NEET PG Admissions: SC clarifies on Domicile-based Reservation verdict, tells GMCH 32 to Conduct Round 3
Supreme Court of India
Chandigarh: Clarifying on the domicile-based reservations in postgraduate medical admissions, the Supreme Court recently directed the Government Medical College and Hospital at Sector 32 (GMCH-32) to conduct the third round of NEET PG counselling, which was on halt after the Supreme Court's January 2025 order barring domicile-based reservations in PG medical admissions under the State quota.
After asking the institute what clarification was required in the January 2025 verdict, the top court bench made it clear that there would be no domicile State quota and admissions would be based on 50 per cent all India and 50 percent Institutional (IP) quota.
Even though the third round of NEET PG Counselling was scheduled to take place on February 5 at GMCH-32, it was postponed indefinitely after the Supreme Court verdict dated January 29, 2025.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in the said verdict, the Supreme Court held that domicile-based reservations for postgraduate medical admission could not be allowed as it violated Article 14 of the Constitution. Therefore, holding such reservation system unconstitutional, the top court bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia and SVN Bhatti observed, "Residence-based reservation in PG medical courses is clearly violative of Article 14 of the Constitution."
Also Read: NEET PG Admissions: Domicile-Based Reservation Unconstitutional!- Supreme Court
Clarifying that providing domicile residence-based reservations in admission to State quota PG medical seats is constitutionally impermissible, the Apex Court bench held that such seats have to be filled up based on merit in the NEET exam.
After the Supreme Court barred domicile-based reservations in PG medical admissions under the State quota seats, the NEET PG third round counselling at GMCH 32 also came to a halt. Earlier, the Director-Principal of GMCH-32 A K Atri had informed Indian Express that even though 35 state quota seats were lying vacant at the institute, due to the Supreme Court's decision, the third round of counselling could not be done.
On Monday, the top court bench sought to know from the institute why the third round of counselling for the NEET Postgraduate exam has not been done yet. Further, the top court bench also asked the institute about what clarification was required in the January 2025 verdict barring domicile-based reservations in postgraduate medical admissions under the state quota.
As per the latest media report by the Indian Express, taking note of the matter, the Supreme Court has now offered clarification on its earlier verdict. It said that there would be no domicile State quota and admissions would be based on 50 per cent all India and 50 percent Institutional (IP) quota. Further, the top court bench ordered GMCH-32 to conduct the third round of PG counselling.
Meanwhile, commenting on the development, Atri informed the Daily that the institute was waiting for the Court order to be uploaded and further assured that thereafter a decision would be taken on the date for the third round of counselling.
A senior professor has opined that since the top court bench has disposed of and dismissed the case, the third round of counselling is expected to be done in about 10 days as 38 seats are still lying vacant, while Himachal and Haryana have already completed the counselling based on the same prospectus as the two counselling were done before the SC order.
Even though the counselling for the All India Quota has already been completed and the students selected there have been admitted to the respective institutes, many students who chose GMCH-32 are still awaiting counselling.
Amid this, the Supreme Court's order comes as a relief for the aspirants. Commenting on this, a student shared, "With the judgement, we will not waste a year, and it is a big relief for us."
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