The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is one of the most popular exams in the Indian subcontinent. Each year, more than 20 lakh students apply for this cut-throat competitive exam and only 50-60% of students are able to qualify. The actual process of seeking admission begins once the results are out as student’s marks play an important role in deciding the college in which they are going to grab their medical seat. Along with marks, another crucial factor that affects the admission process is the reservation policy that reserves a certain percentage of seats for students who belong to reserved castes, are economically deprived, or have physical disabilities. Currently, the NEET reservation system is complicated with lots of layers to understand. It can sometimes be confusing for students to find out and understand NEET UG Admissions details and benefit from them accordingly. In this blog, we have collected and simplified all information pertaining to the NEET reservation system so that you can benefit from it.
NEET is an entrance examination taken by the students for the reward of an undergraduate medical degree called Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). It is the only exam in India through which students can secure admission into medical, dental, and other alternative medicine (like homeopathy/ayurveda) courses in the private and public universities of India. This particular examination is conducted only once a year and has strict guidelines that are expected to be followed by the students.
The NEET reservation system specifically mentions that 15% of the total seats come under the All India Quota. Counseling is supervised by the Medical Counselling Committee which allocates these seats to eligible students based on their NEET result and the cut-off for that particular category. Each year the cutoff changes based on the overall performance of students in the examination. The rest of the 85% of seats are occupied by students who live in the state in which the medical college is situated. They are also called state quota seats and can have their own reservation system which is different from the one established by the centre.
Importance of reservation in NEET
After a student has qualified for the NEET examination, the strenuous task of NEET counseling begins through which students get admission into esteemed medical universities all over the country. There are multiple reasons for which reservations have been made a part of such an important examination of the country. The said categories have either faced discrimination in the past in terms of career opportunities or are facing difficulties in prospering in today’s world. Ultimately, even if a small group of society struggles to come forward and make progress then the growth/development of the whole country can be hindered. Although every now and then the policies and people’s views regarding the validation of reservations are questioned, they are aimed to bring a positive change in society so that the previously wronged and currently deserving candidates can benefit from the reservations. Applicants must remember that there is no reservation in NEET on the basis of gender.
Understanding the Neet Reservation System
Scheduled Castes– There is a 15% reservation for students belonging to the scheduled caste. It is one of the most economically and socially limited classes of India. In the previous year, the cut-off for SCs was a score between 107-136 or 40%.
Scheduled Tribes– 7.5% of the MBBS seats are reserved for STs. The minimum marks required for students belonging to this section of society, as previously observed is between 108-120.
Other Backward Classes- The entrance exam qualifying students from the OBC category have a 27% claim in the NEET reservation system. This percentage is also the highest among all other classifications. Previous results show that a student’s merit needs to be between 107 and 136 to be able to apply for this classification.
Economically Weaker Section- The EWS category is different from the reservations as it does not take into consideration the castes of the students. It is supposed to benefit those students who are financially unsound and desire leniency in their cut-offs. There is a 10% reservation for NEET candidates. Previously, the EWS category’s cut-off score ranged between 121 and 136.
Persons with Disabilities- The students belonging to the PwD category are entitled to a 5% reservation in medical colleges. People with temporary or extremely minor physical inconveniences will not be eligible to apply through PwD. However, permanent impairments or disabilities like loss of speech, hearing problems, psychological problems, or physical conditions that compel a student to use prosthetics or a wheelchair are recognized.
It is strongly advised that students should not rely on the merits written above completely. This data is obtained from cut-offs of the previous year. Each year, new cut-offs are introduced once the NEET entrance exam concludes and the results are out.
The state quote seats dominate the AIQ seats with 85% reservation. Other than students belonging/residing to the state itself, applicants who are from corresponding states and union territories are also allowed to claim and register for seats. The merit score of your NEET examination is the primary factor that decides your eligibility. Here, we have mentioned the eligibilities of some states for the 2024 NEET intake-
NEET criteria for status quota for Bihar
-Applicant’s parents should be residents of Bihar.
-Applicant whose parents are employers of the Bihar government. They do not necessarily have to belong to the state.
-Applicant whose parents are posted in Bihar but are employed with the central government or PSU.
NEET criteria for status quota of Andhra Pradesh
-The distribution of seats is done for local and non-local candidates. Non-locals can claim only 15% of unreserved seats.
– Local candidates should have completed school/college in Andhra Pradesh for at least 4 consecutive years.
-Locals must have inhabited in the state for 4 or more successive years.
-If an applicant is not a local of the state but has studied there for 7 continuous years, then also they are eligible for the state quota.
-Applicants whose lawfully wedded partners are employees of central/state government, universities, and public sectors.
NEET criteria for status quota of Chandigarh
-If the parents of the applicant are residents of Chandigarh or 5 continuous years right before the child’s NEET application.
-Applicants who have studied in an educational institute that comes under the Union Territory of the state (regular mode only).
– Applicant whose parents are central/state government employees.
-Private organization where the state administration has a stake of 20% or more and the applicant’s parents are employees there.
-Certificate from SC and PwD candidates.
NEET criteria for Status Quota of Delhi
-Applicant’ should have passed the senior secondary school examinations from government approved boards such as JMI, ICSE or CBSE.
NEET criteria for Status Quota of Gujarat
-Residents of India and overseas citizens of India can apply for 85% status quota of Gujarat.
– Applicants who are born in this state and have cleared their board examinations from any of the five boards ( CBSE, CISCE, NIOS, ISB, Gujarat board).
-Applicants who have parents who are posted in the services of the Gujarat government, All India Services, defense services, etc.
– Gujarat exempts applicants who are born in Daman & Diu and Dadar & Nagar Haveli.
NEET criteria for Status Quota of Haryana
-Authentic residents of Haryana who have resided in the state for 10 years or more.
– Applicants who have completed education from CBSE, AICSE, HBSC, or Open Haryana board.
NEET criteria for Status Quota of Karnataka
– School education of a minimum period of seven years from state government-recognized schools only.
-The mother tongue of the applicant and their parents should be Tulu, Kodava, or Kannada.
-Preferability for applicants who have close family links with defense personnel/ Central Armed Police Force.
-Applicants whose parents work with Karnataka’s state government or central government.
-Applicants whose parents have migrated from Jammu and Kashmir.
NEET Criteria for Status Quota of Maharashtra
-Applicants who have completed secondary or senior secondary level examinations from Maharashtra.
-Applicants holding domicile certificate that proves residence of 10 years or more.
-Applicants whose parents are employees of the Indian government or are posted on duty in Maharashtra.
-In some cases, preference can be given to applicants whose mother tongue is Marathi or who have birth certificates of the said state.
Documents that are required for securing NEET reservations
The National Testing Agency demands admissible proof from you so that you can prove that you pass the eligibility criteria for applying through a reservation. They are usually in the form of documents that are signed and attested by government-recognized officials who can confirm your claim. Some of these documents are-
- PwD students have to submit a ‘certificate of disability’ that proves they have a locomotor condition. For NEET, only government hospitals can provide you with this
- OBC and SC/ST certificate signed by district Magistrate, collector, etc.
- Income certificate signed by a magistrate.
Eligibility to Sit for the NEET Examination
- Completion of secondary and senior secondary school from recognized boards.
- Students should have studied physics, chemistry, biology, or biotechnology in high school.
- Students should have passed these subjects individually and not as an aggregate.
- A minimum passing score of 50% in the above-mentioned subjects.
- Reserved categories can have an aggregate of 40%.
- English as a core language.
- There is no limit on the number of attempts that a student can sit for. Unqualified students are eligible to apply again.
- Students below 17 years of age cannot register for this exam.
- Indian citizens, NRIs, and people of Indian origin are permitted to take NEET.
Note: After updated guidelines, students who have not studied biology are also allowed to sit for the NEET examination.
Conclusion
Understanding the NEET reservation system will help students of all categories and castes understand and plan their studies accordingly. All central universities, institutes, state universities, private institutions, and other national academics are obliged to follow the reservation policy for SC, ST, OBC, PwD, and EWS categories. From the total number of medical seats available in India, each state is allowed to reserve 85% of seats for students belonging to that state. The other 15% are under the All India Quota (AIQ) and have to follow the above-mentioned reservation system. It is best to contact MBBS admission consultants to understand the category from which you can benefit and get your counseling assistance for the coveted MBBS degree. We, at Mediplor have helped thousands of students over the years. Our MBBS admission consultants in Delhi have 20 years of experience and can help you in getting admission to top medical colleges.
