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Karnataka State Allied and Healthcare Council directs all universities to admit BPT and BOT students only through NEET, following National Commission’s communication to NTA and Health Ministry.
From the academic year 2026-27, appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) will be compulsory for students seeking admission to Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) and Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) courses in Karnataka.
The Karnataka State Allied and Healthcare Council (KSAHC) has issued a clear directive to all public, private, and deemed universities in the state to strictly follow this rule. The decision is based on a communication from the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) to the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the Union Health Ministry.
In a circular issued by KSAHC Chairman Prof U T Iftikhar Ali Fareed, vice-chancellors of all universities have been instructed to ensure full compliance with the new admission norm. Until now, admissions to BPT and BOT courses in Karnataka were conducted either through the Common Entrance Test (CET) or based on Pre-University (PU) examination marks.
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As per official data, Karnataka currently has 27 colleges offering occupational therapy courses with a total intake of 655 seats, of which 131 seats fall under the government quota. Physiotherapy education has a much larger footprint, with 203 colleges offering 8,915 seats across the state. These include six private universities and four government colleges, with 2,006 seats reserved under the government quota.
Authorities have clarified that while there is no minimum qualifying score required in NEET for admission to BPT and BOT programmes, appearing for the examination is mandatory for all aspirants.
The move is expected to significantly increase NEET registrations from Karnataka. Last year, around 1.5 lakh students from the state registered for NEET, with 1.4 lakh appearing for the exam and 83,582 qualifying. In 2024, nearly 1.5 lakh candidates appeared, and 88,887 students cleared the test.
