NEET Counselling: Can You Apply For Both AIQ And State Quota?

A common question asked during NEET counselling is, “Can I apply for both All India Quota and State Quota?” Counselling is the process through which candidates who have qualified the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medicine are assigned seats in medical colleges. Most seats in state colleges are in the “state quota” and each state conducts its own counselling for them. However, 15 percent seats in state colleges, all seats in deemed-to-be universities and centrally-run institutions belong to the “all-India quota”; counselling for this is conducted centrally by an arm of the ministry of health and family welfare.

The simple answer to whether a student can apply under both state quota and AIQ is “yes”. However, there are terms and conditions governing the entire process and many of them make participation in more than one counselling difficult. Here we take a look at whether a student can apply under both AIQ and State quota in NEET counselling.

NEET Counselling For AIQ And State Quota: Fundamental Differences

Applying For NEET AIQ And State Quotas: Factors

The eligibility rules, dates, allotment rules matter when you are trying to apply for both NEET AIQ and state quota. The different factors that play a role in this are summarised below.

NEET Counselling Schedules

This needs to match for AIQ and state counselling if students are going to participate in both. If the AIQ process is held earlier and a seat is allotted, students who have taken admission will not be allowed to participate in the state counselling and vice versa. So, candidates must keep an eye on the schedules if they wish to apply for both AIQ and state seats in NEET.

Withdrawal Rule

This is crucial to know as both AIQ and state-wise counselling processes have strict rules on seat allotment. If a student gets a seat in the NEET AIQ counselling, he or she can avoid taking the seat in the first round without forfeit of seat. In Round 2, this is not allowed.

This may create a problem when a student is participating in both state and AIQ. If a seat is allotted in a state round, the student will have to take it and if the participation of the student in AIQ is in round 2, the same situation will prevail. Students will be allowed to leave the seat with forfeiture of fees.

This is why students must carefully check rules for withdrawal so that they are not caught in between and lose not just money but a seat.

Eligibility Criteria

Most states are not open to seat allotment in government colleges to students from other states. These seats are mostly open to students who fulfill the 10+2, domicile rule – meaning, they should have completed secondary schooling in the state – residency and other requirements. Most students will have a better chance in their own states but if they wish to apply for other state medical counsellings, they should carefully check the eligibility criteria for the private seats or management quota which may be open to them.

Some states may require students to have passed their 10+2 from the state in addition to residency clauses while some just accept the domicile certificates. All-India quota is free of domicile rules so, students need not bother about any of these rules other than qualifying in NEET exam.

Forfeiture Rules

The counselling process gets most complicated if a candidate applies under the AIQ, for their own state counselling and also for another state’s counselling process.

Keeping track of the schedules, allotments and the fee payable may be difficult when applying for both AIQ and state quota. A plan must be in place for withdrawals if required, within time and without forfeiture. Generally, seats if allotted need to be claimed by students, especially in state counsellings. They are allowed to go for an upgrade only if they join.

This is not the case with AIQ counselling. While the first round is forfeiture-free where students need not take up the seat, Round 2 comes with forfeiture. So, candidates who have joined in NEET Round 1 counselling or have been allotted a seat in Round 2 (fresh or through an upgrade), must take up the seat or forfeit the deposit. If they take up the seat, they cannot apply for state counselling.

Technically, there is no restriction in NEET counselling for applying to both AIQ and state quota seats. However, factors like eligibility, documents required, different schedules, forfeiture act as strong deterrents. Students are advised to check the various guidelines, plan and then apply for both AIQ and state counselling accordingly.