Top 10 Colleges Offering Advantages to OCI Category Students

Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) often face challenges when applying to Indian universities. However, several prestigious institutions offer specific benefits and admissions procedures that cater to OCI/PIO students, making the process smoother. Here are the top 10 colleges in India providing advantages to OCI category candidates.

1. Joint Entrance Examination (JEE)

For JEE (Advanced) 2024, foreign national candidates, including OCI/PIO holders (with cards issued after March 4, 2021), can bypass JEE (Main) and register directly for JEE (Advanced), provided they meet the eligibility criteria. OCI/PIO holders who got their cards before the cut-off date are treated as Indian nationals in the OPEN category. Additionally, up to 10% of seats are reserved for foreign nationals, and these are supernumerary, meaning they are in addition to the existing seats without affecting Indian national quotas.

2. Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics

OCI/PIO students fall under the international student category, and Gokhale Institute reserves up to 25% of its seats for them. These seats are supernumerary, and OCI/PIO candidates do not need to take an entrance test but are required to attend an interview via video conferencing after their application is reviewed. Eligibility criteria are the same as for Indian students.

3. National Law University, Delhi (NLU Delhi)

OCI/PIO candidates can apply for admission under both the OCI/PIO and Indian national categories. If applying as an Indian national, they must appear for the All India Law Entrance Test (AILET). The merit list for foreign nationals and OCI/PIO applicants is based on their qualifying exam scores. NLU Delhi reserves 5 seats for foreign nationals and 5 seats for OCI/PIO candidates under AILET. If seats remain unfilled, they are transferred to the General category.

4. University of Delhi (DU)

At Delhi University, foreign nationals (including OCI holders) are exempt from entrance tests for most courses. However, for certain programs like M.A. in Economics and MBA, a GRE or GMAT score is required. DU also mandates an English proficiency certificate such as IELTS/TOEFL for some programs. Admission is based on merit, with additional requirements for certain programs.

5. Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED)

OCI/PIO students applying to design programs at IITs must qualify through UCEED 2024. Seats for foreign nationals, including OCI/PIO candidates, are supernumerary with a 10% cap on the total seats in each program. OCI/PIO cardholders from before March 4, 2021, are eligible for the OPEN category, while those with cards issued after the date are considered only for foreign national seats.

6. National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)

NIFT allocates supernumerary seats for foreign nationals, OCI/PIO candidates, and NRIs. The number of seats varies depending on the campus, ranging from 3 to 5 seats per program. These candidates can apply without an entrance test and benefit from a specific admission process designed for international students.

7. Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani

BITS Pilani allows OCI/PIO candidates to apply based on their SAT scores instead of through entrance exams. The merit list is generated based on SAT results, and in case of a tie, criteria such as years of foreign education and marks in key subjects (Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry) in the 10+2 exam are used.

8. Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)

Manipal Academy of Higher Education allocates 15% of seats under the Foreign/NRI category, which includes OCI/PIO candidates. Manipal’s flexible admission process allows OCI/PIO applicants to apply under the NRI-sponsored category and gain entry into various undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

9. Symbiosis International University

Symbiosis reserves 20% of its seats for international students, including OCI/PIO candidates. The centralized admission process is managed by the Symbiosis Centre for International Education (SCIE), providing a wide range of programs and offering flexibility for international applicants.

10. National Institute of Design (NID)

OCI/PIO students applying to NID are treated under the foreign national category, benefiting from supernumerary seats. In addition to the seats available for the B Des program, an additional 15% supernumerary seats are available for the overseas category. This makes NID an attractive option for design aspirants from the OCI/PIO category who meet the eligibility criteria.

Conclusion

These top Indian institutions recognize the growing number of OCI/PIO students and provide unique advantages such as supernumerary seats, exemptions from entrance exams, and streamlined admission processes. With increasing diversity among applicants, these institutions offer a bridge for OCI students to access premier education in India while maintaining flexibility in application requirements.