Move Supreme Court!- AP HC tells students on medical admission domicile dispute
Andhra Pradesh High Court
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court recently suggested the petitioners move to the Supreme Court on the domicile issue for medical admissions, as the issue was related to the Presidential Orders.
After several students who studied their intermediate in Telangana or outside Andhra Pradesh were considered non-locals in the counselling for medical admissions, they had filed several pleas before the High Court bench.
The counsel for the State Government, Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas, submitted before the HC bench that the State Government was deciding the domicile status based on the Presidential Orders.
He submitted that, according to the Presidential Orders, the students who have continuously studied for four years in the State prior to the date of the eligibility test are considered locals and can avail the reservation under the domicile quota. Referring to this, the State counsel submitted that the Presidential Orders were coming in the way of the State Government to make a decision in the case of the petitioners.
Also Read: Telangana domicile quota for MBBS admissions: SC seeks state's response
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the High Court bench comprising Chief Justice Shiraj Singh Thakur and Justice R Raghunandan Rao agreed with the submissions of the Advocate General and suggested the petitioners to approach the Supreme Court regarding the issue. The HC bench also mentioned that a detailed order will be given on Thursday.
One of the pleas was filed by one Sk Khamaruddin from Prathipadu in Guntur district. He moved the High Court for being allowed for counselling under the local quota. A similar plea was filed by one Sanapal Venkata Ramana from Kotabommali in Srikakulam and 71 others on the same grounds.
Earlier, the Court had directed the NTR University of Health Sciences to allow the applications with the condition that the validity of the applications would be subject to the outcome of the pleas.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that while considering a similar domicile policy dispute in Telangana, the Supreme Court had criticised the Telangana Government's domicile policy for the State quota medical seats, calling it "far removed from ground reality."
As per this policy, to be eligible for admission to state quota seats through the National Eligibility-Entrance Test (NEET), a student must have pursued Classes 9 to 12 in the State. While faulting the policy, the top court bench warned that if the Government did not fix the issue, the Court would intervene.
The Apex Court bench observed that many students move to places like Kota for better coaching in Classes 11 and 12, and they should not be denied Telangana state quota medical seats merely because they studied outside the State.
