Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 24
The Gauhati High Court has sought further clarification from the Centre on the eligibility of a petitioner for one of the 42 MBBS seats allotted to Nagaland under the Central Pool Scheme, while continuing an earlier interim order in the petitioner’s favour.
The case arises from a Single Judge’s order dated August 14, 2025, which had directed the allotment of one MBBS seat to the petitioner under category 4 of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s Office Memorandum (OM) dated July 28, 2025. The provision in question extends eligibility to children of Central or State government employees deputed to, or posted within, a State or Union Territory, treating them on par with local residents.
At the hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justice Michael Zothankhuma and Justice Anjan Moni Kalita, the Additional Advocate General for Nagaland, Central Government Counsel, and the petitioner’s counsel presented their arguments. The State argued that the petitioner does not qualify under the OM, as the petitioner’s parent, an NCC officer, has headquarters in Shillong, not in Nagaland.
The Central Government Counsel submitted a letter dated September 17, 2025, stating that the petitioner cannot be allotted a seat from the 42 MBBS seats allocated to Nagaland. The letter clarified that these seats are meant to address medical infrastructure shortages and benefit local students, while a separate quota exists for wards of defence personnel.
In light of the submissions, the Bench directed the Central Government Counsel to file an affidavit clarifying whether the word “concerned” in clause 1.2(3) of the OM refers to the government or the territory, and whether the petitioner could fall under clause 3 or 4.
The matter has been listed for October 13, 2025. The interim order will remain in force until then.
The dispute centres on whether Army or NCC personnel posted temporarily in Nagaland qualify for the State’s share of Central Pool seats. Earlier, on August 19, the High Court had stayed the Single Judge’s August 14 judgment, directing that one MBBS seat be kept vacant pending decision of the appeal filed by the State government.
