Health Minister Ma. Subramanian
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Health Minister Ma. Subramanian has written to Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda, expressing concerns about surrendering unfilled super speciality medical seats meant for in-service candidates to the All India Quota (AIQ) without conducting the mandatory second round of counselling at the State-level as it would deprive the candidates of their rightful opportunity to upgrade or participate in further counselling.
This comes in the light of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) asking the State to revert the vacant in-service seats to the Medical Counselling Committee for the All India counselling, in a communication dated June 3.
In a letter dated June 11, Mr. Subramanian told the Union Minister that this was a critical issue concerning super speciality seats reserved for in-service candidates from Tamil Nadu under NEET Super Specialty State quota. As per a Supreme Court order, 50% of seats in super specialty courses in government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu are reserved exclusively for in-service candidates from the State.
The NEET SS counselling for the State quota in-service candidates was completed on May 27. On May 29, the Tamil Nadu Selection Committee formally requested the DGHS to indicate to the State round two counselling schedule, to allow upgradation for the in-service candidates.
Mr. Subramanian said that they have received numerous representations from in-service candidates seeking upgradation in the second round of State quota counselling. “However, it has come to our notice that the process of surrendering the unfilled in-service seats to the AIQ is being considered, without conducting the mandatory second round of counselling at the State level. Such a move would effectively deprive our in-service candidates of their rightful opportunity to upgrade or participate in further counselling,” he said, adding that this would be contrary to the spirit and intent of the Supreme Court order.
He sought the Union Minister’s intervention to ensure that all 50% seats earmarked for in-service candidates under the State quota are retained and made available in round two of State-level NEET Super Speciality counselling.
Published – June 11, 2025 06:35 pm IST
