What is All India Quota (AIQ)?

All India Quota, commonly known as AIQ, is one of the most important concepts every NEET aspirant must understand before appearing for MCC counselling. Yet it remains one of the most misunderstood topics in medical admissions.

In simple terms, AIQ is a 15% reservation of total MBBS and BDS seats from all government medical and dental colleges across India, set aside by the Supreme Court of India for students from any state to compete purely on the basis of their NEET merit rank.

The remaining 85% of seats in government colleges go to the State Quota, which is managed by individual state counselling authorities and is accessible only to domicile candidates of that particular state.

Why Was AIQ Created?

The Supreme Court of India introduced the All India Quota system with three key objectives. First, to reward national merit and ensure talented students are not restricted by state boundaries. Second, to give students from smaller or educationally weaker states access to better medical colleges across the country. Third, to promote national integration through education.

Who Manages AIQ Admissions?

All AIQ admissions are managed exclusively by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), operating under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Government of India. Registration, choice filling, and seat allotment happen only on the official MCC portal at mcc.nic.in.

MCC counselling and state quota counselling are two parallel and independent processes. A student can and should participate in both simultaneously. Participating in MCC counselling does not disqualify a candidate from state quota counselling, and vice versa.

Which Institutions Participate in AIQ Under MCC?

This is where most students get confused. MCC does not just handle 15% government college seats. It manages admissions for a much larger and more diverse pool of institutions. There are broadly two categories of institutions that fall under MCC counselling.

Category A: Government Medical Colleges (15% AIQ Seats)

In every state government medical college across India, 15% of total MBBS and BDS seats are contributed to the AIQ pool and filled exclusively through MCC counselling. The remaining 85% are managed by the respective state counselling authority.

There are currently 410 state government medical colleges across India participating in this system, contributing their 15% AIQ seats to the MCC pool.

Category B: Institutions with 100% Seats Under MCC

Beyond government colleges, several prestigious institutions contribute 100% of their seats to MCC counselling, meaning there is no state quota at all for these colleges. Every seat is open to students from across the country on national merit.

1. AIIMS: All India Institute of Medical Sciences

All 20 AIIMS campuses across India, including New Delhi, Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Rishikesh, Nagpur, Raipur, and others, fall 100% under MCC counselling. There is no domicile restriction or state quota for any AIIMS seat.

2. JIPMER

JIPMER has two campuses: Puducherry and Karaikal. Since 2019, JIPMER has merged fully into the NEET and MCC counselling system. There is no separate JIPMER entrance exam anymore. All seats are filled 100% through MCC counselling and are open to students from any state.

3. Deemed Universities

All 59 deemed medical universities across India contribute 100% of their MBBS and BDS seats to MCC counselling. There is no state quota for deemed universities. Well-known examples include HIMSR New Delhi, Kasturba Medical College Manipal, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences Kochi, JSS Medical College Mysuru, and Sri Ramachandra Institute Chennai.

4. Central Universities

Central universities follow a slightly different structure, and it is important to understand each one individually.

• BHU, Varanasi: 100 MBBS seats, all 100% under MCC counselling with no state quota.
• AMU, Aligarh: 50% of seats are reserved for AMU internal and Muslim Minority candidates, while the remaining 50% are open to all India candidates through MCC. Counselling for both categories is managed by MCC.
• Delhi University: MAMC, LHMC, and UCMS follow the 15% AIQ and 85% Delhi domicile structure. The 85% Delhi domicile quota is accessible to students who passed Class 10 or Class 12 from a Delhi school. Counselling for both AIQ and Delhi domicile seats is managed by MCC.
• Jamia Millia Islamia: Participates with 100% of its seats under MCC counselling.

5. ESIC Medical Colleges

There are 20 ESIC medical colleges across India. All seats are filled 100% through MCC counselling and are completely domicile free, meaning students from any state can apply. Priority is given to children of ESIC insured employees, but seats are open to all NEET-qualified candidates.

6. AFMC Pune

AFMC follows a unique two-step process. First, candidates must register on the MCC portal. Second, shortlisted candidates must appear for AFMC's own interview and medical fitness test. Final admission is decided by AFMC based on NEET score and interview result. MCC handles registration, while AFMC conducts its own internal counselling and selection process.

Complete Summary: All Institutions Under MCC

The Most Important Takeaway

Seats may be categorised differently across various institutions. Some follow 15% AIQ, some are 100% open, and some have internal quotas. But there is one single door that leads to all of them, and that door is MCC at mcc.nic.in.

Whether you are aiming for a government college AIQ seat, a deemed university seat, AIIMS, JIPMER, ESIC, AMU, BHU, or Delhi University, your journey begins and is processed through MCC registration only. Missing MCC registration means missing all of these opportunities in one go.

This article is Part 1 of our complete series on All India Quota and MCC Counselling 2026. The next part will cover category-wise reservation within AIQ, states exempt from AIQ, and a step-by-step guide to MCC counselling rounds.

Information verified from MCC official sources and NMC data as of June 2026.

Explore More Guides