Under AICTE's Approval Process Handbook (APH) 2024-27, an engineering college may admit up to 5% of its approved intake under the NRI quota — an NRI being an Indian citizen ordinarily residing outside India who holds an Indian passport. There is no NRI seat category in KCET or COMEDK counselling for B.E./B.Tech: NRI admissions run through direct applications at deemed universities (VIT, SRM, Manipal), Telangana's Category-B window, or the DASA scheme for NITs and IIITs — whose 2026 (PG) registration opens 13 June 2026. Every rule and date below is verified against an official document.
What the NRI quota actually is: AICTE's rules for 2026-27
AICTE's Approval Process Handbook 2024-27 — the handbook in force for AY 2026-27 — defines the category in its Definitions section:
"Non-Resident Indian (NRI) means an Indian Citizen who is ordinarily residing outside India and holds an Indian Passport."
Clause 2.8(b) sets the size: "Five percent (5%) of seats within the 'Approved Intake' shall be allowed for admission under NRI category." These seats sit inside the sanctioned intake — they are not extra seats, and a college needs prior AICTE approval to offer them.
Three protections in clause 2.8 matter for families. The same competent authority that runs regular admissions must display NRI seat availability branch-wise at all stages and admit strictly on merit (cl. 2.8(c)-(d)). The state government — not the college — notifies the NRI fee (cl. 2.8(f)), and every institution must publish its NRI seat count per course on its brochure and website (cl. 2.8(g)). And if no NRI candidate turns up, clause 2.8(d) converts the seat: "the seats shall be given to general candidates as per merit. However, regular Fee shall be applicable to these candidates."
For 2026-27, AICTE's Addendum/Corrigendum rewrote the separate supernumerary category (clause 2.9). It is now reserved for "International Students" — foreign-passport holders only, including foreign nationals, OCI cardholders and children of Indian workers in Gulf countries — at 15% over and above intake for engineering diploma/UG and 25% for engineering PG. These seats are exclusive: "A seat remained unfilled in this category, shall not be allocated to anyone other than an international student."
| Category | Size (AY 2026-27) | Who is eligible | Vacancy rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| NRI seats (APH cl. 2.8) | Up to 5% within approved intake | Indian citizen ordinarily residing abroad on an Indian passport; state notifies the fee | Unfilled seats go to general candidates on merit, at the regular fee |
| International Students supernumerary (amended cl. 2.9) | 15% over intake for engineering diploma/UG; 25% for engineering PG and other programmes | Foreign-passport holders only — foreign nationals, OCI, children of Indian workers in Gulf countries | Cannot be allocated to anyone other than an international student |
Source: AICTE Approval Process Handbook 2024-27 and the Addendum/Corrigendum 2026-27.
Enforcement is real: NRI and international seats cannot be filled by regular Indian candidates (APH 2.9(e)), they are permitted only in regular-mode courses — never online/ODL (APH 6.9) — and a norms violation can trigger suspension of a college's NRI and supernumerary seats for a full academic year (APH 7.3(a)).
NRI vs NRI-sponsored vs OCI: who counts as what
"NRI-sponsored" has no single central definition — each university or state writes its own. SRMIST accepts sponsorship from an immediate family member who is an NRI (parents, grandparents, the student's siblings or a parent's siblings) and locks the category once admitted, even if the sponsor's status later changes. VIT is stricter: "the Sponsorship should be given only by the parent (either father or mother ONLY) living abroad" — a relative or friend is not acceptable. Telangana's Category-B guidelines admit NRI and NRI-sponsored candidates together, requiring at least 50% in the qualifying exam (or CGPA 5 on a 10-point scale).
For OCI cardholders, the date on the card decides everything. MHA gazette notification S.O. 1050(E) dated 4 March 2021 makes OCI cardholders eligible through NEET/JEE "only against any Non-Resident Indian seat or any supernumerary seat". But the Supreme Court (Anushka Rengunthwar v. Union of India, W.P.(C) 891/2021, judgment of 3 February 2023) made that notification prospective: candidates who secured their OCI card before 04.03.2021 retain general-category eligibility. KEA's UGCET-2026 bulletin and Manipal's 2026 eligibility page both implement this cutoff explicitly.
| Status | What it means | Seats you can claim |
|---|---|---|
| NRI | Indian citizen ordinarily residing abroad, Indian passport (AICTE); the MHA gazette points to FEMA 1999 / Income-tax Act 1961 status | NRI-quota seats (5% within intake under AICTE; Telangana permits up to 15% of intake inside Category-B per its 2025-26 guidelines) |
| NRI-sponsored | College/state-defined: SRM — immediate family member who is an NRI; VIT — parent only; Telangana — admitted alongside NRIs with ≥50% in the qualifying exam | College-level NRI/NRI-sponsored seats at deemed universities and in state Category-B quotas |
| OCI registered on/after 04.03.2021 | Foreign national holding an OCI card | Only NRI or supernumerary seats in all-India entrance admissions |
| OCI/PIO card secured before 04.03.2021 | Same card, earlier registration | At par with Indian citizens for general seats, with no reservation benefits (KEA 2026, MAHE 2026) |
| Foreign national | Foreign-passport holder, never an Indian citizen | International Students supernumerary seats (AICTE 2026-27), DASA, or a college's foreign category |
Source: MHA S.O. 1050(E), 4 March 2021; Supreme Court judgment, 3 Feb 2023 (2023 INSC 99).
One mismatch to know about: AICTE's handbook caps NRI seats at 5% within intake, while Telangana's Category-B guidelines permit AICTE-approved colleges to fill NRI seats up to 15% of sanctioned intake. Both figures are verbatim from official PDFs — ask the specific college which ceiling its current notification follows.
Where the NRI route exists — and where it does not
Karnataka: no NRI quota in KCET or COMEDK engineering counselling
KEA's UGCET-2026 Information Bulletin states it plainly: "The Linguistic Minority, Religious Minority and NRI Ward reservations are not applicable for Engineering" (the NRI-quota allotment KEA runs is for medical/dental and private AYUSH colleges only). NRI admissions in Karnataka's private engineering colleges happen college-side, while OCI/PIO candidates who meet the bulletin's eligibility clauses compete as general candidates through KCET.
COMEDK is the same story: the UGET 2026 brochure (notified 3 February 2026) has no NRI seat category at all. Indian citizens, OCI and PIO cardholders could write the exam (held 9 May 2026), with OCI/PIO filing an Annexure 24.1 declaration at counselling registration. That registration window ran 30 May to 12 June 2026 (deadline extended from 8 June, to 2 PM on 10 June, then to 11 AM on 12 June) — see our verified COMEDK counselling tracker for what comes next.
Telangana: NRI seats sit inside Category-B (per the 2025-26 guidelines)
Under TGCHE's Category-B guidelines — the 2026-27 version is not yet announced, so everything here is per the 2025-26 document — AICTE-approved colleges may fill NRI seats up to 15% of intake within the 30% management (Category-B) block. Selection priority is NRI/NRI-sponsored first, then JEE (Main), then TGEAPCET, then qualifying-exam marks, and colleges must notify Management and NRI seats branch-wise with tuition fee details. CBIT, for example, admits under "Category 'B' - NRI Sponsored /Management Quota (Merit)", with its NRI tuition denominated in US dollars and subject to TAFRC/Government of Telangana orders.
Deemed universities: a separate NRI/international category
VIT, SRMIST and Manipal (MAHE) run direct NRI/international admissions on their own portals. SRM reserves 15% of seats for the category and exempts international applicants from SRMJEEE; MAHE likewise allocates 15% and stresses these seats are "NOT equivalent to payment / management / reserved seats". VIT offers two routes — direct NRI-category admission on Class-12 merit, or the general route via VITEEE — with eligibility of 60% aggregate in PCM (at least 50% in Maths) and date of birth on or after 1 July 2004; its application closes 31 August 2026 (officially "Tentatively").
NITs, IIITs and IITs: DASA — or nothing
For NITs, IIEST, IIITs, SPAs and other centrally funded institutes, the NRI/OCI/foreign route is the Ministry of Education's DASA scheme — JEE (Main)-based for UG, with CSAB running the DASA UG allocation rounds. IITs are not among DASA's participating institutes: there is no NRI quota at IITs, and everyone goes through JEE Advanced and JoSAA. IIIT Hyderabad also has no NRI quota — its official UG modes are UGEE, SPEC, Lateral Entry, Olympiad, the DASA channel, JEE (Main) and Boards. DASA 2026 (PG) registration opens 13 June 2026 under coordinator IIEST Shibpur; UG-cycle dates for 2026 are not yet announced.
| System | NRI quota? | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| KCET / KEA (Karnataka) | No (engineering) | Bulletin says NRI Ward reservation is "not applicable for Engineering"; KEA-run NRI allotment exists only for medical/dental/AYUSH; private-college NRI admissions run college-side |
| COMEDK | No | Indian/OCI/PIO write UGET 2026 and join regular counselling (OCI/PIO file Annexure 24.1); NRI admissions at member colleges happen directly with the colleges |
| Telangana private colleges (e.g. CBIT) | Yes — inside Category-B | Per 2025-26 guidelines: NRI seats up to 15% of intake; priority NRI → JEE (Main) → TGEAPCET → marks; ≥50% in qualifying exam; AICTE approval required |
| Deemed universities (VIT, SRM, Manipal) | Yes — separate category (15% of seats at SRM and MAHE) | Direct application on the official portal; entrance usually waived for the category (VIT also allows the VITEEE route); Class-12 merit |
| NITs / IIITs / IIEST / SPAs / other GFTIs | Via DASA | MoE scheme for foreign nationals, PIO, OCI and NRIs; JEE (Main)-based for UG; CSAB runs DASA UG allocation |
| IITs | No | Not among DASA participating institutes; JEE Advanced + JoSAA for everyone |
| IIIT Hyderabad | No | UG modes: UGEE, SPEC, LEEE, Olympiad, DASA channel, JEE (Main), Boards |
Source: KEA UGCET-2026 Information Bulletin-1 (January 2026); COMEDK UGET 2026 Information Brochure (3 Feb 2026); TGCHE Category-B Guidelines 2025; dasanit.org; IIIT-H UG admissions.
Key 2026 dates for the NRI route
- 03 Feb 2026 COMEDK UGET 2026 Information Brochure notified, with OCI/PIO eligibility rules for the cycle (official)
- 09 May 2026 COMEDK UGET 2026 entrance exam held (official)
- 30 May – 12 Jun 2026 COMEDK counselling registration window, deadline further extended to 11 AM on 12 June; OCI/PIO declarations per Annexure 24.1 are filed here (our tracker)
- 13 Jun 2026 DASA 2026 (PG) registration opens at 10 AM IST; coordinating institute IIEST Shibpur. DASA UG 2026 dates not yet announced (official)
- Expected ~Jul 2026 Telangana Category-B / NRI-sponsored notifications by college managements — based on the 2025 schedule (notifications ran from 19-07-2025); 2026-27 guidelines not yet announced (2025 guidelines)
- 31 Aug 2026 VIT B.Tech NRI 2026 last date for online application — officially marked "Tentatively" (official)
Source: official notifications linked against each date; unannounced items are labelled as expected, based on the prior-year schedule.
Documents that prove NRI or NRI-sponsored status
Exact lists differ by system, so read the specific college's notification — but these items recur across the official 2026 lists from KEA, VIT, DASA and CBIT:
- Sponsor's passport and visa/resident card — asked everywhere; VIT names the visa or resident card as the document that authenticates the parent's NRI status. Carry originals plus photocopies.
- Employer certificate — from the sponsoring parent's overseas employer (VIT publishes an official format on vit.ac.in; DASA asks for an employer letter for Gulf-worker CIWG candidates).
- Sponsorship letter — parent-only at VIT; an immediate family member can sponsor at SRM; CBIT additionally wants the sponsor's Green Card / Permanent Resident card or proof of foreign citizenship.
- OCI/PIO card with supporting papers — KEA's list for OCI/PIO adds Income-tax Act 1961 documents and a parents' residence certificate from the Indian Embassy in that country, or an affidavit on ₹100 e-stamp paper.
- Class 10 and 12 marks cards plus study certificates — KEA wants the study certificate countersigned by the BEO/DDPU; Telangana wants study certificates for classes VI–XII and an equivalence certificate for foreign boards.
- JEE (Main)/SAT 2026 admit card and scorecard — for DASA UG admissions at NITs/IIITs.
If you are also keeping a Karnataka counselling file ready, our KCET 2026 documents checklist covers the general-category set.
How NRI fees are set — and your refund rights
We deliberately do not print tuition amounts: they change every year and must be read from the current official schedule. The structure, from official documents, is this. In state systems, the state government notifies NRI-seat fees (APH cl. 2.8(f)); in Telangana they are additionally subject to TAFRC/government orders. Deemed universities publish separate Foreign/NRI fee schedules, typically dollar-denominated — VIT collects the advance and balance tuition in USD, and Manipal publishes "2026 Foreign/NRI Category Course Fees" documents on its official fees page. DASA publishes a consolidated fee structure that includes USD-denominated components. Two application fees are officially published and safe to plan for: VIT's NRI application fee is USD 50 (non-refundable), and SRMIST's international application fee is USD 50 / ₹3,000 (non-refundable).
Refund rules are stronger than most families assume. At AICTE-approved colleges, APH clause 6.45 says withdrawal before the course starts earns a refund of the entire fee minus a processing charge of not more than ₹1,000, completed — along with the return of your certificates — within 7 days; colleges may not retain original leaving certificates at all. At deemed universities, the UGC's refund notification requires refunds within 15 days of a written application, caps the deduction in full-refund cases at 5% (maximum ₹5,000), bars institutions from demanding originals at the admission-form stage, and makes caution money/security deposits refundable in full.
Sources
- AICTE Approval Process Handbook 2024-27 — Definitions; clauses 2.8, 2.9, 6.9, 6.45, 7.3(a)
- AICTE Addendum/Corrigendum 2026-27 of APH 2024-27 — amended clause 2.9 (International Students seats)
- MHA Gazette Notification S.O. 1050(E), dated 4 March 2021 — OCI seat eligibility
- Supreme Court, Anushka Rengunthwar v. Union of India, W.P.(C) 891/2021, judgment 3 February 2023 (2023 INSC 99)
- KEA UGCET-2026 Information Bulletin-1 (January 2026)
- COMEDK UGET 2026 Information Brochure, notified 3 February 2026
- DASA 2026 official portal (dasanit.org) — accessed 10 June 2026
- IIIT Hyderabad — UG admissions (official)
- TGCHE Category-B Guidelines 2025 (dt. 16.07.2025) — prior-year reference; 2026-27 not yet announced
- CBIT Category-B NRI-sponsored notification (AY 2023-24) — prior-year reference
- VIT — B.Tech NRI 2026 eligibility and procedure (official)
- SRMIST — Categories of international students (official) and the SRMIST international application portal 2026
- MAHE — Eligibility and Admissions 2026 (official)
- UGC Notification on Refund of Fees and Non-Retention of Original Certificates (October 2018)