NEET Qualifiers and Parents Urge Chief Secretary to Address ‘Local Candidate’ Status

Quick Summary:

• A delegation of NEET qualifiers and their parents, backed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders D. Sravan and D. Vinay Bhaskar, met Telangana Chief Secretary K. ramakrishna Rao in Hyderabad on September 16, 2025.
• The group requested a review of Government Orders (GOs) 33 and 150 issued by the Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department regarding MBBS and BDS admissions for the academic year 2025-26.
• GO 33 requires four years of continuous study or residence in Telangana before qualifying exams for “local candidate” status; this was amended by GO 150 to include children of certain government service personnel stationed outside Telangana as local candidates if certified by competent authorities.
• The Supreme Court upheld the State Government’s competency to frame admission reservation rules on September 1, validating these amendments.
• Delegation members argued that students from Telangana domicile-educated entirely within the state except for brief periods-are unfairly losing local status under current rules due to technical exclusions.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

The petition for revising GOs governing local candidate status highlights ongoing debates around domicile-linked reservations in medical admissions-a critical issue tied to regional identity and fairness in access opportunities. While GO amendments address specific cases such as children of All India Service personnel posted elsewhere, concerns raised about broader inclusion criteria reflect tensions between rigid frameworks versus practical considerations for students’ proximity to their home state.

The Supreme Court’s endorsement signals that states retain meaningful autonomy over educational policies but also underscores how such decisions can lead to challenges from affected groups seeking equitable adjustments.For Telangana specifically, balancing legal precision with sociocultural expectations warrants careful deliberation given its diverse demographic context amidst heightened competition for coveted medical seats.

Read more at: The Hindu