The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), functioning under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has officially invited applications for admission to MBBS, BDS, and B.Sc Nursing programs for the academic session 2026-27 under the Ward of Insured Person (Ward of IP) quota.
Overview of the Scheme
This scheme is specifically designed for the children of workers who are covered under the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme. Its primary objective is to provide access to professional medical education at subsidized fees, thereby reducing the financial burden on eligible families.
Seat Distribution
A total of 783 seats have been earmarked across 22 medical, dental, and nursing institutions located throughout India. The seat distribution includes 695 MBBS seats, 28 BDS seats, and 60 B.Sc Nursing seats. These seats are available in ESIC medical colleges as well as select state government institutions where seats have been reserved under this quota. The admission process will be conducted through the centralized counselling system managed by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Fee Structure
Under this quota, students can pursue medical education at a significantly reduced cost. The annual tuition fee is fixed at Rs 24,000 for MBBS and BDS courses, while B.Sc Nursing candidates are required to pay only Rs 10,000 per year.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply, the parent must be a registered Insured Person under the ESI Act and must have been an active contributor as of September 30, 2025. The applicant must be a dependent child who has appeared in the NEET (UG) 2026 examination and must meet the eligibility criteria set by the National Medical Commission, Dental Council of India, Indian Nursing Council, National Testing Agency, and the Medical Counselling Committee.
Age Limit
As per the rules, male candidates should not be above 21 years of age as of March 8, 2026. However, this age limit does not apply to dependent unmarried female wards of insured persons, in accordance with the provisions of the ESI Act, 1948.
Application Process
Eligible candidates must obtain a Ward of IP Certificate issued by ESIC, which is mandatory for admission. The application process is completely online through the ESIC portal. Applicants need to upload documents such as a photograph, age proof, NEET (UG) 2026 admit card, and other required certificates.
Important Dates
The last date to apply for the Ward of IP Certificate is June 21, 2026. ESIC has advised applicants to ensure that the insured person's mobile number is updated in its database, as OTP verification is required during the application process. After obtaining the certificate, candidates must register separately on the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) portal for counselling.
How to Apply
Candidates can visit the official ESIC website at www.esic.gov.in and the MCC portal at www.mcc.nic.in to complete the application process.
