High Court stays NEET SS counselling in Telangana and Andhra

Hyderabad: NEET Counselling for admission into super speciality courses in medicine i.e. DM/MCh courses in the colleges affiliated to Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences in Telangana and NTR University of Health Sciences in AP, on Thursday, were stayed by the High Court.

The Court issued the interim orders of stay in response to a writ petition filed by Dr B Satish Kumar and 12 other aspirants. The petitioners had challenged a letter issued by the Centre directing both the varsities to conduct a common counselling for all the seats of NEET-Super Speciality-2017, at the national level.

The bench of Justice V Ramasubramanian and Justice T Rajani issued the interim orders.

S Satyam Reddy, Senior counsel for the petitioners, argued that the Presidential Order issued in exercise of the power conferred under Article 371-D of the Constitution governed admission to professional courses in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Since these Presidential Orders have effect notwithstanding anything contained in any other part of the Constitution, the respondents are not entitled to conduct a common counselling at the national level, for the seats coming within the control of these two universities the, Counsel further argued.

The Presidential Order, Article 371-D and 1979 circular specify that 85 per cent of statewide seats shall be reserved in favour of domicile candidates and the remaining 15 pc seats are to fall under the All India quota, open to admission for candidates of all other states, as well; provided they have qualified the entrance test.

The bench observed the fact that the challenge to the reservation created in terms of Article 371-D was rejected by the Supreme Court.

The bench, therefore, imposed a stay on the national level admission process for the above seats in these two universities and directed the Centre to file its counter reply, reports TNIE.

The bench is to hear the case on August 24.