Allahabad High Court has cancelled 79% reservation in four medical colleges of UP. The court stated that reservation should not exceed 50%. The state government will now fill the seats afresh.
UP: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has declared the reservation system exceeding 79% in four medical colleges of Uttar Pradesh unconstitutional and has cancelled the state government's order. The court has directed the state government to fill the seats afresh so that the limit of reservation exceeding 50% is not crossed.
Which colleges will the decision apply to
This order will apply to the government medical colleges in Ambedkar Nagar, Kannauj, Jalaun, and Saharanpur. In these colleges, more than 79% of the seats were reserved for the reserved categories. After a petition was filed, the court heard the matter seriously and quashed the order which stated the reservation limit to be more than 50%.
What were the petitioner's arguments
This petition was filed by NEET aspirant Sabra Ahmed. Sabra Ahmed had secured 523 marks and an All India Rank of 29,061 in NEET-2025. She stated that the state government had issued several government orders between 2010 and 2015 due to which the reservation limit exceeded 79%.
The petition also stated that in these colleges, 85 seats each were under the state government's quota, but only 7 seats were being given to the general category. This violates the constitutional principle that reservation should not exceed 50%.
What was the state government's position
The state government opposed this petition. The government argued that the Supreme Court, in the Indira Sawhney case, had also stated that the 50% limit is not entirely mandatory. This limit can be increased if needed.
However, the High Court refused to accept this argument. The court stated that if the reservation limit is to be increased, it should be done under proper legal procedures and rules.
Court's clear directive
In its verdict, the High Court clearly stated that the reservation limit cannot exceed 50% without legal basis. The court ordered that all seats be filled afresh. Along with this, the court emphasized the adherence to the 2006 reservation act.
What will be the further process
Now, the state government will have to redistribute the seats afresh. This will ensure that the reservation does not exceed 50%. The admission process in the medical colleges will restart, and the previous order will be cancelled.
Relief for NEET aspirants
This decision will bring relief to those general category NEET aspirants who were previously unable to secure admission due to limited seats. After the court's order, the seats will be redistributed, providing an equal opportunity to all.
Why adherence to the 50% limit is important
The Constitution of India has a provision that reservation should not exceed 50%. The Supreme Court has also reiterated this in several of its judgments. When reservation exceeds 50%, the rights of students from the general category are affected.
