state counseling agency.
Self-Declaration Form: Applicants from J&K, Ladakh or specific categories may be required to submit a self-declaration form or provide additional documents.
EWS Applicants: Make sure you meet the criteria for an EWS resrvation by providing the appropriate certificate issued by the concerned authorities.

FAQs on NEET Reservation

Ques. Is there any reservation in NEET?

Ans. Yes, the NEET Reservation policy is followed under the 15% AIQ Seats and 85% State Quota Seats.

The NEET Reservation will ensure an equal representation for the SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS and PwD Candidates.

NEET Reservation 2026 (AIQ seats):

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

Ques. Is the reservation removed from NEET 2026?

Ans. No, the reservation has not been removed from NEET 2026; it is expected to be the same as the previous year's reservation.

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

These are the reservations according to the central government policy, and different states will maintain their own state-wise quota rule for 85% of the Seats.

Ques. Who is eligible for the NEET exam 7.5% reservation?

Ans. The ST Candidates are eligible for the 7.5% Reservation criteria under the 15% of AIQ Seats and State Quota Seats.

Eligibility Condition	Details
Category	Must belong to ST Category
Certificate Requirement	ST Category certificate issued by a competent authority
Central List Validity	Certificate must be valid under the central list for AIQ
State Quota	Eligibility depends on the respective state’s ST Reservation Policy

Ques. What is the 80/20 rule in NEET?

Ans. The 80/20 Rule in NEET forms the state quota admissions in different states.

Category of Seats	Percentage	Eligibility	Example (Out of 1000 Seats)
State Domicile Seats	80%	Only candidates with a state domicile certificate	800 seats reserved for local students
Open to Other States	20%	Candidates from other states (non-domicile)	200 seats open for all India students

Ques. Is 536 a good score in NEET?

Ans. A Score of 536 in NEET is an above-average score and will place a candidate in the top 15-20 percentiles.

Category	Expected Score for Govt MBBS
General	610+ marks
Reserved Categories	520-550 marks (varies by state)

For Private/Deemed colleges, a score of around 536 marks is enough for MBBS Admission, but the fees are high.

Check NEET Previous Year Cutoff (2025 - 2023)

College	2025	2024	2023
AIIMS Delhi,All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi	48	47	57
MAMC,MAMC New Delhi	103	151	1012
VMMC,VMMC New Delhi	132	141	1556
ABVIMS,ABVIMS New Delhi,Lohia Hospital New delhi	215	16404	2191
JIPMER,JIPMER Pondicherry	260	87672	10667
AIIMS Jodhpur,All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur	392	374	534
UCMS,UCMS New Delhi	559	73045	3256
AIIMS Bhopal,All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhopal	634	510	621
GMCH Chandigarh,Government Medical College and Hospital Chandigarh	690	778	635
AIIMS Bhubaneswar,All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhubaneswar	785	655	603
AIIMS Rishikesh,All India Institute of Medical Sciences Rishikesh	816	731	931
B. J. Medical College Ahmedabad	889	676	2353
AIIMS Nagpur,All India Institute of Medical Sciences Nagpur	1030	953	1264
KEM Mumbai,Seth GS Medical College Mumbai	1126	1010	1962
Lady Hardinge Medical College New Delhi	1129	826	5081

Cut-Off Details

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.