MBBS/BDS counselling: Aspirants protest preferential treatment to out-of-State candidates

Parents of NEET-2024 qualified students from Telangana State approach Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha seeking his intervention

Hyderabad: The counselling process to admit eligible candidates to government and private MBBS/BDS colleges in Telangana State by Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS) has become contentious with charges of a raw deal being meted out to local students, including allegations of preferential treatment to out-of-state candidates.

On Monday, parents of NEET-2024 qualified students from Telangana State approached Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha seeking his intervention over an amendment included in Government Order (GO 33, dated July 19, 2024), which revised the eligibility domicile status of students who appeared for this year’s NEET entrance examination.

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According to the new amendment in GO-33, students who completed Class 9, 10, 11 and 12 without any break are eligible to be considered as locals in their domicile status. In contrast, till last year (before the amendment to GO-33), students who pursued their education in Telangana State without a break for a maximum of 4 years between Class 6 and 12 were considered as local students.

As a result of the earlier eligibility rule, a large number of families from districts such as Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar preferred sending their children, who are born in Telangana State, to Vijayawada for intermediate first and second year and NEET entrance coaching. According to the amendment, these students, although born in Telangana, are now not eligible to participate in the counselling process.

“The State government should take into account the interests of deserving students who are born in Telangana State and ensure they do not lose out MBBS seats. The said amendment to the Government Order 33 robs genuine students from Telangana State, who pursued their intermediate first and second year and NEET training in other States. We urge the Health Minister to ensure the new amendment is dropped,” Telangana State NEET 2024 Students and Parents, said.