Karnataka mulls 15 percent NRI quota in govt medical colleges
Bengaluru: To reduce financial dependence on state funding, the Karnataka Medical Education Department is considering to introduce a 15 percent quota for Non Resident Indians (NRIs) across all government medical college seats from the 2026-27 academic year.
The proposal will help government-run medical colleges become more self-sustaining by generating their own revenue rather than depending on financial assistance from the state.
At present, Karnataka has 24 government medical colleges offering a total of 4,249 MBBS seats. While private medical colleges have a 5% NRI quota, government colleges did not have such a provision.
In 2025–26, the government introduced a 15% NRI quota specifically within the enhanced seat capacity of the 24 government medical colleges 450 seats for 2025-26 (67 seats). This year, the Department intends to expand it to all the seats available in the 24 colleges.
The 24 government medical colleges are presently dependent on grants from the State government for their staff salaries, maintenance and other expenses, which the State has been wanting to reduce and make these colleges self-reliant as far as possible. The NRI quota is seen as a step towards the same.
Currently, NRI quota seats in private medical colleges are priced between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 47 lakh per year. In comparison, the State government had set the annual fee for NRI seats in government colleges at Rs 25 lakh last year, while regular seats continue to cost around Rs 50,000 per annum.
Speaking to The Hindu, B.L. Sujatha Rathod, Director of the Directorate of Medical Education, Karnataka said, "A proposal to reserve 15% of the seats in government medical colleges for NRIs will be submitted to the government soon. Following that, the government has to take a decision on the same in the Cabinet, which will also mull on NRI quota in PG seats as well."
However, Medical Dialogues reported in September, 2025 that students protesting against the 15 percent NRI quota in Karnataka's government medical colleges for 2025-26, saying it reduces opportunities for local, economically disadvantaged students. As a result, they demanded the withdrawal of the state's decision on NRI quota in government medical colleges.
Also read- Students protest Karnataka's 15 percent NRI quota in Govt Medical Colleges
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