Karnataka HC directs fresh 2nd round counselling at Telugu linguistic minority institution in Raichur

The government argued that the institutions located in Hyderabad-Karnataka region should provide reservation based on linguistic minority criteria

The Kalaburagi bench of the high court has directed the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) to conduct a fresh second round of counselling in respect to a Telugu linguistic minority educational institution in Raichur.

The institution, Navodaya Medical College, had challenged the revised seat matrix issued on January 30, 2022, contending that it restricted admission to Telugu linguistic minority students residing only in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

A division bench of Justice K Somashekar and Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde told KEA to conduct a fresh second round of counselling by permitting eligible Telugu linguistic minority students in the state to apply for admission to UG and PG courses in medicine in the institution.

The petitioner-institution submitted that as a result of the revised seat matrix, Telugu linguistic minority students residing only in the H-K region were allowed to apply for admission for UG/PG courses in medicine. This took away the rights of Telugu linguistic minority students outside H-K seeking admission and the petitioner-institution is also deprived of its right to cater to the interest of Telugu Linguistic Minorities in Karnataka, the petition said.

The government argued that the institutions located in H-K region should provide reservation based on linguistic minority criteria only to students from H-K region.

The bench said The Karnataka Professional Educational Institutions (Recognition of Minority Educational Institutions Terms and Conditions (Professional Education) Rules, 2016, provide for reservation to linguistic minority students for the entire state where the minority institution is located.

“When the Rules 2016, enacted by the state itself provides for such representation, in the absence of any policy or order under Article 371J (pertaining to HK region), it is not open to the state to hold that linguistic minority students are not affected by impugned seat matrix,” the bench said and quashed the revised seat matrix communicated to the petitioner in respect of both UG/PG courses.

The bench said that the admissions made in the institution based on the results declared in the first round of counselling are valid in terms of the interim order dated February 24, 2022, passed on the concession made by the petitioner.

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