NEET Reservation Criteria 2025

The National Testing Agency (NTA) establishes the reservation policies for NEET, India’s largest medical entrance examination. The detailed reservation criteria for NEET 2025 have been published alongside the official information brochure. These guidelines apply to medical and dental colleges under the All India Quota, as well as central universities.

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NEET Reservation Criteria 2025: EWS, OBC, PWD, SC, ST & Others

The NEET UG reservation system supports approximately 1,500 candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and around 550 candidates under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) category. It is important to note that the NEET 2025 reservation framework follows the Government of India’s official directives. In addition to the EWS and OBC categories, 15% of seats are set aside for Scheduled Castes (SC), 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes (ST), and 5% for Persons with Disabilities (PwD). Applicants must indicate their reservation category when completing the NEET 2025 application form.

Across all states, 85% of medical seats fall under the State Quota, and each state government defines its own reservation rules for these seats. NEET remains the sole national-level entrance exam for undergraduate medical programs. Based on the NEET 2025 scores, students will be admitted to over 1 lakh MBBS seats, 27,868 BDS seats, 52,720 AYUSH program seats, and 603 seats in BVSc & AH courses across the country. Candidates seeking more information on NEET 2025 reservation, including details about SC/ST quotas, are encouraged to consult the complete guidelines.

NEET Reservation Criteria 2025 for 15% AIQ

For NEET 2025, 27% of seats are reserved for candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and 10% for those under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). Of the total available seats in government MBBS and BDS colleges, 15% are allocated under the All India Quota (AIQ), which follows specific NEET UG reservation guidelines.

Initially, the Supreme Court had mandated 15% reservation for Scheduled Caste (SC) and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates in NEET. At that time, the 27% OBC reservation applied only to Central universities and did not extend to AIQ seats in state-run medical and dental institutions. However, in 2021, the Government of India expanded the scope of reservations under the AIQ scheme to include 27% for OBC and 10% for EWS categories. This change allows eligible OBC and EWS students from any part of the country to secure admission under the AIQ system.

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), is responsible for conducting NEET counselling for the 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats in government medical and dental colleges. According to NEET 2025 reservation guidelines, a specific percentage of these AIQ seats are allocated to different reserved categories. The remaining unreserved seats are offered purely on the basis of merit, determined by candidates’ NEET 2025 scores. 

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NEET Reservation Category: AIQ 15% Reservation Criteria

NEET Reservation Criteria: Economically Weaker Section

The EWS (Economically Weaker Section) quota was introduced in NEET UG admissions in 2019 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Under this provision, 10% of seats in government medical colleges are reserved for candidates from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. To avail of this benefit for NEET 2025, applicants must possess a valid EWS certificate.

Eligibility for the EWS category is determined by specific financial and asset-based criteria. Candidates will not qualify for this reservation if their family meets any of the following conditions:

• Annual family income exceeds ₹8,00,000
• Ownership of agricultural land measuring 5 acres or more
• Possession of a residential flat with an area of 1000 sq. ft. or more
• Ownership of a residential plot of 100 sq. yards or more in notified municipal areas
• Ownership of a residential plot of 200 sq. yards or more in areas outside notified municipalities

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NEET Reservation Criteria 2025: Persons with Disability

As per the NEET reservation policy followed in recent years, candidates with benchmark physical disabilities are entitled to a 5% reservation in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. For NEET 2025, applicants seeking this benefit must present a valid PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) certificate. This certificate must be issued by one of the fifteen designated authorities recognized for evaluating and certifying disabilities.

Reservation Criteria of NEET 2025: 85% State Quota Seats

As in previous years, the reservation guidelines for NEET seats under the state quota will be determined by the respective state counselling authorities, based on the state’s current reservation policies. It’s important for candidates to understand that each state follows its own set of rules regarding reservation, tailored to the needs of various indigenous and locally recognized categories.

Furthermore, admissions to government medical and dental colleges within each state are managed by that state’s counselling body. As a result, the reservation policies they implement may differ from the NEET 2025 All India Quota guidelines.

Reservation Criteria of NEET 2025: Deemed/Central Universities & ESIC Colleges

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) oversees the All India counselling process for seats in Deemed Universities, Central Universities, ESIC medical colleges, and Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) institutions. The NEET 2025 reservation guidelines are applicable during this counselling process. Admission to the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, is governed by specific rules and regulations established by the Directorate General of Armed Forces Medical Services under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.