NEET State Quota vs All-India Quota — run both, in parallel
85% of government MBBS seats are state quota. How the two NEET counselling tracks differ, why you should register for both, and how seats interact.
Two parallel tracks, two portals
AIQ (All-India Quota) is 15% of government MBBS seats, counselled by MCC at mcc.nic.in. State quota is the remaining 85%, counselled by each state's own authority (UP DGME, Maharashtra CET Cell, KEA, TN Selection Committee, and so on) on its own portal, with its own calendar and fees.
Your NEET AIR is the input to both — but the competition pools differ. State quota is only open to that state's domicile holders, so closing ranks are 'softer' than AIQ for the same college. A rank that misses a college via AIQ often gets the SAME college via state quota.
The mistake: treating them as one process
Register for both. They run simultaneously, deadlines don't wait for each other, and each has separate registration fees and document requirements (domicile certificate matters for state quota).
Holding a seat in one track affects your options in the other — rules on 'seat blocking' and exit penalties differ by state and by round. Read your state's specific rules before locking anything, and never abandon a held seat without checking the exit terms.
How SahiSeat helps
Set your home state in the predictor and it shows your state-quota closing positions alongside AIQ — for the same colleges, so you can see both doors at once. Figures are indicative, previous-year; the state authority's allotment PDF is the ground truth.
Asked constantly
Is state quota easier than AIQ?
For your home state's colleges, usually yes — the competition pool is restricted to state domiciles, so closing ranks are typically softer than AIQ for the same college. For other states' colleges you can't use their quota at all (with narrow exceptions).
Can I take part in both AIQ and my state counselling?
Yes — and you should. They're separate processes running in parallel. Register for both, track both calendars.
Which counts for state quota — my exam centre or my domicile?
Domicile (as defined by that state's rules — usually residence/schooling). Where you sat the exam is irrelevant.
Counselling rules change year to year — the official portal for your exam is always the ground truth. This guide teaches mechanics, not guarantees.