NEET PG Counselling: MP High Court Restricts In-Service Candidates' Seat Allotment To 30% Quota

NEET PG Counselling: MP High Court Restricts In-Service Candidates' Seat Allotment To 30% Quota

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed that in-service candidates participating in NEET PG counselling be confined to the 30 per cent quota earmarked for them, according to a report by Live Law India dated 3 November 2026. The order effectively prevents such candidates from being considered for seat allotment outside the reserved in-service pool. The ruling arises in the context of ongoing litigation over how postgraduate medical seats in the state are distributed between in-service doctors and open-category aspirants.

What The Court Held

The High Court's direction draws a clear boundary around in-service admissions. Candidates who fall within the in-service category will now be allotted seats only within the 30 per cent reservation meant for them. This means they cannot compete for or occupy seats outside that quota, preserving the remaining seats for other eligible candidates. The order seeks to bring discipline to a counselling process that has repeatedly seen disputes over category overlap and seat migration between quotas.

Why It Matters

For institutional and corporate observers, the decision reinforces a broader compliance principle: reservation policy must be applied strictly according to its stated scope. Hospitals, medical colleges and healthcare employers that depend on postgraduate talent pipelines should note that in-service candidates may now have a narrower set of seats available to them. This could affect workforce planning, sponsorship arrangements and retention strategies in the state's public health system.

From a legal standpoint, the ruling adds to a growing body of High Court jurisprudence on counselling conduct. Institutions involved in admissions must ensure their seat matrices and allotment logic reflect the quota boundaries as interpreted by courts. Any deviation risks contempt or fresh litigation. For professionals tracking regulatory r…