New Rules Reserve All Seats for Andhra Pradesh Students in Key Courses
Amaravati, May 15 — The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a significant policy shift in the admission process to higher educational institutions by eliminating the 15 percent non-local quota. Starting with the academic year 2025-26, all admissions to key undergraduate and postgraduate courses will be reserved exclusively for students from within the state.The change impacts a wide array of disciplines, including engineering, technology, pharmacy, architecture, PharmD, business administration, computer applications, law, education, and physical education. Students from other states, including neighboring Telangana, will no longer be eligible for admission under the non-local quota in Andhra Pradesh’s government, private, aided, and unaided institutions.
End of Common Admission Period Post-Bifurcation
The state’s decision marks the conclusion of a decade-long arrangement that allowed students from Telangana to participate in Andhra Pradesh’s common admission process, a system established after the bifurcation of the united Andhra Pradesh in 2014. This common admission period officially ended on June 2, 2024.“In order to protect the interests of students from Andhra Pradesh, appropriate measures have to be taken in admissions to undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD courses,” the government stated in its order.
Allocation Guidelines and Regional Jurisdictions
Under the revised rules:- 85 percent of seats will be reserved for local candidates.
- The remaining 15 percent may still be categorized under the non-local quota, but will only be available to certain eligible groups within Andhra Pradesh, such as children of Central government employees.
- Students from the erstwhile districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, and Prakasam will be considered local under Andhra University (AU) and non-local under Sri Venkateswara University (SVU).
- Students from Anantapur, Kurnool, Chittoor, Kadapa, and Nellore will be treated as local under SVU and non-local under AU.
Response to Public Representations
The government cited numerous representations from parents and students urging action to safeguard opportunities for Andhra Pradesh students. The amendment also aims to prevent future legal complications in the admission process.These rule changes are expected to significantly impact admission dynamics in the state and reflect the government’s commitment to prioritizing local candidates in higher education access.
