The Telangana government has scrapped the 15% non-local quota for admissions into higher education institutions in the state. The decision comes 10 years after the formation of Telangana, during which a common admission process was followed for both local and non-local students, as per the provisions of Section 95 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.

The government of Telangana has issued a notification detailing amendments to the admission rules for undergraduate and postgraduate professional courses. As part of these amendments, the existing 15% quota for non-local candidates will be scrapped.

The new rule stipulates that 85% of the seats in each course in all higher education institutions in the state will be reserved for local candidates, as per the Andhra Pradesh Educational Institutions (Regulation and Admissions) Order, 1974, and its subsequent amendments. The remaining 15% of the seats will now be unreserved.

The Government Order revises the “region-wise reservation of seats" to “85% of seats reserved for local candidates of the OU area." This means that candidates from Andhra Pradesh will no longer be eligible for local reservations in Telangana colleges.

The notification published on February 27, 2025, outlines the following categories of candidates who are eligible for local candidate status:

Candidates who have lived in the state for a total of ten years, excluding study periods outside the state.

Children of parents who have resided in the state for a total of ten years, excluding periods of employment outside the state.

Children of parents employed with the state or central government, public sector corporations, local bodies, universities, and other quasi-public institutions within the state.

Spouses of individuals employed by the state or central government, public sector corporations, local bodies, universities, and recognized educational institutions within the state.