SC Ends Domicile Quota for PG Medical Course

Judgment arises from a legal challenge to domicile-based quota at GMCH in Chandigarh

- Utkarsh Anand

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down domicile-based reservations in admissions to postgraduate (PG) medical courses, declaring them unconstitutional and violative of the fundamental right to equality — a precedent-setting order that will rewrite the contours of postgraduate medical education in India, with prospective effect.

While addressing the constitutional validity of residence-based reservations, the bench comprising justices Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia and SVN Bhatti, held that such policies run counter to the principles of citizenship and equality enshrined in the Constitution.

"Why residence-based reservation is impermissible is for the reason that such reservation runs counter to the idea of citizenship and equality under the Constitution... We are all domiciled in the territory of India. We are all residents of India," declared the judgment.