NEET reservation applies differently depending on whether you're in the 15% All India Quota or the 85% Tamil Nadu State Quota — a distinction that catches many families off guard.
Understanding this distinction is critical to accurately predicting which medical college is realistic for your NEET score and category.
| Counselling | Reservation applied | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| MCC AIQ (15% govt seats) | Central categories: OBC-NCL 27%, SC 15%, ST 7.5%, EWS 10%, GEN 40.5% | OBC-NCL cutoff for MMC Chennai AIQ ~600+; SC/ST much lower; EWS similar to GEN-OBC mid-range |
| TN State Quota (85% govt seats) | TN state categories: BC 26.5%, BCM 3.5%, MBC 20%, SC 18%, SCA 3%, ST 1%, OC ~31% | All categories compete within their own pool based on NEET score |
| AIIMS/JIPMER | Central categories + institute-specific sub-quotas | AIIMS Delhi GEN closing ~715+; OBC-NCL ~680+; SC ~620+; ST ~580+ |
| Deemed universities | No mandatory government reservation | Largely merit-based; management quota for high fees |
Yes — AIQ (15% of govt medical seats) applies central categories (OBC-NCL 27%, SC 15%, ST 7.5%, EWS 10%, GEN 40.5%), while TN State Quota (85%) applies TN state categories (BC 26.5%, BCM 3.5%, MBC 20%, SC 18%, SCA 3%, ST 1%, OC ~31%). Your effective benefit can differ meaningfully between the two tracks for the same category.
Smaller than most students assume. At Madras Medical College, BC closing is roughly 30–60 marks below OC (2024 indicative: BC ~640–660 vs. OC ~670–690), and MBC closing runs roughly 10–30 marks lower than BC. Strong NEET preparation still matters most — reservation narrows the gap, it doesn't eliminate the need to prepare seriously.
A counsellor can project realistic colleges for your exact category and score range.