After having to surrender 145 super speciality medical seats reserved for in-service candidates to the All-India Quota (AIQ) counselling, Tamil Nadu is getting back 39 of those seats for the second round of State counselling, which is yet to be scheduled.
In Tamil Nadu, 50% of seats in super speciality courses in government medical colleges are reserved for in-service candidates, totalling 215.
The first round of counselling for the State quota in-service candidates was completed on May 27. The State had then requested the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to indicate the schedule to conduct the second round of counselling to allow upgradation for the in-service candidates.
However, in early June, the DGHS asked the State to revert the vacant in-service seats to the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) to include them in the All-India seat matrix since the second round of All-India Counselling had started.
Following this, 145 seats meant for in-service candidates were surrendered for the AIQ, sparking criticism among a section of government doctors, since it went against the 50% reservation for in-service candidates.
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian wrote to the Union Health Minister expressing concern about surrendering unfilled in-service seats to the AIQ without conducting the mandatory second round of counselling at the State-level.
He also sought his intervention to ensure that all 50% seats earmarked for in-service candidates under the State quota are retained and made available for the second round of State-level super speciality counselling.
However, with the second round of AIQ counselling completed, 39 seats are being surrendered to the State.
Request to MCC
In addition, the State has sought the MCC to return the seats of Tamil Nadu candidates who have gone on to choose seats in institutions such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research through the Institutes of National Importance-Combined Entrance Test, a health official said, adding: “We have sought returning of such seats so that we could add on to the second round of State counselling.”
A source in the Health Department said all eligible in-service candidates should have been called for the first round of counselling to ensure that more seats were filled.
Published – June 28, 2025 12:21 am IST
