Caste Certificate for NEET 2026 (Category-Wise): Format, Validity

Caste Certificate for NEET 2026 (Category-Wise): Format, Validity

Deep PathakUpdated on 10 Feb 2026, 05:18 PM IST

Caste certificate for NEET 2026 is an important document for candidates belonging to reserved categories. While filling the application form, if any candidate wants to claim the reservation benefit, they must upload a valid caste certificate for NEET 2026 during the registration and counselling process. Without the correct caste certificate, students may lose reservation benefits even after qualifying the exam. Read the full article to know comprehensive details about the caste certificate for NEET 2026, which type is accepted, its validity, and format.

LiveNEET 2026 LIVE: UG registration begins at neet.nta.nic.in; documents, photograph, exam schedule, admit cardFeb 10, 2026 | 6:32 PM IST

The authority has activated the link for the NEET UG 2026 application form. Candidates can check the list of medical courses that require NEET UG 2026 score and rank below:

  • MBBS
  • BDS, 
  • Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS), 
  • Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS),
  • Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS)
  • BSc Nursing
  • Military Nursing Service (MNS)
  • Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc and AH) courses.
Read More

This Story also Contains

  1. Caste Certificate for NEET UG 2026: Highlights
  2. Is Caste Certificate Required for NEET Registration 2026?
  3. Which Caste Certificate is Required for NEET: Central or State?
  4. NEET Caste Certificate Format
  5. Caste Certificate Validity for NEET
Caste Certificate for NEET 2026 (Category-Wise): Format, Validity
Caste Certificate for NEET 2026 (Category-Wise): Format, Validity

Caste Certificate for NEET UG 2026: Highlights

Particular

Details

Caste certificate requirement

  • For candidates claiming SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS reservation benefits.

  • Not required for the General category.

Usage

During NEET 2026 application form and again at counselling/document verification.

Purpose

To avail reservation benefits in AIQ and State Quota seat allocation.

Without caste certificate

Candidates will be treated as General category even if belonging to reserved category.

Certificate for AIQ (15%)

Central Government issued caste certificate

Certificate for State Quota (85%)

State-issued caste certificate

Accepted authorities

Tehsildar/SDM/DM or other competent government authority.

Validity of caste certificate– SC/ST

  • SC/ ST - Usually lifetime/permanent validity.

  • OBC - NCL - Recent one (Generally issued after April 1 of the previous financial year)

  • EWS - Freshly issued certificate with latest income and asset details

Is Caste Certificate Required for NEET Registration 2026?

Yes, a caste certificate is required for NEET registration 2026 if anyone belongs to a reserved category and wants to avail reservation benefits. During registration, candidates need to select their category (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS) and upload a valid caste certificate as per NTA specifications for documents required for NEET 2026 application form. Without a valid certificate, even if the candidate belongs to the reserved category, he/she will be considered under the General category, losing reservation advantages in seat allocation. General category candidates do not need any caste certificate.

Which Caste Certificate is Required for NEET: Central or State?

A frequent doubt among aspirants is which caste certificate is required for NEET central or state, especially for OBC candidates (which caste certificate is required for NEET central or state for OBC).

  • For 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats: A central caste certificate is mandatory. For OBC category candidates, it must be an OBC-NCL (Non-Creamy Layer) certificate issued as per the Central Government list. State-issued certificates may not be accepted for AIQ.

  • For 85% State Quota seats: State-specific certificates are valid, following the state's reservation policy and list. State authorities handle these seats, so a state-issued certificate is suitable if a candidate is targeting a state medical college.

NEET Caste Certificate Format

The NEET caste certificate format must match the prescribed formats as per the NTA guidelines. The certificate should be issued by competent authorities (Tehsildar, SDM, etc.) and include details like caste name, issuing authority, date, and certificate number. A sample of the NEET caste certificate is given here.


1770723992733

NEET Syllabus: Subjects & Chapters
Select your preferred subject to view the chapters

Caste Certificate Validity for NEET

The Caste certificate validity for NEET exam varies by the category of the candidate. The category-wise caste certificate validity for NEET UG exam is explained below:

  • SC/ST: Caste certificates are generally permanent or have lifetime validity. Older certificates remain acceptable unless there are some changes introduced by the government.

  • OBC-NCL: For the Non-creamy layer of OBC category, the caste certificate must be fresh and issued on or after a specific date (often April 1 of the previous financial year or later). It is typically valid for the current financial year.

  • EWS: Similar to OBC-NCL, a caste certificate for EWS category must be a recent one issued with latest income and asset details.

Virohan Allied & Healthcare Programs

Allied & Healthcare programs | 20+ Partner Universities & Institutes | 98% placement record

Articles
|
Upcoming Medicine Exams
Ongoing Dates
KCET BSc Nursing Application Date

17 Jan'26 - 16 Feb'26 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
MH BSc Nursing CET Application Date

24 Jan'26 - 24 Feb'26 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
Odisha BSc Nursing Application Date

28 Jan'26 - 22 Mar'26 (Online)

Certifications By Top Providers
Biomolecules Structure Function in Health and Disease
Via All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi
Industrial Biotechnology
Via Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Certificate Course in Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Methodology
Via Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal
Nutrition in the Health Sector
Via The University of Adelaide, Adelaide
Pathology
Via Tsinghua University, Beijing
Online M.Sc Psychology
Via Centre for Distance and Online Education, Andhra University
Coursera
 355 courses
Futurelearn
 310 courses
Edx
 233 courses
Udemy
 191 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to NEET

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NEET ?

Government Medical Colleges in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra

You still have enough time. For NEET 2026 (drop year, 3 months left), focus on:

NCERT linebyline for highweightage chapters (Human Physiology, Plant Physiology, Cell, Biomolecules, Biological Classification, Plant/Animal Kingdom, Genetics, Ecology)

Daily chapterwise MCQs + PYQs and weekly full mocks with proper analysis

Useful Careers360 links for planning:

NEET

The NEET cut off 2025 for PwD (handicapped) candidates in Telangana was set at 40th percentile with 126 - 113 marks. Admission to government colleges in Telangana require higher marks as many as over 500 marks in NEET.

For more information, check the given below link.
https://medicine.careers360.com/articles/neet-cutoff-telangana


If a candidate qualifies for NEET PG only after the revision or reduction of the qualifying cut-off, registration for counselling is allowed only if the counselling authority opens a fresh registration or re-registration window for newly qualified candidates. If the system currently shows “you have not registered” and does not