The Telangana High Court (HC) today, Monday, December 2, heard petitions filed against the Government Order (GO) 148 which laid down rules for postgraduate (PG) medical admissions in Telangana. 

Dr K*, one of the petitioners of the case and a NEET-PG candidate from Andhra Pradesh told EdexLive that the counsel for the government stayed nonchalant to their cause throughout the hearing.

Doctors compared to monkeys?

Allegedly the counsel said, "Hanumanthuni mundu kothula kuppi ganthulu” which translates to monkeys prancing in front of Lord Hanuman, meaning that we are a mere bunch of students trying very desperately to prove ourselves to the Lord, but what is our worth? explained the aspirant.

Reaffirming the mandates of GO 148, which states that students who completed their schooling in other states, even if they earned their MBBS degree in Telangana, are ineligible for PG counselling within the state; he said the issue was further complicated by the counsel's insensitive remarks.

State has powers to amend rules anytime?

Regarding the proceedings that took place in the court today, Dr K further told EdexLive that the counsel argued that the state has powers vested in it to amend rules even "in the middle of the game or whenever."

He further argued that the decision was taken to solely benefit students from Telangana.

What is to happen next?

Dr K and several others who have completed their MBBS in the state, now stand to lose a seat due to the government's arbitrary decision. Furthermore, the GO was passed on October 28, just two days before the PG counselling began on October 31.

The HC has so far halted the counselling process for Telangana State National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG) admissions as per the decision taken on November 18. The next hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow, December 3, with another important hearing on the NEET-PG 2024 issue in tow: Ishika Jain versus National Board of Examination (NBE) which addresses the irregularities of the exam, at the Supreme Court of India.

*name concealed for reasons

Stay tuned for more updates regarding NEET-PG 2024 counselling.