Authority: High Court for the State of Telangana at Hyderabad (Special Original Jurisdiction)
Order Date: 25.08.2026
Case Overview
- Petitioners: (1) Sai Teja Pedda, 19, student, residing H.No. 34, Gudigandla Village, Maktal Mandal, Narayanpet District, Telangana (509205); (2) flevanth Sangishetti, 19, student, residing H.No. 1-7-143 & 144, Near Government School, Padmashalipuram, Katedhan, Rangareddy District, Telangana (500077).
- Respondents: State of Telangana (represented by Principal Secretary, Medical Health and Family Welfare Department, Secretariat Buildings, Hyderabad) and Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (represented by Registrar, Warangal).
- Both petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution seeking a writ of mandamus, alleging that the University’s action of classifying them as ineligible candidates for MBBS/BDS admission for the academic year 2026‑27 (NEET UG 2026) violates Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution and Section 95 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014.
- Additional prayer under Section 151 CPC to direct the University to consider their representation dated 10.08.2026 for treatment as local candidates.
- Counsel: Petitioners – Alluri Divakar Reddy; Respondent No.1 – Government Pleader for Medical, Health & FW; Respondent No.2 – T. Sharath, SC for KNRUHS.
- Background: Both petitioners studied in Telangana up to Class V, then attended Sainik School Korukonda, Andhra Pradesh (the only Sainik School in the combined Andhra‑Pradesh‑Telangana region) under the Telangana State quota, completing Classes VI‑XII there. Consequently, the University placed them in the list of ineligible candidates on the ground that they had not studied in Telangana for the last five years.
- They participated in the NEET UG 2026‑27 admission process, declaring themselves under the Telangana quota, but were excluded from the eligible candidates list.
- The Court noted that identical matters (W.P. No.19659 of 2025 and W.P. No.27933 of 2025) were decided on 17.09.2025 and 24.07.2025 respectively, where the Advocate General had submitted that students who studied in the Sainik School in Andhra Pradesh could be treated as local candidates under the relaxation granted by Section 95 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, applicable till 2024 (last ten years).
- The petitioners are batch‑mates of the petitioner in W.P. No.27933 of 2025. The State and the University do not dispute that the present issue is covered by the earlier judgment and that the Government has already conceded the relaxation.
Final Outcome
- The Court set aside the inclusion of the two petitioners in the list of ineligible candidates, holding the exclusion to be improper and illegal.
- The petitioners are directed to approach the University with a request for consideration as local candidates for MBBS/BDS admission for the 2026‑27 academic session.
- The University/State must take appropriate steps to include the petitioners’ names in the eligible local candidates list.
- No order as to costs; the writ petitions are allowed without costs.
Topics: Admission Policy, Legal Relief