Maharashtra NEET Counselling 2025: 10% EWS quota cuts deep into open MBBS seats in private medical colleges

In yet another blow to the open or general category MBBS aspirants, Maharashtra government has introduced a 10 percent reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) candidates in MBBS and allied medical courses in private and unaided medical colleges participating in the National Eligibility Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET UG) counselling 2025 for the state.
NEET UG counselling 2025 live updates

The Common Entrance Test (CET) cell last night commenced the Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 counselling process for admissions to 85 percent state quota seats in MBBS, BDS, other courses in government and private institutes through the Centralised Admission Process (CAP) 2025. The application form is available on cetcell.mahacet.org and the last date for online registration is July 30.

While the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories already take up 25% of the seats, there is 10% Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) quota, all apart from the newly introduced EWS quota, which raises a concern as the MBBS seats for the unreserved candidates in Maharashtra NEET UG 2025 admissions shrink massively.

What might look like a 55% reservation for the general category candidates in Maharashtra NEET counselling for MBBS admissions are actually left to around 40% only, as the medical seats are reserved from the 85% state quota and not the entire set. Earlier, the EWS quota was limited to government medical colleges, that too, when the state promised to increase the number of seats.

Maharashtra NEET UG counselling 2025 reservation policy.

Maharashtra NEET Counselling 2025: What's left for open category?

Adding to the competition, 5% Persons with Disabilities (PwD), Maharashtra-Karnataka disputed border area residents (MKB), 1% orphan candidates will also compete for the same open category seats. 3% of the seats are reserved for hilly areas, however, in government institutions.

Not to forget, the government reserves 15% of the MBBS seats in Maharashtra in unaided private or minority colleges for foreign (Non-Resident Indian or NRI ) or international aspirants and management on the institutional level. Additionally, there’s 30% female reservation, meaning 30% of the seats are reserved for female candidates under each separate category.

The move has gained criticism from the medical institutes and leaders. "The state shouldn't have introduced EWS quota in private institutes, without increasing their seats. When this reservation was brought to other professional courses, their intake capacity was increased. The move will lead to a reduction of seats for open candidates," Anand Bapat, a Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena leader from Pune.