A court order in September 2026 has temporarily halted a high reservation arrangement at four government medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh that were set to admit NEET-UG candidates for the 2026-27 session. The Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench has frozen the implementation of nearly 91% reservation at these institutions, but has allowed the counselling process to move forward using the standard reservation percentages applied across other state medical colleges. This development directly affects NEET aspirants from Uttar Pradesh who are awaiting seat allocation at these four colleges, and clarifies which reservation rules will govern their admission.
NEET-UG counselling at four UP medical colleges will proceed using standard state reservation rules (21% SC, 2% ST, 27% OBC) rather than the disputed 91% arrangement, though final admissions remain subject to court proceedings.
Which Four Medical Colleges Are Affected by the Court Order?
The Allahabad High Court's stay applies to government medical colleges in four districts of Uttar Pradesh: Ambedkar Nagar, Kannauj, Saharanpur, and Jalaun. These institutions were preparing to admit MBBS students through NEET-UG for the 2026-27 academic year under a reservation framework that had been challenged in court.
All four colleges fall under the state-quota seat category, meaning they admit students primarily from within Uttar Pradesh. The dispute centres on how many of their total seats are reserved for different social categories, a decision that directly determines which candidates qualify for admission at each college.
What Was the Disputed 91% Reservation Arrangement?
The state government had implemented a reservation system at these four colleges that resulted in nearly 91% of seats being reserved under various categories. This figure far exceeded the reservation limits set by the Uttar Pradesh Reservation Act, 2006, which governs how many seats must be set aside for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
According to the statutory framework, the standard reservation percentages across UP government medical colleges are 21% for SC, 2% for ST, and 27% for OBC. The disputed arrangement at these four colleges had pushed the total reservation well beyond these prescribed limits through a series of state government orders issued over time.
How Will NEET Counselling Proceed Now?
The High Court has permitted NEET-UG counselling to continue at the four colleges, but under the standard reservation percentages that apply to other government medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh. This means the seat matrix—the breakdown of how many seats are reserved for each category—will be redrawn to align with the statutory framework rather than the disputed 91% arrangement.
A bench comprising Justice Alok Mathur and Justice Amitabh Kumar Rai issued this directive to ensure that the counselling process does not stall while the legal challenge is resolved. Candidates will be allocated seats based on their NEET rank and category eligibility under these standard rules.
- Counselling uses standard UP reservation: 21% SC, 2% ST, 27% OBC
- Seat allocation proceeds based on NEET rank and category
- Admissions remain provisional pending final court judgment
What Does 'Admissions Remain Subject to Final Outcome' Mean for You?
The court order includes an important caveat: any admissions made during this counselling process will remain provisional and subject to the final judgment in the ongoing case. This means that if the court eventually rules in favour of the petitioners or the state government, the seat allocation could be revised or cancelled.
For NEET aspirants, this creates a degree of uncertainty. If you secure a seat at one of these four colleges under the current counselling, you should be aware that your admission is not final until the court case concludes. However, the court has allowed counselling to proceed to avoid unnecessary delays in the admission process.
Why Did the Court Issue a Contempt Notice?
The Allahabad High Court also issued a show-cause notice to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Medical Education Department in Uttar Pradesh. This notice asks the official to explain why criminal contempt proceedings should not be initiated against the department for allegedly failing to comply with an earlier undertaking given to the court.
In August 2025, the same High Court had struck down the earlier reservation arrangement at these four colleges and directed the state government to redraw the seat matrix according to statutory provisions. The petitioners argued that despite this court order and the state's assurance to comply, the reservation level had again reached nearly 91%, suggesting non-compliance with the court's directive.
What Is the History of This Legal Challenge?
This dispute is not new. In August 2025, the Allahabad High Court had already ruled that the reservation arrangement at these four medical colleges violated the Uttar Pradesh Reservation Act, 2006. The court found that a series of state government orders had progressively increased the reservation percentage beyond the statutory limit and directed the state to correct this.
The state government had assured the court at that time that it would align the reservation system with statutory provisions from the 2026-27 academic session onwards. However, when the new academic year approached, the petitioners discovered that the reservation level had again reached nearly 91%, prompting them to return to court. The current order is the High Court's response to this alleged non-compliance.
What Do the Petitioners Argue?
Senior advocate A N Tripathi, representing the petitioners, argued before the court that the state government had broken its earlier promise. He contended that despite the August 2025 judgment and the state's undertaking to comply, the total reservation at the four colleges had once again reached nearly 91%, contradicting the applicable statutory framework.
The petitioners' core argument is that the state government has repeatedly failed to implement the court's orders and has instead continued to issue orders that push the reservation percentage beyond legal limits. They view this as a pattern of non-compliance that warrants contempt proceedings against the responsible officials.
What Should NEET Aspirants Do During This Uncertainty?
If you are a NEET-UG candidate eligible for counselling at these four colleges, you should participate in the counselling process as scheduled. The court has explicitly allowed counselling to proceed, and delaying your participation will not resolve the legal dispute. Secure your seat if you are offered one, keeping in mind that it remains provisional.
Stay informed about updates from the Allahabad High Court and the official counselling authority. If you are offered a seat at one of these colleges, carefully review the admission letter to understand any conditions or caveats related to the ongoing court case. Do not assume your admission is final until the court case is fully resolved and the state government issues a final notification.
How Does This Affect Your Choice of Medical College?
If you are considering applying to one of these four colleges during counselling, weigh the uncertainty against your other options. While the court has allowed counselling to proceed, the provisional nature of admissions means there is a risk of future changes. If you have a secure offer from another medical college with no legal complications, you may want to consider that as a safer option.
However, if these colleges are your preferred choice and you have a competitive NEET rank, participating in counselling is still worthwhile. The court's stay suggests that the dispute will be resolved in due course, and your admission, once finalized, is likely to be upheld. The key is to make an informed decision based on your rank, preferences, and risk tolerance.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Which four medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh are affected by the Allahabad High Court's reservation stay?
The four colleges are located in Ambedkar Nagar, Kannauj, Saharanpur, and Jalaun districts. All are government medical colleges admitting students through NEET-UG for the 2026-27 session.
What reservation percentages will be used for NEET counselling at these colleges now?
Counselling will use the standard Uttar Pradesh reservation framework: 21% for Scheduled Castes, 2% for Scheduled Tribes, and 27% for Other Backward Classes. This replaces the disputed 91% arrangement.
Are admissions at these colleges final, or can they be changed later?
Admissions made during the current counselling process remain provisional and subject to the final outcome of the ongoing court case. If the court rules differently, seat allocations could be revised.
Why did the court issue a contempt notice to the Medical Education Department?
The court issued the notice because the state government had previously assured the court (in August 2025) that it would align the reservation system with statutory limits from 2026-27 onwards. However, the reservation level again reached nearly 91%, suggesting non-compliance with the earlier court order.
When did the original legal challenge to this reservation arrangement begin?
The Allahabad High Court first ruled on this matter in August 2025, striking down the earlier reservation arrangement and directing the state to redraw the seat matrix according to statutory provisions. The current order follows the state's alleged failure to comply.
Should I participate in counselling at these colleges if I am eligible?
Yes, you should participate if you are interested. The court has explicitly allowed counselling to proceed. If offered a seat, accept it while being aware that it remains provisional until the court case concludes. Delaying your participation will not resolve the legal dispute.
What does it mean that the reservation was nearly 91%?
It means that 91% of the total seats at these four colleges were reserved for various social categories (SC, ST, OBC, and others), leaving only about 9% as unreserved seats. This far exceeded the statutory limit of 50% (21% + 2% + 27%) set by the Uttar Pradesh Reservation Act.
Can the state government appeal this court order?
The source does not specify whether an appeal is planned. However, the court has issued a show-cause notice to the Medical Education Department, indicating that the matter is still under judicial scrutiny. Monitor official announcements for any further developments.
If you are a NEET-UG aspirant awaiting counselling at these four Uttar Pradesh medical colleges, participate in the process as scheduled while understanding that your admission will remain provisional until the court case concludes. Stay updated with official counselling notifications and the Allahabad High Court's further orders to ensure you have the latest information before making your final college choice.
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