How deemed counselling differs from AIQ
Deemed counselling is not a continuation of AIQ with more seats. It has a separate fee structure, no caste reservation, different quota types, a seat-conversion algorithm, and a stray round covering 100% of seats. Read this before entering the track.
Many students and parents assume deemed counselling is simply AIQ with more colleges. The table below is a side-by-side of the ten differences that actually change your decisions.
| Aspect | AIQ / Govt quota | Deemed universities |
|---|---|---|
| Legal mandate | SC SLA(C) 10487/2021 | SC 23.03.2012 (Anand S. Biji) + Dar-Us-Slam 09.05.2017 + SC 12.12.2022 |
| Seat coverage by MCC | 15% of govt seats + AIIMS + JIPMER | 100% of all deemed university MBBS / BDS seats |
| Domicile requirement | No — AIQ is domicile-free | No — open to any NEET-qualified candidate nationally, including J&K |
| Caste-based reservation | Yes — central norms (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD) | None — pure merit + minority + NRI quota only |
| MCC registration fee | Rs. 1,000 (UR/EWS) / Rs. 500 (reserved) | Rs. 5,000 — same for all categories |
| Security deposit | Rs. 10,000 (UR/EWS) / Rs. 5,000 (reserved) | Rs. 2,00,000 — same for all candidates |
| Annual tuition | Rs. 10,000 – Rs. 1,00,000 (govt-regulated) | Rs. 10,00,000 – Rs. 25,00,000+ (institution sets fee) |
| J&K candidates | Excluded unless opted in at NEET application | Eligible — all NEET-qualified candidates |
| Stray Vacancy Round | MCC conducts for AIQ seats | MCC conducts for 100% deemed seats (SC 12.12.2022) |
| Seat conversion in Round 3 | Not applicable | NRI / minority seats convert to UR if unfilled |
Deemed university decisions can involve Rs. 50L–1.5Cr over 5.5 years. EduPath's role is to give you the honest framework, not to push you toward deemed colleges. See the fees guide and quota types before deciding.
Supreme Court orders + MCC Bulletin 2025
Source: Medical Counselling Committee, MoHFW · Published 2025 · EduPath verified Jun 2026
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