ESIC Invites Applications for MBBS, BDS and B.Sc. Nursing Admissions Under Ward of Insured Person Quota for 2026-27

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, has invited applications for admission to MBBS, BDS and B.Sc. Nursing courses under the Ward of Insured Person (Ward of IP) Quota for the academic session 2026-27.

The initiative aims to provide quality and affordable professional education opportunities to the dependent children of workers covered under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme, further strengthening ESIC’s commitment to social security and welfare.

783 Seats Earmarked

For the academic session 2026-27, ESIC has provisionally earmarked 783 seats, including:

• 695 MBBS seats
• 28 BDS seats
• 60 B.Sc. Nursing seats

These seats are available across 22 medical, dental and nursing institutions, including ESIC Medical Colleges and select State Government Medical Colleges where seats have been reserved for eligible wards of insured persons.

Admissions will be conducted through the centralized counselling process administered by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Affordable Medical Education

The Ward of IP quota is among ESIC’s flagship welfare schemes, enabling eligible students to pursue professional medical and nursing education at highly subsidized costs.

Students admitted under the quota will pay:

• ₹24,000 per annum for MBBS and BDS courses
• ₹10,000 per annum for B.Sc. Nursing courses

ESIC has clarified that no capitation fee or donation is permitted for admissions under this category.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for admission under the Ward of IP quota:

• The parent must be a registered Insured Person under the ESI Act.
• The insured parent should have been an active contributor to the ESI Scheme as on September 30, 2025.
• The applicant must be a dependent child of the insured person.
• The candidate must have appeared in NEET (UG) 2026.
• The applicant must satisfy all eligibility norms prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC), Dental Council of India (DCI), Indian Nursing Council (INC), National Testing Agency (NTA) and Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).

Male candidates should not be above 21 years of age as on March 8, 2026. However, as per provisions of the ESI Act, 1948, there is no age restriction for dependent unmarried female wards of insured persons.

Ward of IP Certificate Mandatory

Candidates must obtain a valid Ward of IP Certificate issued by ESIC to participate in the admission process.

The application process for obtaining the certificate is completely online through the official ESIC portal. Applicants are required to submit relevant details and upload supporting documents, including:

• Photograph
• Proof of age
• NEET (UG) 2026 Admit Card
• Other applicable certificates

The last date for submission of online applications for the Ward of IP Certificate is June 21, 2026.

ESIC has advised applicants to ensure that the mobile number of the insured person is correctly updated in ESIC records, as OTP-based authentication is mandatory during the application process.

After obtaining the certificate, candidates must separately register on the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) portal for centralized counselling.

ESIC Appeals for Wider Awareness

ESIC has urged employers, insured persons, regional offices, branch offices, hospitals and State ESI authorities to actively spread awareness about the admission opportunity among eligible beneficiaries.

Employers covered under the ESI Scheme have been requested to display admission notices prominently at workplaces and assist employees in updating their mobile numbers and completing the application process.

Strengthening Social Security Through Education

One of the world’s largest social security organizations, ESIC provides a comprehensive range of benefits including medical care, sickness benefits, maternity benefits, disablement benefits and dependants’ benefits to workers and their families.

Through initiatives such as the Ward of IP quota, ESIC continues to promote educational empowerment and socio-economic advancement for the families of India’s workforce.

For detailed information regarding eligibility, application procedures and admission updates, candidates can visit the official websites of ESIC and the Medical Counselling Committee.