Karnataka MBBS Reservation 2026: Category-wise Quota, Seats & Eligibility

This blog explores in detail the Karnataka MBBS Reservation system, focusing on category-wise quotas, their share of seats, which institutions different categories can apply for, and the eligibility criteria for each of them. 

If you’ve cleared NEET UG 2026 and are looking for an MBBS seat in Karnataka, the rank is just half of the battle won. The other half lies in figuring out exactly which quota you fall under. Karnataka has one of the most layered reservation systems in the country, with multiple seats on the basis of category, region, and language. Understanding this can be a little tricky.

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about Karnataka’s MBBS Reservation, so that you can join some of the best medical colleges in Karnataka. We will break down precisely what quotas are available, who qualifies for which, what documents you’ll need before KEA counselling begins.

KEA MBBS Reservation 2026: Quick Preview

Imagine Karnataka as one big classroom, and all the seats in this classroom represent a particular percentage of a particular category. Before a class begins, the government decides what percentage of the seats go to which group. This is the crux of the reservation. 

The total number of MBBS seats available in Karnataka are split into two sections:

• 15% All India Quota (AIQ)- Anyone from anywhere in the country can opt for this. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) manages this.

• 85% State Quota- This is where Karnataka’s state reservations kick in, and it is this that we will explain in detail. The State Quota is managed by Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), and requires one to be a domicile of Karnataka.

Everything below is about this 85% pool. Remember the analogy of Karnataka as a classroom? Let’s use that again. Now, there’s another class which represents the 85% State Quota, and all the tables and seats are the sub-categories within this. 

Simplified Picture of the State Quota

We will pretend for a moment that the 85% state quota is a classroom. This classroom as a whole is 100% with 100 seats. We will now divide this classroom into the following parts:

1. 44 Seats (44%): This is the General Merit (GM) category. This is available to anyone from anywhere in the country. All you need is a NEET rank.

2. 17 Seats (17%): This part is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC). Within it, there are 3 subcategories:

1. SC Group A (Left)

2. SC Group B (Right)

3. SC Group C.

3. 7 Seats (7%): This is reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST).

4. 32 Seats (32%): This is for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), which the government of Karnataka further splits into 5 smaller groupings:

1. Category 1

2. Category 2A

3. Category 2B

4. Category 3A

5. Category 3B

(Note: The above figures should be treated as an illustrative guide to understand quota shares, not as a figure published by KEA)

Now that we have a firm understanding of the categorical quotas within State Quota, let’s look at the larger picture with real numbers. The following table illustrates the real share of seats that each quota under the State Quota receives. 

The Real Picture

Out of a 100% of the MBBS seats in Karnataka, in which 15% is AIQ, and the other 85% is State Quota, the following are each category’s share:

Note: The share of the total seat pool furnished here is an approximation and is not to be understood as official KEA seat share percentages.

But this is not all there is to categories within Karnataka’s MBBS reservation. There are Horizontal reservations as well that cut through the vertical categories as mentioned in the table above. What this means is simple enough: students in horizontal reservation categories are given priority across all categories in the vertical reservation categories.

The table below shows exactly this:

Horizontal Quotas within State Quota

Note: It is important to address a special category that does not belong in either of the two tables we’ve covered above, which is EWS. The Economically Weaker Section (EWS) comes under General Merit, but is in itself a separate and unique category. Note that you cannot be EWS and ST/ SC/ OBC. It is meant specifically as a safety net for those who don’t already have a caste-based reservation, but instead earn less than about 8 lakhs a year.

There is, however, another layer we must address, which is that there are other categories which are institution-specific. In other words, these quotas exist only because a specific college has chosen/ is required to set aside some seats on its own terms. There are specific Karnataka medical colleges which can do this. 

These quotas are as follows:

Institution-Specific Quota 

Documents Required for KEA Counselling- NEET UG 2026

How to Apply for Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) Counselling?

The application for KEA counselling is relatively straightforward. The following steps briefly explain how to apply for KEA counselling:

1. KEA Registration: Register on the KEA portal with the necessary details, like NEET UG 2026 roll number

2. Document Verification/Upload: upload your documents, like category and domicile proof

3. Fill Choices: Select the colleges of your choice, ranked by preference

4. Await Seat Allotment: The seat allotment will be released soon after, which itself will be based on rank, category, and choice filled

5. Report to the allotted college: You must report to the allotted college in person within the stipulated time to confirm admission

Looking Forward

We have covered just about everything related to the fundamentals of Karnataka’s MBBS reservation system and its quotas. It is a highly structured system of 4 layers stacked on top of each other. Your domicile status, your vertical category (GM, SC, ST, OBC [+EWS]), any horizontal quotas you qualify for (Rural, Kannada Medium, PwD, Kalyana Karnataka), and if you are aiming for a private or deemed institution (NRI, Management, Minority, OPN), all of these combined matter just as much as your NEET rank. 

Now that you know better about the reservations available in Karnataka, go ahead and apply. Percentages of seats change periodically, so make sure to check the official KEA website for any information. 

If you’re still unsure which combination/ quota applies to you, BangaloreStudy’s counsellors can walk you through your specific eligibility and give you the colleges that match your aspirations and rank. We’ve guided students towards the right colleges for them. You too, can be one of them. Reach out now!