BRS demands all-party meeting on domicile rule change in TG

Hyderabad: Stating that the State medical students would suffer with the government’s decision to change the domicile rule of four years’ continuous study in Telangana, the BRS on Wednesday demanded the government call an all-party meeting and seek suggestions.

Addressing a press conference with MLA K Prabhakar Reddy and others, senior leader T Harish Rao said, “With the recent GO issued by the Medical Education department regarding MBBS admissions, there was a risk that Telangana students might be considered non-locals in their own State. Before Telangana’s formation, 40 per cent of jobs were secured by non-locals, but now 95 per cent jobs are allocated to Telangana residents, thanks to GO 124.”

According to the Bifurcation Act, education admissions were supposed to maintain a 15 per cent open quota for ten years, following the old method in the unified State. In 1979, GO 644 established local status for educational admissions in Andhra, Telangana, and Rayalaseema, preventing non-local students from gaining opportunities in these areas.

Rao said under the KCR government, MBBS seats increased from 2,850 to 9,000. The 15 per cent open competition quota was only implemented in colleges that existed before State formation. In the newly established colleges, 100 per cent seats were allocated to Telangana students, which resulted in an additional 520 seats for TG students.

“We brought a GO to ensure that seats in the B category in private medical colleges were given to the local students, resulting in 1,071 seats in 24 colleges for Telangana students,” he recalled.

“The new GO states that students will be considered locals if they have studied four years in a place prior to Intermediate, while the old rule required a minimum of seven years of study. This government has changed the requirement from seven to four years. What will happen to the Telangana students who study intermediate for two years in another State. Don’t they become non-locals?” he questioned.

Like in Tamil Nadu, rules should be framed such that to secure an MBBS seat, one must have studied there from grades six to ten, with parents having permanent residence. Karnataka and Kerala have their own regulations. Telangana also needs its own rules. Forming a committee with the Chief Secretary and other senior officials to develop a policy will provide guidance to all educational institutions. In the original order by the President, only the first paragraph was retained, while others were omitted. The BRS leader urged the government to act swiftly.