The Supreme Court of India, in a landmark ruling on Wednesday, declared that domicile-based reservation for postgraduate (PG) medical admissions under the state quota is unconstitutional. The Court found that this practice violated the Right to Equality guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution of India, undermining the principles of fairness and equal opportunity.
The judgment was delivered by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia, and S V N Bhatti, who unanimously struck down the practice of domicile-based reservations in PG medical courses. The ruling emphasized that citizens should have the freedom to reside anywhere in India, practice any profession, and pursue educational opportunities without restrictions based on their domicile. Justice Dhulia, reading the judgment, highlighted that all Indian citizens are entitled to a single domicile, that of India, and no restrictions should apply to their educational pursuits.
While the Court acknowledged that some degree of domicile-based reservation might be permissible for undergraduate (MBBS) courses, it ruled that such reservations should not extend to PG medical courses due to their specialized nature. The Court stated that domicile-based reservations would undermine the quality of education and healthcare in the country.
The ruling also clarified that it would not affect any domicile-based reservations that had already been granted for PG medical admissions before the judgment. Policies in place prior to the ruling will remain intact, but future NEET PG admissions will be governed by the new framework.
This decision stems from a reference made during appeals against a Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling concerning admissions at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandigarh. The High Court had found certain provisions related to state quota admissions invalid, which the Supreme Court upheld.
The judgment represents a significant shift in how state quotas in PG medical courses are viewed, reinforcing the need to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens without residence-based restrictions. Aspiring medical students will now be affected by this ruling, which clarifies that state quotas should not be allowed to override the principles of national unity and equality.
