Telangana High Court on Monday dismissed a batch of writ petitions challenging the State government’s decision to reserve 100% of seats in MBBS/BDS courses in ‘competent authority quota’ only to locals (students hailing from Telangana) in medical colleges established after 2014.
A Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe pronounced the verdict in the batch of petitions seeking to declare the GO 72 issued by the Telangana government on July 23 as illegal and arbitrary. The GO excludes students hailing from neighbouring Telugu State of Andhra Pradesh from securing admissions in medical colleges of Telangana in competent authority quota which is 85% of total seats.
Students from different parts of Andhra Pradesh filed the writ petitions. The petitioners contended that, under Section 95 of AP Reorganisation Act (through which separate Telangana State was created on June 2, 2014), they had scope to secure admissions in Telangana medical colleges for a period of 10 years. They also maintained that under clause 7 of the Presidential Order under Article 371-D the students of Andhra Pradesh were eligible to have equal opportunity in the matters of public employment and education for both the States.
Advocate General of Telangana B.S. Prasad, appearing for Telangana, during arguments informed the High Court that there was no illegality in reserving seats for Telangana students and those from Andhra Pradesh could always compete in the 15% quota of seats in national pool.
