VIJAYAWADA: The State government has revised its reservation policy for postgraduate (PG) medical admissions for the 2025–26 academic year, reducing the quota for doctors serving in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in clinical disciplines from 20% to 15%. However, the 30% quota for non-clinical disciplines remains unchanged.
Approved by Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the move has sparked debate among the medical community, particularly among PHC doctors, who fear the reduced quota in high-demand clinical specialities may deter service in rural government facilities.
For the upcoming academic year, 15% of PG seats across seven clinical disciplines: General Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, Gynaecology, Anaesthesia, Emergency Medicine and Radiology, will be reserved for PHC doctors. Meanwhile, nine non-clinical subjects, including Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, will retain a 30% reservation.
As per government data, 272 PG seats are earmarked for PHC doctors this year: 154 clinical and 118 non-clinical. In 2024, after demands from PHC doctors, the clinical quota was raised from 15% to 20%, helping 312 government doctors secure PG admissions. While most clinical seats were filled, nearly half of the non-clinical seats went vacant, with only 53 of 104 seats utilised.
Despite efforts to curb misuse of the quota, irregularities persist. A senior Health Department official told TNIE that some doctors take temporary PHC postings just to become eligible, and later leave service after paying fines or skipping mandatory service. Data shows nearly 70 doctors have not served in government facilities after completing PG courses under the in-service quota between 2018 and 2024.
However, Andhra Pradesh PHC Doctors Association (APPHCDA) spokesperson Dr M Vinod Kumar pointed to discrepancies. “While the government claims only 70 doctors are not working, in reality, only 31 specialists are not working. This has already been reported to the government,” he said, citing reasons like transfer issues, lack of communication, mismatches in postings and redeployment delays. Andhra Pradesh has 1,150 PHCs staffed by 2,280 doctors. Eligibility for the quota requires service of at least two years in tribal areas, three years in rural PHCs, and five years in urban PHCs. Notably, reserved PG seats for PHC doctors will now be retained until the third round of counselling, unlike previous years where unfilled seats were reallocated after the second round.
Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav justified the revised policy, telling TNIE, “We only need 103 specialists by 2028–29, yet we are offering 270 seats in the interest of PHC doctors.”
However, the APPHCDA condemned the policy change. APPHCDA general secretary Dr KMR Kishore said, “A few exceptions cannot define everyone. Those who leave do so using a government-provided loophole of paying Rs 50 lakh or serving for 10 years. Only financially strong doctors can afford this.” He also questioned the government’s projection for 2028-29, calling it a sign of reluctance to expand specialist positions or upgrade hospitals in all Assembly constituencies.
While NEET PG aspirants have welcomed the revision as a step toward fairer competition, experts stress the need for stricter monitoring to prevent misuse and ensure the quota system supports public healthcare.