NEET-PG rules: States still impose varying seat eligibility despite SC domicile ruling

NEET-PG candidates seeking admission through state counselling continue to encounter different eligibility requirements across states, despite a 2025 Supreme Court ruling that barred residence or domicile from being used as a basis for postgraduate medical admissions, according to a report by Times of India. The publication's review of state counselling brochures revealed that admission conditions remain far from uniform.

The issue stems from the Supreme Court's January 29, 2025, judgment in Dr Tanvi Behl vs Shrey Goel, which held that residence-based preference cannot be used for postgraduate medical admissions. The court said selection should be based on NEET-PG scores, while permitting limited institutional preference for students who graduated from a particular medical college.

That means a candidate's connection to a medical institution can be considered in limited circumstances, but state residence or domicile cannot be used to confer preference.

Different states, different eligibility conditions

Yet state-level counselling processes continue to differ, particularly for seats in private medical colleges that are filled through state counselling.

Gujarat, for instance, has additional state-specific eligibility conditions for some candidates who completed their MBBS outside the state. Maharashtra permits only certain Maharashtra domicile candidates who studied outside the state to participate, while Karnataka allows candidates from other states to enter its counselling process but does not extend Karnataka's reservation benefits to them.

“The intention of the SC judgement was to replace residence-based preference with institutional preference.

“Some states appear to have implemented the judgement, while others continue with different eligibility conditions. If these policies are challenged, the courts will decide whether they are consistent with the judgement. The Centre can still review the issue and issue uniform guidelines to states,” a health ministry official said.

Parents of aspirants say the variations can produce different opportunities for candidates who have secured similar NEET-PG scores, depending on which state's counselling process they are eligible to enter.

Parents seek one set of rules

The issue has also reached the Prime Minister's Office. In a representation submitted in July, a parent called for uniform implementation of the Supreme Court ruling, a common national counselling portal and NEET-PG examinations to be held twice a year.

The PMO has acknowledged the grievance, but has not communicated a final decision.

Parents have also pointed to the additional expense involved in navigating multiple state counselling systems. Candidates may have to register separately for different processes, comply with varying eligibility requirements, track separate timelines and pay separate security deposits.

In response to one representation, the National Medical Commission said domicile or residence-based reservation under the state quota comes within the jurisdiction of states and advised the complainant to approach the concerned state or Union territory.

A separate representation submitted to the PMO in 2022 seeking uniform rules was also closed after the concerns were noted.

The continuing differences have therefore left aspirants and parents seeking a clearer, uniform framework for implementing the Supreme Court's ruling across state NEET-PG counselling processes.