In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has struck down domicile-based reservations for state-quota seats in NEET PG admissions, declaring it unconstitutional under Article 14, which guarantees the right to equality for all citizens.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia, and SVN Bhatti delivered the judgment, calling residence-based reservations in postgraduate medical admissions a violation of fundamental constitutional principles.
‘One India, One Domicile’ – SC’s stance on residency-based quotas
The Supreme Court emphasized that Indian citizens carry a single domicile – that of India—and cannot be discriminated against based on their state of residence. Justice Dhulia, reading the operative part of the judgment, noted that all citizens have the right to reside anywhere in India and pursue education and employment without restrictions.
However, the court drew a distinction between undergraduate and postgraduate medical admissions. It upheld limited domicile-based reservations for MBBS admissions, citing factors such as local needs, infrastructure funding by states, and regional backwardness. For postgraduate courses, however, it ruled that such reservations violate the constitutional right to equality.
Petition against Chandigarh’s NEET PG quota
The ruling came in response to a petition challenging 32 seats reserved exclusively for Chandigarh residents at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Chandigarh. Senior advocate Nidhesh Gupta, representing aggrieved students, argued that such a reservation was constitutionally invalid and impermissible.
The Supreme Court agreed, ruling that admissions to postgraduate medical courses must be open to all candidates nationwide, regardless of the state or Union Territory where the institution is located. The bench cited previous judgments, including a constitutional bench ruling, reinforcing the principle that PG medical admissions cannot be restricted based on domicile.
With this decision, NEET PG aspirants across India will no longer face state-imposed barriers when seeking admission under the state quota in postgraduate medical institutions. The ruling is expected to increase competition for PG seats nationwide and ensure greater merit-based admissions, aligning with the constitutional mandate of equality.