Supreme Court orders Tamil Nadu to fill 50% quota for in-service doctors within 15 days

The Supreme Court granted the Tamil Nadu government permission on Friday to allocate 50% of super-speciality seats in government medical colleges to NEET-qualified in-service candidates for the current academic year. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Vikram Nath directed the state government to fill the seats by November 7, 2020, as per the Tamil Nadu government order. The state government vigorously defended the 2020 government order (GO) on Super Specialty seats.

“The state of Tamil Nadu has approached this court for clarification of an order dated March 16, 2022, stating that the said order is also applicable to all subsequent academic years until the petitions are resolved.” We’ve listened to the advice. According to the ASG, a number of seats reserved for in-service candidates were not filled last year. She argued that super speciality courses are valuable national assets that should not be wasted…

“We understand the ASG’s concern that the issue must be resolved definitively. However, for the current academic year, we believe the state should be allowed to fill seats based on GO,” the bench stated. The Supreme Court also ordered that on the 16th day, the state of Tamil Nadu notify the Union of India of all seats that remain unfilled by in-service candidates.

The vacant seats will be filled by the Union of India using the All India Merit List, the Supreme Court said while scheduling a detailed hearing on February 14, 2023. Aishwarya Bhati, Additional Solicitor General, stated that there has been no reservation in super speciality courses since 2016.

Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for Tamil Nadu, informed the Supreme Court that the state government had filed an interim application seeking clarification. On March 16, the Supreme Court granted permission to continue with the counselling for the 2021-22 academic year, with the goal of allocating 50% of super-specialty seats in government medical colleges to NEET-qualified in-service candidates.

The Supreme Court vacated its interim order of November 27, 2020, which directed that counselling for admission to super-specialty medical courses for the academic year 2020-2021 proceed without a 50% quota for in-service doctors. The Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions challenging the state government’s GO.