CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin lauded the Supreme Court verdict on 50 per cent reservation for government service doctors in super specialty courses on Wednesday. The Chief Minister termed the verdict as the second victory for social justice after the DMK-led State government assumed office in the State. The Chief Minister in a press statement said the DMK-led government will continue the legal battle against NEET, which has shattered the medical dreams of the rural students.
Meanwhile, PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss also welcomed the order and stated that it was a victory for social justice. Government service doctors securing super specialty seats had come down after the Union government introduced National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)- Super-Specialty in 2017-2018. Speaking to TNIE, Dr R Narayana Babu, Director of Medical Education said there are a total of 369 super specialty seats in the State, and after 50 per cent seats are allotted for open category (to be filled by the Union Health Ministry), around 185 seats will be available for in-service doctors in the State now.
According to doctors, after 100 per cent seats were filled by the Union Health Ministry, doctors from other States also started applying for government seats in the State, and as a result, the numbers of doctors from Tamil Nadu, especially service doctors, getting seats decreased. The reservation for government doctors existed in the State for many years and served as a strong incentive for doctors to serve in government hospitals.
‘NEET blow to in-service doctors’
Data shared by the Directorate of Medical Education had shown that in 2017-2018, in the first year of admissions based on NEET, only six per cent of service doctors could secure seats against 94 per cent by non-service doctors. The State was conducting State-level entrance examination before NEET and also was reserving 50 per cent seats for government service doctors until then
Delay in counselling
PG super specialty counselling in the State for the year 2021-2022 was delayed due to this court case. The counselling is usually completed by April