In a significant development for medical education in Telangana, the High Court has put an immediate stop to the state government's attempt to introduce a localized quota system in private unaided institutions for postgraduate medical courses. The court strongly criticized the move, stating it amounted to changing the rules of the game after the admission process had begun.
Court Halts Last-Minute Quota Implementation
The Telangana High Court, comprising a division bench of Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G M Mohiuddin, delivered the interim order on Friday while hearing petitions filed by non-local candidates. The court specifically suspended two government orders dated November 3 that sought to radically alter the admission composition for PG medical courses for the academic year 2025-26.
The initial admission notification was issued on October 4, following which the state government introduced the controversial amendment. The new rules would have mandated that 85% of seats under management quota sub-category-1 be reserved for local candidates from Telangana, leaving only 15% as All-India Quota seats for candidates from across the country.
Legal Challenge and Supreme Court Precedents
The petitioners, represented by senior counsel, argued that the government's move was legally impermissible in the management quota for PG admissions in unaided educational institutions. They cited the Supreme Court's landmark judgment in P A Inamdar v State of Maharashtra (2005) and the recent decision in Dr Tanvi BEHL v Shrey Goel (2025), both of which emphasize higher merit and competency for PG courses.
The primary ground of challenge focused on the violation of fairness principles. The petitioners contended that their chances of securing admission would be seriously prejudiced by the sudden allocation of 85% of seats to local candidates after the selection process had officially commenced.
Court's Strong Observations and Future Proceedings
The division bench delivered strong observations against the state government's amendment, explicitly stating in its final operative order that the impugned rule shall not be applicable to the present admission process for PG Medical Courses for the Academic Year 2025-26 in Private, Un-Aided, Minority and Non-Minority Colleges in Management Quota Sub-Category-1.
The court has allowed four weeks for the assistant government pleader for the State and the standing counsel for the university to file their respective counter-affidavits. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on January 19, 2026, setting the stage for a crucial legal battle that could have far-reaching implications for medical admissions across the country.
This decision comes as a major relief for thousands of medical aspirants who had applied for PG courses under the original admission criteria and now ensures that the current admission process will continue without the controversial local quota implementation.
