Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 30
The Supreme Court of India has rejected an application seeking the listing of a review petition in open court in a matter concerning MBBS seat allocation under the Nagaland Government’s pool quota.
Earlier, on February 10, the Court had dismissed a Special Leave Petition challenging the October 23, 2025 judgment of a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court, which upheld the State Government’s September 9, 2021 notification governing the allocation of Central Pool MBBS seats for Nagaland.
On April 24, a Bench comprising Justices P. S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe dismissed the review petition, stating: “Application seeking listing of review petition in open court is rejected.”
“Having perused the review petition, we find that there is no error apparent on the face of the record. No case for review under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013 has been established,” the Court added.
Order XLVII Rule 1 provides for a review of a judgment on the ground of “an error apparent on the face of the record.” The Bench also disposed of all pending interlocutory applications related to the case.
The case arose after a medical aspirant, the daughter of a serving Army officer posted with the 1 Nagaland Battalion NCC in Kohima, challenged the September 9, 2021 notification after being denied admission under Nagaland’s Central Pool MBBS quota despite qualifying in NEET-UG.
In its October 23 ruling, the Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court upheld the State’s notification governing Central Pool MBBS seats.
The Court held that the Central Pool operates through distinct and non-interchangeable quotas. As wards of defence personnel are covered under a separate quota administered by the Union Ministry of Defence, they cannot claim eligibility under the State’s deficient-State quota meant to address the lack of medical infrastructure.
The Court further relied on a Union Government clarification, holding that Clause 1.2.4 of the MoHFW guidelines does not permit Army personnel to be treated as local residents for the deficient-State quota.
It found that the State’s notification was neither arbitrary nor violative of Article 14, and set aside the earlier Single Judge order dated August 14, 2025, which had quashed the State’s September 9, 2021 notification.
Following the February 10 dismissal, the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), Nagaland, described the apex court ruling as a “landmark” judgment, stating that it cements a significant legal precedent that non-indigenous candidates cannot claim seats allocated to the State.
According to the Directorate, the verdict effectively upholds the State Government’s eligibility framework governing Central Pool MBBS seats allocated to Nagaland.
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