KOHIMA, AUGUST 12 (MExN): The Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench (GHKB) on August 12 concluded the hearing of a writ petition concerning the NEET-UG 2025 selection process in Nagaland and reserved the judgement for delivery on August 14.
“Hearing concluded, let this matter be listed for delivery of judgment on 14.08.2024,” stated the oral order issued by Justice Mridul Kumar Kalita, after hearing submissions from the petitioner as well as State respondents, including the Nagaland Advocate General, for two consecutive days.
The case challenges the State Common Selection Board’s merit list for the Nagaland State quota, alleging wrongful exclusion despite the candidate securing the second-highest score in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduates (NEET-UG) for the Academic Session 2025-26. The NEET-UG is the nationwide examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses such as MBBS and BDS in India.
The petitioner, whose father is a Colonel posted at NCC Group HQ Kohima, claimed that under long-standing central policy, children of Central and State government employees posted in Nagaland should be treated at par with local residents. She argued that her exclusion was based on a 2021 State notification requiring Category III candidates to have studied Class X/XII in Nagaland and for parents to have resided in the State for at least three years. The criteria were not adequately publicised and conflict with central guidelines, she contended.
On July 28, the court allowed her to participate provisionally in NIMSR counselling and asked the authorities to explore keeping one seat vacant pending the petition’s disposal.
