CHENNAI: In-service government doctors can now compete for admission to postgraduate medical courses under the 50 per cent reservation as well as open quota in medical colleges in Tamil Nadu. The Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed a batch of petitions challenging the quota and weightage marks given to government doctors serving in hills and rural areas.
Justice M Dhandapani passed the orders dismissing the petition filed by Dr R Parkaviyan and others challenging a 2021 government order (G.O.) that approved clause 29 (c) of the prospectus for admission to post-graduate (PG) and diploma courses in Tamil Nadu government medical colleges and government seats in self-financing medical colleges for the year 2021-22.
"This court is of the view that the norms prescribed under 29 (c) of the impugned prospectus and the consequential G.O. (D) No 1108 dated October 4, 2021, issued for selection of candidates to PG medical degree courses under the State-wise quota does not suffer the vice of any illegality, irrationality, arbitrariness or perversity," he said in the order.
The judge also rejected the objections for providing the weightage marks for service in hilly/difficult/rural areas to be considered along with NEET score for admission, saying that the relevant G.O. was not challenged by the petitioners.
Justice Dhandapani further said the court is of the view that not only is the State empowered to create channels of selection by prescribing quotas for open category and in-service candidates but also is within its powers to lay down norms with regard to the basis in which the merit list is to be prepared for determining the inter se merit of candidates in the two different categories.
‘In-service docs can compete in two categories’
The State can also determine how the inter se merit is to be arrived at by considering the marks obtained by candidates in the eligibility test coupled with incentive marks awarded to in-service doctors. The judge concurred with the contention of senior counsel P Wilson, appearing for Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, that entry 25 List III of the Constitution is entirely the State's domain.
Now the in-service candidates can compete in both the 50 per cent reserved seats and the open category, Wilson said. The batch of petitions were filed by Dr R Parkaviyan, a private doctor, challenging the provision of both 50 per cent quota for in-service government doctors and weightage marks for service at hilly/difficult/ rural areas for them.
HC upholds service marks
HC also rejects objections against weightage marks for service in hilly/difficult/rural areas to be considered along with NEET score for admissions, saying the G.O. was not challenged.