Despite the completion of two rounds of All India Quota (AIQ) counselling, the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) has yet to release its state merit list. The delay has left over 8,000 postgraduate medical aspirants grappling with anxiety and frustration.
Published Dec 27, 2024 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Dec 27, 2024 | 7:00 AM
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Thousands of medical aspirants in Telangana are caught in limbo as the NEET-PG state-level counselling process is yet to begin.
Despite the completion of two rounds of All India Quota (AIQ) counselling, the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) has yet to release its state merit list.
This delay has left over 8,000 postgraduate medical aspirants grappling with anxiety and frustration.
Typically, AIQ and state counselling processes run in tandem, enabling students to make informed decisions about their preferences.
However, the current disruption has thrown students into confusion, with many unsure about their rankings or next steps. The 26 December deadline for resigning from AIQ Round 2 seats has compounded the dilemma.
Speaking to South First, K Rithesh, a NEET-PG aspirant, shared his predicament: “The delay in Telangana’s NEET-PG counselling has put us in an extremely tough spot. Many of us are holding AIQ Round 2 seats but are unsure about our eligibility for state counselling. That leaves us with a dilemma: Should we hold onto our AIQ seats or resign and risk missing out on state counselling?”
He added that the government’s inaction is jeopardising students’ futures.
He said, “Many of us have spent one, two, or even three years preparing for NEET-PG 2024, hoping it would be a turning point in our lives. We’ve endured endless stress with exam postponements and prepone rumours, and now we’re caught in this limbo. It’s incredibly disheartening. We’ve already paid money as a security deposit for AIQ Round 2 and will have to pay again for Round 3 if we resign from our current seats.
“The money we’ve paid as AIQ counselling fees could go to waste, and the uncertainty is taking a toll on our mental health. The Telangana government and KNRUHS must release the state merit list immediately and ensure the process moves forward without further delays.
“Additionally, we request the Medical Counselling Commission to extend the resignation deadline for AIQ Round 2 and postpone AIQ Round 3 to ensure fairness.”
The delay stems from a Telangana High Court verdict over Government Order 148 (GO 148). This amendment, introduced on 28 October, just days before counselling was set to begin, restricted local postgraduate medical counselling eligibility to students who completed their schooling in Telangana, excluding those who studied outside the state but earned their MBBS degrees from institutions within Telangana.
Approximately 4,000 non-local students were affected by the amendment, which led to widespread concerns over fairness and exclusion.
On 17 December, the Telangana High Court revoked GO 148, ruling it unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Presidential Order of 1974, which governs the definition of local candidates for educational purposes.
The court declared that for the 2024-25 academic year, students who completed their MBBS, BAMS, or BHMS degrees in Telangana would be considered local candidates, regardless of their schooling location.
While this verdict has been celebrated by affected students, it has significantly delayed the state counselling process. Thousands of candidates now face uncertainty about their rankings and seat allocations.
The Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association (T-JUDA) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have expressed concern over the prolonged delays and have urged the authorities to act swiftly.
Dr Vamsi MS, a T-JUDA representative, urged the authorities to act swiftly. “The academic year for 2024-25 has already commenced in other states. Telangana must act quickly to avoid jeopardising the futures of 8,000 students,” he stated.
T-JUDA outlined key issues faced by students:
The association called on KNRUHS to release the provisional and final merit lists immediately, announce the seat matrix, and conduct at least two rounds of state counselling before the AIQ Round 3 deadline.
Similarly, the IMA, Telangana chapter, urged the state government to expedite the process. In a letter to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, the association highlighted the time and monetary losses suffered by students due to the delay.
“Telangana students are at a loss, unable to make informed decisions and forced to take AIQ seats that may not align with their preferences,” the letter stated. “The KNRUHS and the state government must release the state merit list and conduct the first round of counselling without further delay.”
As the clock ticks towards crucial deadlines, students, parents, and medical associations are looking to KNRUHS and the Telangana government for a fair and timely resolution. For the students, it is not just about securing seats; it is about securing their futures.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
