NEET Counselling Eligibility 2026: Complete Criteria for AIQ, Deemed, AIIMS & More

Eligibility for NEET UG Counselling 2026 is not a single, uniform rule — it changes depending on which quota or institution a candidate is applying for. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) UG 2026 Information Bulletin lays out separate eligibility conditions for All India Quota, Deemed Universities, AIIMS, JIPMER, Central Universities, NRI candidates, PwBD candidates, and B.Sc. Nursing seats. This guide breaks down exactly who qualifies for what, based strictly on the official MCC bulletin.

Basic Eligibility to Appear for NEET UG 2026

Before counselling eligibility comes exam eligibility. As per the MCC bulletin, candidates who have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology along with English (even as additional subjects) after passing Class 12 from a recognized board are permitted to appear for the NEET-UG Test and are eligible for the grant of an Eligibility Certificate, as per the Public Notice dated 22.11.2023. However, this candidature is considered only if documentary evidence of passing the qualifying examination with the required subjects is provided. Candidates are advised to cross-check exact eligibility conditions in the NTA's NEET UG 2026 Information Bulletin as well.

Eligibility for 15% All India Quota (AIQ)

• The candidate must have qualified NEET UG.

• AIQ seats are domicile-free — open to candidates from any state.

• Eligibility follows the norms prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

Open (domicile-free) seats under AIQ include: 15% AIQ MBBS/BDS seats of States, 100% BHU Open seats, 100% AIIMS Open seats, JIPMER Open seats, AMU Open seats, 15% AIQ seats of DU/IP University institutes, Jamia Open seats (Faculty of Dentistry), and 15% AIQ seats of ESIC.

Eligibility for Deemed Universities

• The candidate must have qualified NEET UG.

• Deemed University seats are domicile-free.

• Unlike AIQ, there is no SC/ST/OBC/PwD/EWS reservation in Deemed Universities. Some institutes may have seats reserved for Jain Minority or Muslim Minority candidates — candidates should verify individual eligibility for these before applying.

• 15% of Deemed University seats are reserved for NRI candidates, per Supreme Court directions in the Consortium of Deemed Universities in Karnataka case.

Eligibility for AIIMS (All AIIMS Institutions)

• The candidate must have qualified NEET UG.

• AIIMS seats are domicile-free.

• In addition to MCC's own eligibility norms, candidates must also meet AIIMS-specific eligibility conditions.

• A separate Foreign National seat category exists, for which only OCI/PIO/Foreign National candidates are eligible; fees for these seats are determined directly by AIIMS authorities.

Eligibility for JIPMER (Puducherry & Karaikal)

• The candidate must have qualified NEET UG.

• JIPMER Open seats are domicile-free.

• JIPMER's internal/state quota seats follow eligibility and domicile criteria set independently by JIPMER and the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Puducherry. MCC plays no role in determining domicile status for these seats — any discrepancy must be resolved with the State Authorities directly.

Eligibility for Delhi University (DU) — LHMC, UCMS, MAMC, MAIDS

DU has a dual quota structure:

• 15% AIQ seats: domicile-free, contributed to the All India pool.

• 85% State Quota seats: Only candidates who have passed their 11th and 12th standard examinations under the 10+2 system from a recognized school within the NCT of Delhi (via CBSE, ICSE, or Jamia Millia Islamia board) are eligible. This eligibility condition is set by DU, not MCC.

There is also a separate reservation category for Children/Widows (CW) of Armed Forces personnel, applicable only to State Quota seats, subject to DU's own eligibility rules.

Eligibility for Central Institutes Under I.P. University (VMMC & SJH, ABVIMS & RML, ESIC Dental)

Similar to DU, these institutes follow a split structure:

• 15% AIQ: domicile-free.

• 85% State Quota: Candidates must have studied 11th and 12th grade from a school located within the NCT of Delhi to qualify.

Eligibility for Jamia Millia Islamia (Faculty of Dentistry)

Jamia follows its own reservation and eligibility policy, separate from MCC's general norms. A defined seat matrix exists across General, PwD, Muslim, Muslim Women, Muslim OBC, Muslim ST, and Jamia Internal categories. "Internal" candidates are those who passed their qualifying examination from Jamia schools as regular students — private or distance-mode candidates are explicitly not eligible for the Internal (Jamia) category. Candidates should refer to Jamia's own Information Bulletin for exact eligibility details, as MCC has no role in setting these conditions.

Eligibility for Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)

• AMU Open seats: No reservation applies except the standard 5% PwD horizontal reservation.

• AMU Internal Quota seats: Reserved only for candidates who passed their qualifying examination from AMU itself as a regular student, not earlier than three academic years before the date of admission to the course they are seeking. MCC has no role in determining this internal eligibility — it is decided and verified directly by AMU authorities.

Eligibility for Banaras Hindu University (BHU)

• The candidate must have qualified NEET UG.

• BHU seats (both Medical and Dental, IMS and IDS) are 100% domicile-free — open to all NEET-UG qualified candidates across India.

Special Eligibility for B.Sc. Nursing at BHU

As per BHU's updated criteria (Letter No. Acad/Admission-UG/2026/4244 dated 21.07.2026):

• Minimum age: 17 years; Maximum age: 25 years, as on 31st December 2026.

• Gender ratio: 80% seats for female candidates, 20% for male candidates.

• Foreign National seats: 5 seats reserved under a supernumerary quota, as per INC approval, from the upcoming session.

Eligibility for AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College)

• Candidates must first register on the MCC portal to be considered for AFMC counselling.

• However, MCC's role is limited to registration only — actual eligibility verification (including medical eligibility conditions) and allotment are handled entirely by AFMC authorities as per their own rules.

• Candidates are strongly advised to verify AFMC's medical eligibility conditions independently, as there have been past instances of admission cancellation due to non-fulfilment of these conditions. MCC does not entertain grievances related to AFMC eligibility.

Eligibility for ESIC Insured Persons (IP) Quota

• The candidate must possess a Ward of Insured Persons certificate with a distinct number, based on the eligible list provided by ESIC.

• The candidate must have qualified NEET UG.

• This quota is domicile-free.

Eligibility for B.Sc. Nursing (Central Institutes)

• The candidate must have qualified NEET-UG, including candidates from the Union Territory of J&K.

• Eligibility and disability norms follow standards prescribed by the Indian Nursing Council (INC).

• Certain Central Nursing Institutes (Delhi region only) may reserve seats for Children/Widows (CW) of Armed Forces personnel — candidates should verify this with the specific institute.

• Candidates should check each participating Nursing Institute's website for institute-specific eligibility conditions, as these can vary.

Reservation-Based Eligibility (Category-wise)

For AIQ, AIIMS, ESIC IP Quota, Central Universities/Institutes, BHU, JIPMER, and B.Sc. Nursing, the following Central Government reservation policy determines category eligibility:

 Deemed Universities are the exception — there is no SC/ST/OBC/PwD/EWS-based reservation eligibility here.

Eligibility for NRI, OCI, and Foreign National Candidates

NRI seat eligibility is governed by principles laid down by the Supreme Court in Anshul Tomar vs. State of M.P. (2008). A candidate may be considered NRI-eligible if:

1. Their mother or father is an NRI ordinarily residing abroad, or

2. A first-degree relative (real brother/sister, in addition to parents) is an NRI ordinarily residing abroad, or

3. A documented NRI guardian (nearest blood relation as defined by the Court — real uncle/aunt, grandparents, or first-degree cousins) has acted as the candidate's legal guardian, supported by an affidavit and evidence.

MCC requires documentary/legal proof establishing genuine guardianship in guardian-sponsored cases.

Four NRI-related categories are recognized, each with its own document checklist:

• Category I: NRI Candidate/Parent/Real Sibling

• Category II: Indian-to-NRI conversion (sponsored by a legal guardian, as per the Guardian and Wards Act, 1890)

• Category III: OCI Candidates

• Category IV: Foreign Nationals

OCI cardholders are, as per the Supreme Court's judgment dated 03.02.2023 in Anushka Rengunthwar & Ors. vs Union of India & Ors., treated at par with Indian citizens and are eligible for both UR (General) category seats and NRI seats.

Eligibility for PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) Candidates — 2026 Update

Under the NMC's new "Guidelines on Assessment of Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) for Admission to the MBBS Course, 2026" (issued 21.07.2026):

• Eligibility is no longer determined solely by disability percentage on the UDID card. Instead, MCC uses a competency-based, functional assessment of the candidate's ability to perform essential medical education competencies, with due consideration for assistive technology and reasonable accommodation.

• To claim eligibility, candidates must visit one of the 33 designated Medical Assessment Boards across India with their NEET UG 2026 scorecard, valid UDID card, and prescribed self-certified affidavits.

• Only candidates who obtain the Eligibility Certificate from a Medical Assessment Board will be shown PwD category seat choices.

• The Eligibility Certificate is valid only for the concerned academic session.

• A fake UDID card or affidavit results in seat cancellation and legal action.

Key Eligibility Rules That Apply Across All Quotas

• Candidates are deemed to have accepted the entire counselling scheme upon submitting their online application.

• A candidate can submit the NEET-UG Counselling registration form only once; multiple submissions lead to debarment from the allotment process.

• MCC does not verify or guarantee eligibility for fee/stipend/bond/service conditions specific to individual colleges — this information is provided by the colleges themselves, and candidates should confirm directly with the institution.

• MCC does not alter candidate information (name, DOB, category, etc.) post-submission; data is treated as self-certified and pre-populated from the NTA registration.

• Registering for counselling does not confer an automatic right to a seat — final admission depends on merit, eligibility, and institution-specific criteria as prescribed by the respective university, NMC, and State/Central Government.