Karnataka has moved quickly to align state admission rules with the Supreme Court’s 2021 judgment that bars Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card-holders from claiming the same reservation benefits as Indian nationals. A draft notification published late on 21 January lays out the details: any OCI student born or registered **after** 4 March 2021 will henceforth be considered only for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or other super-numerary seats in undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental programmes. Those who received their OCI card **on or before** that date are equally excluded from Indian-citizen quotas, though they may still compete for general‐merit seats that carry no reservation benefit.
The change follows a series of petitions from domestic students who argued that OCI applicants—many of whom have completed their schooling abroad—enjoyed an unfair edge in highly competitive entrance tests. The Supreme Court agreed, ruling that constitutional reservation provisions do not extend to OCI card-holders because they remain foreign nationals. Karnataka’s draft therefore amends its Capitation Fee Act as well as the rules governing government and private medical colleges; it will be open for public comment for 15 days before being finalised.
![Karnataka Drafts New Quota Rules for OCI Students in Medical Colleges]()
For families trying to decode the implications of OCI status, VisaHQ can simplify at least the paperwork. Through its India-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the company guides students and parents through OCI applications, renewals, and related visa formalities, providing real-time requirement updates and professional support that can prevent costly documentation errors.
Practically, this affects a modest but influential cohort: roughly 20 OCI applicants vie for MBBS seats in Karnataka each year, and about 100 sit for engineering places through the state Common Entrance Test. Colleges stand to gain financially, as NRI and super-numerary seats command significantly higher fees—often three to four times the subsidised rates for Indian citizens. Families, however, face a sudden spike in cost that could exceed ₹1 crore over the course of a medical degree.
For global-mobility managers, the message is clear. Indian professionals working overseas who intend to send their children back for professional studies must now budget for NRI-category tuition or explore private universities abroad. The draft also signals that other states—several of which have been awaiting clarity from the courts—may roll out similar rules before the 2026 admission season opens in March.
The change follows a series of petitions from domestic students who argued that OCI applicants—many of whom have completed their schooling abroad—enjoyed an unfair edge in highly competitive entrance tests. The Supreme Court agreed, ruling that constitutional reservation provisions do not extend to OCI card-holders because they remain foreign nationals. Karnataka’s draft therefore amends its Capitation Fee Act as well as the rules governing government and private medical colleges; it will be open for public comment for 15 days before being finalised.
For families trying to decode the implications of OCI status, VisaHQ can simplify at least the paperwork. Through its India-specific portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/), the company guides students and parents through OCI applications, renewals, and related visa formalities, providing real-time requirement updates and professional support that can prevent costly documentation errors.
Practically, this affects a modest but influential cohort: roughly 20 OCI applicants vie for MBBS seats in Karnataka each year, and about 100 sit for engineering places through the state Common Entrance Test. Colleges stand to gain financially, as NRI and super-numerary seats command significantly higher fees—often three to four times the subsidised rates for Indian citizens. Families, however, face a sudden spike in cost that could exceed ₹1 crore over the course of a medical degree.
For global-mobility managers, the message is clear. Indian professionals working overseas who intend to send their children back for professional studies must now budget for NRI-category tuition or explore private universities abroad. The draft also signals that other states—several of which have been awaiting clarity from the courts—may roll out similar rules before the 2026 admission season opens in March.
