Balija candidate also qualifies under linguistic minority: HC

S Shyam Prasad | NT

Bengaluru: The High Court has said that the authorities erred in not considering a Balija student under the Telugu ‘linguistic minority’ quota for a Medical seat.

Since the first round of counseling for allotment of seats was already underway he was allowed to participate in the second round of counseling.

The 18-year-old student from Chintamani in Chikkaballapura had applied for NEET examination 2023 and thereafter filed application with the Karnataka Examination Authority based on his NEET ranking for allotment of seat.

Details submitted by students while registering for CET 2023 is automatically carried over to UG-NEET 2023 application. The student claimed that he had mentioned linguistic minority in UG-NEET 2023 application.

However the KEA did not call him for counseling as a linguistic minority candidate. He also submitted a representation on August 12, 2023 to correct the mistake but he was not permitted to attend the first round of counseling forcing him to approach the High Court.

The Division Bench of Justice G Narendar and Justice Vijaykumar A Patil in their judgement said, “On a bare perusal of the application, it is evident that the petitioner claimed reservation category as 2A-Balajiga in other reservation claimed details - Linguistic Minority clicked as Yes and in academic detail column mother tongue - Telugu. Despite these particulars the petitioner's candidature was not considered for linguistic minority.”

The HC said that the authorities have made a mistake. “In our considered view, the respondent authority has committed an error in not allowing the petitioner to claim reservation as a linguistic minority candidate,” it said.

However since the “petitioner has approached this Court at the belated stage i.e., when the first round of counseling has already begun, it would not be appropriate for this Court to grant relief of allowing the petitioner to participate in the first round of counseling under the category of “linguistic minority.””

The student however got a relief form the HC which allowed him to participate in the second round of counseling.

“The ends of justice would be met if the petitioner is allowed to participate in the second round and subsequent rounds of counseling under the category of “linguistic minority”,” the HC said disposing the petition.

WP 17849/2023