ACPC Reservation Policy 2026

Overview of ACPC Reservation

The ACPC Reservation Policy is strictly implemented as per the norms set by the Government of Gujarat. Seats in engineering, pharmacy, and other professional courses are divided among various categories to ensure fair representation and equal opportunities for students.

Note: The reservation benefits are available only to candidates who are originally from Gujarat and have valid category certificates issued by the competent authority of the Gujarat State Government.

Seat Distribution: State vs. Management Quota

Before understanding the category-wise reservation, it is important to know which seats these reservation rules apply to:

• Government & Grant-in-Aid (GIA) Institutes: 100% of the seats are filled through ACPC, and the reservation policy applies to all these seats.
• Self-Financed Institutes (SFIs): Usually, 50% of the seats are "State Quota" filled by ACPC (where the reservation policy applies), while the remaining seats are "Management / NRI Quota" filled directly by the respective institutes on a merit basis (no category reservation applies here).
• Centrally Funded Institutes: Institutes like IITs or NITs follow the Central Government's reservation policy and are filled via JoSAA/CSAB, not ACPC.

Category-wise Reservation Quota

Below is the percentage of seats reserved for different categories in Government and Grant-in-Aid (GIA) institutions, as well as the state quota seats in Self-Financed Institutes (SFIs):

Tuition Fee Waiver Scheme (TFWS)

The TFWS is a supernumerary quota (above the sanctioned intake) designed to help economically backward students pursue professional courses without paying tuition fees.

• Seat Allocation: 5% of the total sanctioned seats in each branch/institute are reserved under TFWS.
• Eligibility: Total annual family income from all sources must be less than Rs. 8.00 Lakhs.
• Benefit: Candidates admitted under TFWS do not have to pay any tuition fee. However, other fees (like hostel, library, university fees) must be paid.
• Document Required: A valid Income Certificate issued by the designated state government authority.

Special & Horizontal Quotas

Persons with Disabilities (PwD)

A horizontal reservation of 5% is provided for physically disabled candidates. To claim this, candidates must submit a valid disability certificate issued by a recognized Medical Board.

Defence & Ex-Servicemen Quota

1% of available seats are horizontally reserved for the children of Ex-Servicemen / In-Service Defence Personnel. This requires an un-conditional certificate from the Directorate of Sainik Welfare Board.

Important Certificate Guidelines

To successfully claim reservation benefits during ACPC counselling, please ensure you meet the following requirements:

• SEBC Candidates: Must possess a valid Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) Certificate (Parishisth-4) issued in Gujarati by the competent authority. The NCL certificate must be valid for the current financial year (usually valid for 3 years from the date of issue, but strictly refer to ACPC's latest notification for the cutoff date).
• EWS Candidates: Unreserved category students with a family income below Rs. 8 Lakhs must upload an EWS certificate issued by the competent authority of Gujarat state.
• SC/ST Candidates: Must have a valid caste certificate issued by Mamlatdar / TDO / Social Welfare Officer of Gujarat. There is no income limit for claiming SC/ST reservation.
• Format & Language: All reservation certificates must be issued by the Government of Gujarat. Central Government certificates (like OBC-NCL) are not accepted for state quota seats.

If a candidate fails to upload valid category certificates during registration, they will be considered under the Open (Unreserved) category.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)