Supreme Court Defers Decision on Transgender Doctors’ Plea for NEET-PG Reservation

Rapid Summary

• The Supreme Court of India adjourned the hearing on a plea seeking implementation of 1% horizontal reservation for transgender candidates in postgraduate medical admissions under NEET-PG 2025-26.
• The NEET-PG 2025 examination was held on August 3, and results were declared on August 19.
• Advocate Indira Jaising sought an order to earmark two seats each under the all India quota and State quota for transgender candidates, but CJI B.R. Gavai stated this could cause uncertainty in admissions.
• Counselling for medical courses has not yet begun; so no immediate urgency was noted by the court.
• Petitioners rely on the Supreme Court’s landmark NALSA v.Union of India (2014) judgment recognizing affirmative action and inclusion for transgender persons via reservations in education and employment.
• A challenge was made regarding April notices from the National Board of Examinations alleging non-compliance with affirmative action mandates from the NALSA ruling.
• Union government counsel noted that Solicitor General Tushar mehta intends to address larger issues related to transgender reservations personally during subsequent hearings.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The postponement underscores ongoing complexities surrounding affirmative action policies aimed at ensuring depiction for marginalized communities like transgender individuals within India’s educational framework. While reliance on NALSA v. Union of India highlights critical constitutional precedents supporting horizontal reservation, practical hurdles-such as balancing broader administrative processes-have delayed immediate implementation.

Given India’s historic commitment to inclusivity through judicial rulings like NALSA, this case holds meaningful implications for shaping equity-focused frameworks across competitive academic disciplines. However, since admission counseling has yet to begin, any judicial intervention may need careful calibration to avoid disrupting established processes while still addressing systemic inequalities faced by thes marginalized groups.

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