HC stays GOs on 85% local quota in PG Medical, Dental seats

Hyderabad: In a major relief to non-local post-graduate aspirants, the division bench of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice Ghouse Meera Mohiuddin has stayed operation of amended GOs 200 and 201, issued on November 3. The amended orders had reserved 85% of the management quota seats in PG medical and dental courses for Telangana students, leaving only 15% as all-India quota seats.

The bench held that the government’s move to substantially alter the seat distribution at this stage was questionable. It observed that the amendment, brought in after the commencement of the admission process, “amounts to changing the rules of the game mid-way.” Consequently, the court directed that the amended GOs shall not apply to the ongoing PG medical admission process for the academic year 2025–26.

The order came in response to a writ petition filed by non-local students from States, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, who challenged the drastic reduction of the all-India quota seats in management admissions in both aided and unaided institutions.

The petitioners’ counsel argued that restricting the all-India quota to a mere 15% was legally impermissible and contrary to the Supreme Court ruling in Maharashtra (2005) 6 SCC 537. He contended that the State’s action failed to maintain a fair balance between regional preference and national-level access.

The bench, finding prima facie merit in the petitioners’ submissions, stayed the implementation of the amended GOs for the current academic cycle. The case was adjourned to January 19, 2026, for further hearing.