VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has revised its reservation policy for postgraduate (PG) medical admissions for 2025–26, reducing the quota for government doctors working in Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in clinical disciplines from 20% to 15%.
However, the quota for non-clinical disciplines remains unchanged at 30%, as per the previous year’s policy.
Approved by Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the move has drawn concern among PHC doctors over fewer opportunities in high-demand clinical specialties.
For 2025–26, 15% of PG seats in seven key clinical disciplines—General Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Gynecology, Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine, and Radiology—will be reserved for PHC doctors.
These fall under 17 total PG courses offered. Meanwhile, nine non-clinical subjects—including Anatomy, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Forensic Medicine—retain 30% reservation.
Of the 50% convenor quota seats in government and private medical colleges, 272 PG seats are earmarked for PHC doctors: 154 in clinical and 118 in non-clinical disciplines. Last year, 312 government doctors secured admissions under this quota.
Dr KMR Krishna, General Secretary of the APPHC Doctors Association, expressed disappointment, recalling that the clinical quota was previously raised to 20% after extensive discussions.
“If it is reduced to 15%, we will seek a review to safeguard the interests of PHC doctors,” he said.
A six-member committee, including the Health Department Secretary, revised the policy based on projected specialist requirements by 2028–29 and inputs from 2,288 PHC doctors across 1,144 centres.
In a key change, reserved seats for PHC doctors will now be retained until the third round of counselling, unlike previous years when they were reallocated after the second round.
Eligibility for the quota continues to require a minimum of three years of PHC service.
Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav said the policy aims to balance healthcare system needs with the professional advancement of PHC doctors.