PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss urges TN govt to challenge SC verdict on super-speciality medical seats issue

CHENNAI: PMK President Dr Anbumani Ramadoss has urged the Tamil Nadu government to challenge a recent Supreme Court order directing that 151 unfilled super-speciality medical seats reserved for government doctors in Tamil Nadu be surrendered to the All India Quota, describing the decision as unjust and detrimental to the state’s public healthcare system.

In a statement issued on Monday, Anbumani said the reserved seats in government medical colleges are crucial for ensuring the availability of highly specialised doctors in Tamil Nadu’s government hospitals.

He argued that these seats represent the only reliable mechanism through which the state can retain specialist doctors in public service.

According to him, Tamil Nadu has a total of 670 super-speciality postgraduate medical seats, of which 415 are available in government medical colleges. Fifty per cent of these seats, amounting to 215 seats, are reserved for doctors serving in government hospitals. Doctors admitted under this quota are required to execute a bond committing them to continue working in government hospitals until retirement.

Anbumani pointed out that most doctors who complete super-speciality training often prefer employment in private hospitals due to higher salaries and better opportunities. Therefore, he said, the reservation policy has played a critical role in ensuring that government hospitals continue to have access to highly qualified specialists capable of providing advanced and life-saving treatments.

He noted that counselling for admission to the 215 reserved seats began in April. During the first round, 100 candidates were invited for counselling from among 170 applicants who had secured the qualifying marks in the NEET Super Speciality examination. Of these, 71 candidates were allotted seats and 68 accepted their allotments.

While the second round of counselling to fill the remaining seats was yet to take place, a petition was filed before the Supreme Court seeking the transfer of unallotted seats to the All India Quota. The court subsequently ordered that the remaining 151 seats be surrendered.

Anbumani contended that such seats are usually filled only after the qualifying marks are reduced, a process that the Centre is expected to undertake this year as well.