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Reservation Policy in UP NEET UG 2026
UP Government Order explains the reservation policy applicable to UP NEET UG 2026 counselling. It covers both vertical reservation and horizontal reservation for eligible seats.
Vertical Reservation
For State Quota seats in government medical colleges, universities and autonomous institutions in Uttar Pradesh, the following reservation is applicable:
| Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 21% |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 2% |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC) | 27% |
| Economically Weaker Section (EWS) | 10% |
The Government Order specifically states that EWS reservation will apply in institutions where the required increase in seats for EWS reservation has been approved by the competent medical regulatory authority.
Horizontal Reservation
Horizontal reservation operates within the candidate's existing vertical category.
For example, an OBC candidate claiming NCC reservation will remain in the OBC category, while an SC candidate claiming NCC reservation will remain in the SC category.
The Government Order specifically refers to the Allahabad High Court's position that the benefit of horizontal reservation is available to candidates within their respective vertical category.
The horizontal reservation categories are:
| Category | Reservation |
|---|---|
| Dependents of Freedom Fighters | 2% |
| Eligible Ex-Servicemen category | 2% |
| PwD Candidates | 5% |
| NCC Cadets | 1% |
| Women Candidates | 20% |
The reservation table specifically lists NCC candidates and women candidates as horizontal reservation categories.
Major Recent Change: NCC Reservation for NEET UG 2026
Earlier Rule
Under the earlier UP Government Order dated 2 February 2007, the 1% horizontal reservation for NCC candidates was available to candidates holding an:
NCC C Certificate with at least B grading
The problem was that an NCC C Certificate is generally obtained at a later stage, making the benefit practically difficult for students seeking admission to an undergraduate course such as MBBS/BDS.
The Allahabad High Court observed that requiring a C Certificate for admission to a graduation course could make the reservation effectively unavailable to eligible students.
What Has Changed for NEET UG 2026?
Following the Allahabad High Court's order dated 26 May 2026, the UP Government has expanded eligibility for the 1% NCC horizontal reservation.
This means an eligible student does not necessarily need an NCC C Certificate anymore to claim the 1% NCC reservation.
The Government Order clearly provides that candidates with C Certificate with at least B grading OR B Certificate will be eligible for the 1% horizontal reservation for NCC cadets, subject to the applicable certificate requirements.
Why Was This Change Made?
The Government Order reproduces the reasoning of the High Court.
The Court noted that requiring a C Certificate from a candidate seeking admission to an undergraduate course could make the NCC reservation ineffective because the candidate may not yet have reached the stage at which the C Certificate is obtained.
The Court therefore directed the authorities to provide 1% reservation for NCC B Certificate holders with B grade and to allow eligible candidates to upload the relevant NCC B Certificate for claiming horizontal reservation.
Simple Comparison: Old vs New Rule
| Earlier Position | UP NEET UG 2026 Position |
|---|---|
| NCC C Certificate required | NCC C Certificate or NCC B Certificate accepted |
| At least B grading required for C Certificate | B Certificate with B grading is included |
| Many undergraduate aspirants could not practically benefit | More NCC cadets can potentially claim the reservation |
| 1% horizontal reservation | 1% horizontal reservation continues |
The key change is therefore not an increase in the percentage of reservation. The reservation remains 1%.
The actual change is the expansion of eligibility. Earlier, the benefit was linked to the C Certificate with at least B grade. For NEET UG 2026, eligible candidates can also claim the benefit based on the qualifying NCC B Certificate, as provided in the revised policy following the High Court order.
Certificate Requirement
The Government Order also separately states that the NCC certificate must be:
In the prescribed format
Issued by the competent authority
The order specifically treats NCC certificates separately from the general UP reservation certificate requirements.
Important Takeaway for Students
UP NEET UG 2026 has made the NCC reservation more accessible to school-level NEET aspirants.
An eligible candidate claiming the 1% NCC horizontal reservation can now potentially use an NCC B Certificate with B grading, instead of being restricted only to the earlier C Certificate requirement.
Also remember that NCC reservation is horizontal, so it works within the student's original category—for example, General + NCC, OBC + NCC, SC + NCC, etc.- rather than creating a completely separate vertical category.
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The UP NEET UG 2026 policy continues 1% horizontal reservation for NCC cadets, but expands eligibility by allowing qualifying NCC B Certificate holders with B grading to claim the benefit, subject to the applicable certificate requirements.
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