The Karnataka High Court at Dharwad has rejected a petition seeking permission to avail OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)/2A reservation while participating in the NRI quota during the NEET-UG 2026 counselling process. The Division Bench held that the NRI quota is a separate category and cannot be combined with reservations meant for other categories.
The petitioner, a NEET-UG 2026 candidate seeking admission to MBBS/BDS courses, approached the High Court after being treated under the General category in the NRI counselling process.
She argued that her OBC/2A status should remain available even while applying under the NRI-sponsored category. She also sought permission to participate in the remaining counselling rounds through sponsorship from her paternal aunt.
The respondents submitted that the petitioner had secured 48.33%, which did not meet the required threshold for consideration under the NRI quota.
The Bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna and Justice Hema Kulkarni examined the applicable NEET-UG 2026 counselling scheme. The Court specifically noted that the NRI quota operates separately and that the counselling brochure places NRI candidates under the unreserved category.
The Court observed:
“The NRI quota is a separate quota and 15% of the seats are reserved for NRIs. The nuances of such reservation are found in the brochure that is notified in terms of law, which clearly indicates that NRI can only be under the unreserved category,”
The Court also referred to Question No. 36 of the NEET-UG 2026 Information Bulletin, which states that NRI/OCI/PIO candidates would be shown NRI and General seats and that one candidate can opt for only one type of reservation.
The Bench therefore rejected the argument that OBC reservation could be applied within the NRI quota. It also noted that the petitioner had not crossed the applicable marks threshold for that quota.
Finding no merit in the petition, the Karnataka High Court rejected the writ petition.
Case Title: Juhi v. Union of India & Ors.
Case Number: W.P. No. 107372 of 2026 (EDN-RES)
