Reservation Quota Seats Calculator

Work out reservation quota seats instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Reservation Quota Seats Calculator

Vertical reservation allocates a percentage of total seats to a social category, and horizontal reservation then operates as a sub-quota within each vertical category rather than across the whole pool. Candidates in reserved categories also compete for unreserved seats on merit.

Formulas

Category seats

Category seats = Total seats x Category quota %

Horizontal seats

Horizontal seats = Category seats x Horizontal quota %

Unreserved seats

Unreserved = Total seats x (1 - Total vertical reservation %)

Worked example

With the default values below, Reservation Quota Seats Calculator returns Seats in the category quota of 130. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Total seats: 480
Quota percentage for the category: 27
Horizontal quota within the category (for example women): 33
Total of all vertical reservations: 60

Results

Seats in the category quota: 130
Horizontal quota seats within the category: 43
Unreserved (open) seats: 192
Total reserved seats: 288

Step by step

1Values used
2Category seats
3Horizontal seats
4Unreserved seats
5Seats in the category quota= 130
6Horizontal quota seats within the category= 43
7Unreserved (open) seats= 192
8Total reserved seats= 288

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to whole numbers, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
Indicative estimate only. Fees, entitlements, limits and formulas vary by jurisdiction, statute, policy wording and the facts of the case. This is not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice — confirm with a qualified professional or the relevant authority.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Indicative estimate only. Fees, entitlements, limits and formulas vary by jurisdiction, statute, policy wording and the facts of the case. This is not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice — confirm with a qualified professional or the relevant authority.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a reserved-category candidate take an unreserved seat?

Yes. Unreserved seats are open to all on merit, so high-scoring reserved-category candidates are placed there first.

Why is horizontal reservation applied within categories?

So that the benefit of, for example, a women's quota is distributed across all social categories rather than concentrated in one.