Short answer
All India Quota (AIQ) seats are the 50% share of seats that states contribute to MCC counselling, and they are domicile free, so your home state does not limit which of these seats you can get. State quota seats are not counselled by MCC; for those, MCC tells candidates to contact the state government or admission authority and its Directorate of Medical Education.
These are the rules for MCC's NEET-PG 2026 counselling, which is running now (from MCC's 2026 Information Bulletin). MCC sets the rules again each year.
Who this applies to
NEET-PG qualified candidates comparing MCC All India Quota counselling with state quota counselling
The rule, explained
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) runs counselling for the All India Quota. Its domicile-free (open) pool includes the 50% All India Quota seats contributed by states, 50% of the seats of BHU (Banaras Hindu University) and AMU (Aligarh Muslim University), the 50% All India Quota seats of DU (Delhi University) and the central institutes, 100% of DNB seats and 100% of Deemed University seats.
In the All India Quota, MCC follows the Central Government reservation policy: SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer, as per the Central OBC list) 27%, EWS 10%, and PwD 5% as horizontal reservation.
For state quota seats and private medical college seats, MCC's bulletin says candidates must contact the state government or admission authority and the state's Directorate of Medical Education, and that MCC cannot guide candidates on this. MCC's bulletin does not set state quota rules.
You can take part in both. MCC's counselling scheme notes that its candidates also take part in state counselling. MCC and the states share data on candidates, and anyone named in a state's list after the state's Round 3 is removed from MCC counselling before the All India Stray Vacancy Round.
What the official document says
Open seats-domicile free includes: i. 50% All India Quota seats contributed by states ii. 50%Seats of BHU iii. 50%Seats of AMU
Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), DGHS · NEET-PG (MD/MS/DNB) Counselling 2026 Information Bulletin & Counselling Scheme (cover: “PG Bulletin DRAFT – V10 05102026”), PDF page 24 (opens the official site)
For State Quota, Private medical college seats the candidates are required to contact the appropriate State Government/Admission Authority & Directorate of Medical Education. Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) will not be able to guide candidates in this matter.
Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), DGHS · NEET-PG (MD/MS/DNB) Counselling 2026 Information Bulletin & Counselling Scheme (cover: “PG Bulletin DRAFT – V10 05102026”), PDF page 24 (opens the official site)
Also participates in State Counselling
Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), DGHS · NEET-PG (MD/MS/DNB) Counselling 2026 Information Bulletin & Counselling Scheme (cover: “PG Bulletin DRAFT – V10 05102026”), PDF page 15 (opens the official site)
Data will be shared between Centre and States after Round 3 of states and if any candidate has his/her name in the list provided by State after round 3, such candidates will be eliminated from counseling before processing for All-India Stray Vacancy Round.
Medical Counselling Committee (MCC), DGHS · NEET-PG (MD/MS/DNB) Counselling 2026 Information Bulletin & Counselling Scheme (cover: “PG Bulletin DRAFT – V10 05102026”), PDF page 46 (opens the official site)