HC Directs NTRUHS to Classify NEET-Qualified A.P. Domicile Candidates as Local

Quick Summary:

• A Division Bench of teh Andhra Pradesh High Court, led by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh thakur adn Justice Ravi Cheemalapati, directed Dr. NTR university of Health Sciences (NTRUHS) to allow 53 applicants with A.P.-domicile status to register as local candidates in Andhra pradesh.
• The court provided interim relief for thes applicants, permitting them to submit physical submission forms and have their applications processed accordingly.
• This decision followed two lunch motion petitions filed on behalf of the 53 students on Monday and the arguments presented by counsels P.V.G. Umesh Chandra and K. Subba Rao.
• Petitioners challenged a recent notification from NTRUHS that disqualified students who studied up to Class 10 in A.P. but completed Intermediate studies outside the state as non-local candidates.
• They contended that provisions requiring residency or study for a minimum of four consecutive years preceding the qualifying examination violate constitutional rights under Articles 14, 19, and 21.
• The High Court scheduled further hearings for August 14, instructing both NTRUHS and the State government to file their counters.

Indian Opinion Analysis:

This case underscores an critically important intersection between policy formulation and constitutional rights impacting students in Andhra Pradesh seeking higher education opportunities. The notification by Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences attempts to redefine domicile criteria based on four-year continuous residence prior to examinations-a move viewed by petitioners as exclusionary toward or else eligible local candidates.

The interim relief granted highlights judicial scrutiny over administrative rules perceived as misaligned with broader equity principles enshrined in Articles 14 (Right to Equality), Article 19 (Freedom), and Article 21 (Right to life). While designed likely for clarity around local admission priorities, this criterion could inadvertently affect numerous applicants whose academic paths involve crossing state boundaries.

as debates continue through subsequent hearings, potential reforms may recalibrate such domicile policies not only for fairness but also for safeguarding accessibility within India’s competitive educational landscape-a balance vital at both state-level governance and national educational mandates.

Read more: Published – July 28, 2025