Telangana NEET UG 2025: KNRUHS notifies 4-year study rule; SC order on domicile policy awaited

Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, Warangal, has opened the Telangana NEET UG counselling 2025 for MBBS and BDS admissions, but the domicile criteria remains under legal scrutiny. The Telangana domicile rule mandates that only those students who have studied in the state for the last four years, up to Class 12, will be eligible for MBBS.

The four-year local residency rule is being challenged in the Supreme Court, after the high court struck it down last year. Admission for MBBS, BDS and allied courses will be subject to the final verdict.

Meanwhile, the KNRUHS has started the registration process for NEET-qualified candidates today. Candidates have been given time till July 25 to fill and submit the Telangana NEET UG counselling form.

Telangana domicile rule for MBBS

The government order (GO No. 33) states that to be eligible for “local resident” category under the 85% state quota, a candidate must have studied or resided in Telangana for at least four consecutive years, up to Class 12, before appearing for NEET 2025.

“If the candidate has studied in an Educational Institutions in such a local area for a period of not less than 4 consecutive academic years ending with the academic year in which he appeared or as the case may be first appeared in relevant qualifying examination.” Local area refers to Telangana state.

Students who have resided in the state, but not studied will also be eligible, provided they appeared for the qualifying exam – Class 12 and NEET – in Telangana.

Who is not eligible

The new Telangana domicile rule excludes the following students:

• Students who are residents but studied outside Telangana. Many students move to Andhra Pradesh and Kota for coaching.
• Students who have cleared NEET, but do not have 4 years of continuous study or residence within the state.
• Students who moved to Telangana for studies less than 4 years ago.
• Students who are domiciles of other states.

Supreme Court reviews domicile rule

The Telangana government introduced the new residency rule to protest “local” students from high competition by students returning from other states. The high court, which heard the matter last year, rejected the policy in 2024 and allowed students who studied outside the state to be treated as local residents.

However, the Telangana state government has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging the high court ruling. It has notified the 4-year study rule in its latest MBBS NEET UG 2025 notification. But the top court has not yet given the final verdict. Hence, the KNRUHS NEET 2025 notification reads: “Admissions are subject to the final outcome of the pending SLPs in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.”

Also read NEET PG Counselling: Telangana’s domicile rules leave hundreds with ‘nowhere to go’; over 70 move court

SC order awaited

The Supreme Court, which heard the matter in the first week of June, issued a notice to the state for a response to petitions filed by aspirants seeking inclusion under the domicile quota. The apex court gave four weeks time to file a reply and posted the matter for later.

The Supreme Court judgment on Telangana NEET UG domicile rule is awaited.