UCEED Reservation Policy 2026: Check Out Seat Matrix, Reservation Policy and Allotment Process

Overview: IIT Bombay implements a seat reservation policy to ensure equal access to the prestigious design programs the top IITs offer through UCEED. Discover key insights into the UCEED reservation policy for 2025 and other important information.

The Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design (UCEED) is a national-level entrance exam conducted by IIT Bombay to provide admissions to the Bachelor of Design (B.Design) program at IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Roorkee, and IIITDM Jabalpur.

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Cracking UCEED and landing a seat in a coveted design program at an IIT is a dream for many aspiring designers. To ensure equal access to this prestigious opportunity, UCEED implements a seat reservation policy. Whether you belong to a reserved category or not, it's crucial that you understand how the seats are distributed in UCEED colleges, so that you get a fair idea of the competition level and plan your UCEED preparation strategy and target college likewise.

This post will guide you through the UCEED Reservation Policy, seat matrix, and the percentage of seats reserved for each category.

UCEED Admissions 2026

Securing a seat in the B.Des programs at IITs through the UCEED exam involves clearing the test and counselling.

The UCEED exam assesses your aptitude for design through sections on logical reasoning, creativity, and design knowledge. And once you qualify, the next step is the UCEED counselling.

Every candidate who appears for the exam is ranked on the Common Rank List (CRL) without any category bias. Additionally, another category-wise rank list (for OBC-NCL, EWS, SC,ST, and PwD) is prepared. 

Even with a moderate CRL rank, candidates from reserved categories can secure top seats at their preferred institute if their category rank is high, as per the UCEED reservation policy, 2026.

Also check: UCEED Fee Structure

Reservation of Seats for UCEED 2026

IIT Bombay allocates UCEED seats based on Indian government's reservation policy for educational institutions. Refer the table below for UCEED category-wise seats distribution overview:

Category	Percentage of Seats Reserved
Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)	10%
Other Backward Classes belonging to the Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL)	27%
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%
Persons with Disability (PwD)	5%

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Check: UCEED Colleges

UCEED 2026 Reservation Policy

While the UCEED exam is same for all aspirants, the seat distribution is done based on category-wise ranks and available reservations. Per the official notification, the category you chose while filling out the UCEED Application Form is final for the exam and admission process.

Here is detailed information about the UCEED Reservation Policy 2026 and the important points you need to remember before applying for the exam.

• The relaxed criterion will be used to declare qualified canidates in the EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PWD categories.
• The participating colleges will benefit from reservations subject to the verification of documents at the final stage.
• Your admission will get cancelled if you submit any false/fake/invalid/incorrect documents.
• If you submit the invalid PwD certificate and have availed the compensatory time or availed the services of an amanuensis, you can not be rolled back to the OPEN category. Your candidature will be cancelled.
• You must submit a valid and updated category certificate while applying for BDes admission to avail the UCEED reservation benefits.
• You will be allotted a seat based on your All India Rank (merit order), reservation category, and availability at each institute.
• The name of the backward class must be in the current central list of OBCs. 
• OBC-NCL certificates issued only from April 1, 2022, are accepted for the examination.
• Those belonging to the creamy layer of OBC are NOT entitled to reservation. Such students are treated as belonging to the Open/ Reserved category.
• UCEED reservation is available only to those castes and tribes mentioned in the central list of corresponding states published by the Government of India.
• Vacant seats in the OBC-NCL category can be allotted to those in the OPEN category during the counselling.
• Seats remaining vacant under the SC and ST categories shall NOT be allotted to any other categories.
• Foreign nationals (including OCI/PIO card holders) will be treated as an unreserved category and allotted 10% of the seats as per the UCEED reservation policy.

Read more: UCEED Previous Year Question Papers

UCEED 2026 Seat Allotment Process

After submitting the online application for the UCEED B.Des program, the UCEED Seat Allotment Process 2026 has typically three rounds. Candidates will be allotted seats for UCEED based on rank, category, and preference registered.

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UCEED Study Material for Quantitative Aptitude	Click Here
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UCEED Study Material for Non-verbal Reasoning	Click Here
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UCEED Study Material for General Awaraness	Click Here
UCEED Study Material for Aptitude	Click Here

The seat allocation through UCEED will be completed once the UCEED seats are filled.

FREE Resource: Download the UCEED Colleges List & Comparison Chart for in-depth insights on all the UCEED participating colleges including cut-off, specializations available, fee structure, top recruiters and placement records. An all-in-on-place asset that will help strategize your preparation and set realistic targets that align with your long-term goals.

UCEED 2026 Seat Matrix

Given below is the seat matrix for top IITs in accordance with UCEED Reservation Policy -

Category	IIT-Bombay	IIT-Delhi	IIT-Guwahati	IIT-Hyderabad	IIT-Roorkee	IIITDM-J
OPEN	14	7	23	10	7	26
OPEN-PwD	1	1	0	0	1	1
EWS	4	2	5	3	2	6
EWS-PwD	0	0	1	0	0	0
OBC-NCL	9	5	15	6	5	17
OBC-NCL-PwD	1	0	0	1	0	1
SC	5	3	7	4	3	10
SC-PwD	0	0	1	0	0	0
ST	3	2	3	2	2	4
ST-PwD	0	0	1	0	0	1

Impact of UCEED Reservation Policy on Selections

Government has mandated a compulsory reservation for marginally and socially weaker sections of the society, so that candidates from diverse backgrounds have equal and fair access to design education. And therefore, all the participating and result-sharing UCEED colleges allocate seats in their B.Des programs based on Quotas. This can effect your rank and admission to these colleges as follows:

• For those falling under reserved categories, this system can improve their chances of admission. 
• Over 50% of seats under reservation means more competition in the CRL. Students from general category need top 40-80 ranks to get into top IITs like IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi.
• Improper documentation can cost you your seat.
• Reservations also impact institute-wise cut-offs.
• Even for reserved category candidates, it's important to prepare better, so that they can secure higher ranks in the category merit list. 

Check: Private Universities Accepting UCEED Score 2025

Tips to Avoid Disqualification due to the UCEED Reservation Policy 2026

1. Understand reservation policies thoroughly, including age relaxation, any specific eligibility criteria, or previous year cut-off data in advance regarding the UCEED exam. It will help you prevent any discrepancies later. 

2. Always keep all relevant verification documents updated and handy. Any mismatch or wrong information can cause direct disqualification as per the UCEED Reservation Policy.

3. Ensuring merit is always a safer option. While reservation policy may provide you access but so to other reserved candidates. High marks maximizes your chances for success.

4. UCEED Reservation Policy should always be seen as an opportunity to compete with others on a level playing field, and not as a guarantee of selection.

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Check: UCEED Syllabus 

Key Takeaways

• The UCEED reservation policy adheres to the guidelines set by the Indian government for educational institutions.
• The policy ensures seats are reserved for various social categories, such as SC, ST, OBC, and PwD, promoting diversity within design programs.
• Your UCEED exam rank and reserved category will be considered when allocating seats at your chosen institute.
• The reservation system allows deserving candidates from diverse backgrounds to pursue design education.

Check: UCEED Admit Card