ORDER :

P. SAM KOSHY, J.

The instant Writ Petition has been filed by the petitioner under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying the Court to issue an appropriate Writ, order or direction, more particularly one in the nature of a Writ of Mandamus by declaring Clause (iii)(a) of Rule 4 of the Telangana Medical and Dental Colleges Admission (Admission into MBBS & BDS Courses) Rules, 2017 vide G.O.Ms.No.75, Health, Medical and Family Welfare (C1) Department, dated 04.07.2023, insofar as it omits and excludes altogether the holders of NCC Certificate “A” from the graded scheme of grace marks introduced, as arbitrary, discriminatory, manifestly unreasonable and contrary to object and policy of the National Cadet Corps Act, 1948 and also violative of Articles 14, 15(4) and 21 read with Article 46 of the Constitution of India.

2. Heard Mr. B.Mayur Reddy, learned Senior Counsel representing Mr. Mahesh Mamindla; the learned Government Pleader for Medical and Health for respondent No.1; Mr. T. Sharath, learned counsel for respondent No.2; and Mr. N. Bhujanga Rao, learned Deputy Solicitor General of India, for respondent No.3

3. The petitioner herein is a minor and he is represented through his natural guardian, i.e., his father.

4. Respondent No.1 is the Administrative Department of the State of Telangana which governs the admissions into Medical and Dental Courses in the State of Telangana.

5. Respondent No.2 is the University which conducts admission into MBBS and BDS Course under the competent authority quota. On 04.08.2026, the respondent No.2-University issued Notification for conducting admissions into MBBS and BDS Courses for the Academic Year 2026-27.

6. Respondent No.1 issued G.O.Ms.No.75, dated 04.07.2023, amending the Telangana Medical and Dental Colleges Admission (Admission into MBBS & BDS Courses) Rules, 2017, whereby certain amendments were brought to eligibility criteria for admission into MBBS and BDS courses for the Academic Session 2026-27.

7. Till the Academic Session 2024-25, the Government had reserved 1% horizontal reservation for NCC cadets by a graded scheme of grace marks. However, for the Academic Session 2025-26, the Government issued G.O.Ms.No.75, dated 04.07.2023 whereby the reservation of 1% of seats for NCC cadets was done away with and, instead NCC cadets were ordered to be provided with extra grace marks.

8. The relevant portion of the amendment brought in by way of the aforesaid G.O.Ms.No.75, dated 04.07.2023, is reproduced hereunder for ready reference, viz., “(2) In Rule 4, after clause (iii) and the paragraph thereunder, the following clause shall be inserted namely, (iii)(a) Grace marks for NCC cadets:

NCC cadets who have obtained NCC certificates prior to qualifying exam i.e., Intermediate or its equivalent who have qualified NEET UG and who have applied for admission, shall be provided with grace marks to be added to NEET score as follows, S.No. Category % of Grade Marks i. Participation in Republic Day Camp 7%

(R.D.C.)

ii. Participation in Thal Sainik Camp (T.S.C.) 5%

/ Vayu iii. NCC ‘B’ Certificate 3%

The Director NCC, Telangana State shall depute officers to the verification centre as per the requisition from Registrar, KNRUHS, Warangal. The verification officers shall submit candidate wise verified certificates list to Registrar, KNRUHS. The decision of verification officers is final with respect to verification of above certificates. KNRUHS will prepare merit list after addition of grace marks as per the verified data submitted by the Directorate of NCC.”

9. The grievance of petitioner is not insofar as the change of policy or doing away with 1% of the reservation rather it is a case where the petitioner is aggrieved of only so far as by virtue of the amendment there is an omission of granting grace marks to the holders of NCC Certificate ‘A’. Therefore, the main grievance of petitioner is that by virtue of above amendment, the Government through its policy has decided to grant grace marks to th