Supreme Court Upholds Telangana’s 4-Year Domicile Rule for NEET MBBS Admissions
In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the Telangana government’s 4-year domicile requirement for admissions to MBBS seats in state-run medical colleges through NEET UG 2025 counselling. The apex court dismissed petitions challenging the rule, affirming the state’s right to prioritize local students in medical admissions.
The Rule Explained
As per Telangana’s admission guidelines, a candidate must have studied in the state for a minimum of four consecutive years or must be a resident of Telangana for four years to qualify under the state’s domicile quota for MBBS and BDS admissions. This rule applies to the 85% state quota seats, while the remaining 15% seats fall under the All India Quota (AIQ) conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC).
Supreme Court’s Observations
The bench observed that:
States are empowered to frame domicile-based rules to protect the interests of local students, especially in professional courses like medicine.
The four-year rule is neither arbitrary nor violative of the fundamental right to equality, as it is uniformly applied to all candidates.
Medical education has a strong public purpose, and states have a legitimate interest in ensuring that local students have fair access to medical seats.
Petitioners’ Argument
The petitioners had argued that the domicile rule discriminates against students who may have roots in Telangana but studied outside the state due to their parents’ transferable jobs. They contended that the rule restricts opportunities for such students despite their connection to the state.
Court’s Response
The Supreme Court, however, noted that flexibility already exists in the rule through residence-based eligibility, not just schooling. It emphasized that allowing exceptions could dilute the intent of the policy, which is to safeguard opportunities for students who have continuously studied and lived in Telangana.
Impact on NEET UG 2025 Counselling
The verdict means that only candidates fulfilling the 4-year domicile/residence requirement will be eligible for 85% of state medical seats in Telangana.
Students from Telangana studying outside the state will largely be restricted to the 15% AIQ seats unless they meet the residence clause.
The ruling sets a precedent for other states that follow or may consider introducing domicile-based admission rules.
Way Forward
With the NEET UG 2025 counselling process currently underway across India, Telangana’s admission authorities are expected to strictly enforce the domicile clause for all applicants. Candidates are advised to ensure their documents supporting residence or study in the state are in order before verification.
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