Mumbai – A medical student from Punjab has filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court, challenging Maharashtra’s postgraduate admission rules. Gursimrat Singh Chhabra, a NEET PG 2025 candidate, claims current state regulations unfairly block him from securing seats in private unaided colleges.
Chhabra, a general category student, completed his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. He successfully cleared the National Eligibility Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2025. This qualification meant he met the merit criteria for admission to advanced medical courses.
Admission Rules Challenged
Chhabra’s petition outlines his denial from postgraduate medical seats. According to his filing, several private medical colleges in Maharashtra informed him he was ineligible for specific admission quotas. This ineligibility stemmed from his completion of an MBBS degree outside Maharashtra state boundaries.
The denial impacted his ability to apply under two significant categories: the 15% Non-Resident Indian (NRI) quota and the 35% institutional quota . These quotas represent a substantial portion of available seats in private colleges. Private unaided professional educational institutions operate without government financial aid, often having specific admission criteria for a portion of their seats.
Maharashtra’s current rules for these private institutions establish strict eligibility for students who pursued their MBBS outside the state. Only two specific groups are eligible for institutional seats. The first group includes students who completed their MBBS outside Maharashtra but did so under the 15% All-India Quota (AIQ) . The AIQ ensures a percentage of seats in government medical colleges are open to candidates nationwide. The second eligible group consists of students who hold a domicile of Maharashtra, meaning they are recognized as permanent residents of the state.
Chhabra’s petition states that he satisfies neither of these criteria. He does not hold Maharashtra domicile, nor did he complete his MBBS under the All-India Quota. This status, he argues, effectively makes him ineligible for all postgraduate medical seats in Maharashtra’s private unaided institutions that fall under these specific state-level quotas.
Legal Basis and Sought Relief
The student’s legal challenge targets the constitutional validity of specific state regulations. He seeks to challenge Rule 5 (1) and Rule 7 (3) . These rules are part of the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Educational Institutions (Regulations Of Admissions And Fees) Act of 2015. Additionally, he disputes Rule 8.2 of the official Information Brochure for the State of Maharashtra, which details admission procedures.
Chhabra contends that these rules create an unfair barrier for qualified students who have studied outside Maharashtra. He argues they limit educational opportunities without valid constitutional justification. His legal action aims to ensure a more equitable admission process across state lines.
The petitioner has formally requested the Bombay High Court to issue a specific directive. He seeks a declaration confirming his eligibility for the 50% institutional quota in private medical colleges throughout Maharashtra. This requested eligibility specifically includes the 15% NRI quota, which is a component of the institutional seats.
Implications for Medical Aspirants
This case highlights broader complexities within India’s medical education system. Admission policies and quota rules frequently differ significantly from one state to another. Such variations often create challenges for students aiming to pursue specialized postgraduate medical education outside the state where they completed their initial MBBS degree.
The outcome of Chhabra’s petition could influence how future NEET PG candidates from other states access postgraduate medical seats in Maharashtra’s private institutions. It could also prompt a review of similar eligibility criteria in other states, potentially affecting many young medical professionals across the country who aspire to specific postgraduate specializations.