Last checked against the official KEA site: October 2026
Karnataka NEET PG Eligibility & Domicile Clauses
Postgraduate medical admissions in Karnataka are governed by the Karnataka Conduct of Entrance Test for Selection and Admission to Postgraduate Medical and Dental Degree and Diploma Courses Rules. Whether you graduated from a Karnataka medical college, studied outside the state, or are an all-India applicant seeking an Open Private seat, here are the exact criteria governing your eligibility.
Basic Statutory Requirements (All Candidates)
Must hold an MBBS degree or provisional pass certificate recognized by the National Medical Commission (NMC) or erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) from a recognized university.
Must have completed or be scheduled to complete the 1-year Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI) on or before the statutory cutoff date specified by the NMC.
Must secure minimum qualifying marks: 50th percentile for General Merit (GM), 40th percentile for SC/ST/OBC (Karnataka categories), and 45th percentile for UR-PwD.
Must possess valid provisional or permanent registration certificate issued by the NMC or any State Medical Council at the time of verification, and register with KMC post-allotment.
Karnataka Domicile Clauses for Government ('G') & Private Merit ('GMP') Seats
To qualify for the heavily subsidised Government Quota seats (₹1.14L/yr in GMCs and ₹8.18L/yr in Private Colleges), a candidate must satisfy one of the following official KEA clauses:
10 Years Schooling in Karnataka + MBBS from Any Recognized Indian College
The candidate must have studied for a minimum of 10 full academic years in educational institutions in Karnataka from 1st standard to 12th standard / 2nd PUC AND completed their MBBS degree from an NMC-recognized medical institution located anywhere in India (including outside Karnataka via AIQ).
Completed MBBS from a Karnataka College (Institutional Domicile)
The candidate has completed and passed MBBS from a recognized medical college located in the State of Karnataka, irrespective of where they completed their primary or secondary schooling.
Kannadigas Residing Outside Karnataka / Border Disputed Territories
Candidates whose mother tongue is Kannada, Tulu, or Kodava and who completed MBBS either in or outside Karnataka, but whose parents reside in notified border areas (Kasargod, Solapur, Akkalkot, Sangli, etc.) or outside Karnataka for 10+ years.
Eligibility for Non-Karnataka Doctors (Open Private Quota)
If you completed MBBS outside Karnataka and do not hold Karnataka domicile, you are 100% eligible to apply for postgraduate medical seats in Karnataka under the following quotas:
Offered in all private medical colleges (St. John's, Ramaiah, KIMS, Father Muller, Vydehi, JJM, etc.). Allotment is purely merit-based on NEET PG AIR. Tuition fee: ~₹12.5L–₹14.5L/yr.
Higher fee institutional seats in private colleges, allotted transparently through KEA online counselling based on NEET PG merit.
Reserved for foreign citizens of Indian origin or candidates sponsored by genuine NRI first-degree blood relatives.
In-Service Medical Officers Quota
Special statutory reservation for doctors serving in Karnataka public health administration.
A designated percentage of Government Quota PG seats is reserved specifically for in-service candidates serving under:
- Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services (HFW): Doctors working in Taluk hospitals, CHCs, and rural PHCs with minimum completed regular service (excluding probation).
- Directorate of Medical Education (DME): Tutors and junior doctors in state government medical colleges.
- Employees State Insurance Scheme (ESI) & Autonomous Institutes: Certified in-service medical personnel with official NOC from the parent department.