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The State of Telangana has escalated the matter to the Supreme Court by filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) with Diary No. 59566/2024 on 18th December 2024 at 3:14 PM.
This comes in response to the Telangana High Court’s recent verdict, which ruled in favor of the petitioners challenging the state government’s local residency rule for NEETPG admissions.
The High Court had struck down the contentious amendment requiring four consecutive years of schooling in Telangana to qualify for state quota seats, deeming it unconstitutional.
The state government’s move to approach the Supreme Court indicates its intent to contest the High Court’s decision, potentially impacting the ongoing NEETPG 2024 counselling process.
Telangana High Court Ruling (Overview)
The High Court struck down the amendment to Rule VIII (ii) of the Telangana Medical Colleges (Admission into Postgraduate Medical Courses) Rules, 2021, which required PG medical aspirants to have completed at least four consecutive schooling years in Telangana to be eligible for state quota seats, irrespective of their MBBS completion within the state.
The verdict comes after hearing W.P. No. 31161/2024, filed by Dr. P. Archana and 93 others against the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS).
The Telangana High Court, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J. Sreenivas Rao, addressed a challenge regarding the “four consecutive schooling years” requirement for eligibility. The petitioners argued that the rule was unfair, as it excluded candidates who had pursued their MBBS in Telangana but did not fulfill the specific schooling criteria. After hearing the arguments, the court deemed the amendment unconstitutional and struck down the mandate, providing relief to the affected candidates.
This decision comes as a significant relief to 94 NEETPG aspirants, allowing broader eligibility for the state quota seats and striking down a contentious local residency criterion.
The judgment is expected to impact the ongoing NEET PG 2024 counselling in Telangana, restoring eligibility for students who completed their MBBS in the state. Final judgment was announced on 17th December 2024 at 10:30 AM.
Urge for Quick Counselling
Following the Telangana High Court’s judgment, students have urged KNRUHS to act without delay and promptly release a finalised or provisional merit list. They have also called for the immediate publication of a seat matrix to assist in making informed decisions during the counselling process. However, the State of Telangana has now approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s verdict.
Earlier, the petitioners had emphasised the urgency of the matter, describing it as an emergency and seeking swift court intervention to resolve the ongoing crisis. With the 2024-2025 academic year fast approaching, NEETPG aspirants in Telangana remain hopeful that authorities will prioritise a timely and seamless counselling process while addressing the concerns raised in the Supreme Court case.
The Medical Bulletin
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