Indore: Madhya Pradesh High Court Directs State to Follow Medical Admission Rules

Background of the Case

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has instructed the State Government to comply with Rule 14(2) of the MP Medical Education Admission Rules, 2018, provided there are no legal obstacles. This directive comes in response to a plea from a postgraduate medical aspirant who is requesting an extension of the NRI quota during the Stay Vacancy Round.

Details of Rule 14(2)

Rule 14(2) pertains to the conversion of vacant seats in various sub-categories during postgraduate medical counseling. Notably, this rule specifies that vacant NRI seats should be converted into unreserved seats without first considering eligible NRI candidates.

Petitioner’s Arguments

The petitioner has challenged this specific provision, arguing that the differential treatment imposed by Rule 14(2) is arbitrary and discriminatory. Unlike other sub-categories, NRI seats face direct conversion. The petitioner insists that these seats should remain reserved for NRI candidates until the conclusion of the Stray Vacancy Round, advocating for an extension of the NRI quota to that point.

Court’s Interim Directive

The Division Bench, comprising Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi, recognized that the counseling process for PG medical admissions has already commenced. They instructed the State to seek further instructions and, as a temporary measure, mandated adherence to Rule 14(2) during the ongoing counseling process, barring any legal impediments. The court stated, “As an interim measure, it is directed that if there is no any other legal impediment, the respondent shall adhere to the provisions of Rule 14(2) of the M.P. Medical Education Admission Rules, 2018. List the matter on 25.02.2026.”

Representation in Court

During the hearing, senior advocate Ajay Bagadia, representing the petitioner, clarified that their immediate focus is solely on the relief concerning Rule 14(2) of the MP Medical Education Admission Rules, 2018, which was introduced through a notification on June 19, 2019. The petitioner seeks an order to prevent the conversion of vacant NRI seats into unreserved seats without first accommodating eligible NRI candidates.

Context of NRI Quota

According to the petition, the NRI quota is recognized as a sub-category under Schedule 2 of the Rules, similar to other sub-categories. Rule 14(2) specifies that if no candidates from a particular sub-category are available after counseling rounds, the vacant seats will be allocated to the relevant category through a defined mechanism. However, it controversially allows for the conversion of vacant NRI seats to unreserved status without first exhausting eligible candidates.

Legal Implications

A recent report from Live Law highlighted that in both All India Counselling and other State counseling processes, seat conversion occurs only after all eligible candidates from the respective category have been considered, following a designated conversion algorithm. The petition argues that Rule 14(2) is fundamentally arbitrary and contravenes Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Given that the NRI quota is recognized as a sub-category, the petitioner contends it should not be subject to an unfavorable conversion process.

Next Steps

The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on February 25, 2026.

Official Court Order

To view the official court order, visit the following link: [Court Order](https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/2026/02/26/dr-abhi-sharma-v-state-of-mp-657984-329867.pdf).

Related Article

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