Court Dismisses Petition Challenging Residence-Based Reservations in Medical Admissions
In a significant ruling, the Chhattisgarh High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by Anushka Yadav, challenging the cancellation of admissions to postgraduate medical courses based on residence-based reservations. The court affirmed the state's decision to cancel the first and second rounds of counselling for PG Medical courses and initiate a fresh counselling process, ensuring compliance with constitutional mandates and Supreme Court judgments.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, heard the case concerning amended Rule 11(a) of the Chhattisgarh Medical Post Graduate Admission Rules, 2025. The rule had introduced residence-based reservations, which were later deemed impermissible by the Supreme Court in the case of "Dr. Tanvi Behl v. Shrey Goel."
The petitioner, Anushka Yadav, had secured admission through state counselling and resigned from an earlier allotted All India Quota seat. However, her admission was cancelled following the state's corrective measures to align with the Supreme Court's ruling against domicile-based reservations in PG Medical courses.
The court highlighted that residence-based reservations violate Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and emphasized the importance of merit-based admissions, except for a reasonable institutional preference. The judgment reiterated that no vested right accrues on provisional admissions subject to judicial scrutiny.
The decision aligns with the Supreme Court's stance that while institutional preference is permissible to a certain extent, residence-based reservations for postgraduate seats are not. The court underscored the need for fairness and transparency in the admission process, stating that financial inconvenience to candidates cannot override constitutional requirements.
Legal experts view this ruling as a reaffirmation of the principles laid down by the Supreme Court in "Dr. Tanvi Behl" and other landmark cases, emphasizing equality and meritocracy in educational opportunities.
Bottom Line:
Admissions to Post Graduate Medical Courses - Residence-based reservations are impermissible in PG Medical courses; institutional preference to a reasonable extent allowed.
Statutory provision(s): Articles 12, 14, 19, 21, 21A of the Constitution of India; Chhattisgarh Medical Post Graduate Admission Rules, 2025
Anushka Yadav v. State of Chhattisgarh, (Chhattisgarh)(DB) : Law Finder Doc id # 2845238
