Despite Centre's objection, Tamil Nadu allows 50 per cent reservation in PG courses to govt doctors

CHENNAI: The State government has passed orders reserving 50 per cent of the seats in postgraduate and super speciality medical courses in government medical colleges, for doctors serving in government hospitals. The decision comes after a long-drawn legal battle and despite objections from the Central government.

As per the orders, issued on Saturday and made public on Monday, the reservation in post graduate super specialty courses kick in from this year itself. In post graduation courses (MD, MS and MDS), the reservation will be implemented from next year. 

"Of the 50 per cent of the seats under the State quota, half of them will be exclusively allocated to in-service candidates serving in government health institutions in Tamil Nadu, and the remaining seats will be allocated to open category, open to both service and non-service candidates," said one of the orders.

The remaining 50 per cent of the available seats goes to the All India Quota, that will be filled separately by the union government. The seats will be filled up based on the marks obtained in the NEET-PG examination along with eligible incentive marks as notified by the government, the order said. 

Meanwhile, the Madras High Court closed a case on the matter based on the submissions by the State that it had already issued orders reserving seats for government doctors. In a statement later in the day, Opposition leader MK Stalin raised concerns on the existing 69 per cent caste-based reservation policy not being followed in the sub-quota created for government doctors.

This particular reservation had served as a strong incentive for doctors to serve in government hospitals. It was disrupted in 2017, when the Medical Council of India amended regulations banning such reservations leading to protests from government doctors.

While the State and the government doctors lost in the initial legal battles, the Supreme Court on August 31, permitted the State to reserve seats for these doctors.

In a related case pending before the Madras High Court, the Centre on October 17, had said that it was against such a reservation. The State government has maintained its stand on the issue and on Saturday issued two orders to give effect to it.