50 percent PG medical seats in all specialities to be reserved for in-service doctors, Govt temporarily suspends Decision of Withholding Quota

Chennai: Following the backlash from the medical fraternity, the State Health Department has now temporarily suspended the Government Order through which the state had decided to withhold in-service reservation of seats in certain postgraduate medical courses for the academic year 2024-2025.

Therefore, 50% of PG medical seats in all specialities will be reserved for in-service doctors this year. Doctors' associations have hailed the new move saying that 50% of in-service reservations in all PG courses would help the poor, especially those hailing from rural areas, to access the speciality treatment.

The State Health Department issued Government Order 151 on July 1 and said that the number of MD MS seats reserved for the in-service candidates would be decided dynamically every year.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Health Department had further stated in the order that for the academic year 2024-2025, the service reservation of PG seats for specialities other than General Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Anaesthesiology, Chest Medicine, Radiology, Community Medicine and Forensic Medicine would be kept in abeyance for a year. Consequently, the service quota for these above-mentioned specialties will be reviewed based on the situation for the next academic year.

Reportedly, the Health Department had cited the saturation of vacancies as a reason for this recent decision regarding the in-service quota. However, this order was vehemently opposed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers' Association (TNMOA) and the Service Doctors' and Post Graduates' Association (SDPGA). Doctors argued that this decision diluted the in-service reservation. Further, they argued that instead of reducing in-service reservations the State should have created new posts for accommodating the service candidates to ensure availability of many specialists for the patients. 

A section of government doctors had demanded that the order should be revoked as the in-service reservation was restored after a legal battle. Some of the government doctors' associations had taken up the matter with the Health Minister and some opposed the Government's decision on social media. 

Also Read: TN Doctors Upset with Health Dept's Decision of Withholding In-Service Quota in Certain Specialties

As per the latest media report by The New Indian Express, the Health Department has now temporarily suspended Government Order 151 following the backlash from various associations of government doctors in the State.

The Hindu has reported that the Health Department issued the Government Order 181 dated July 25, 2024 and stated that the government has decided to keep the orders issued in G.O. 151 in abeyance until further orders.

This new decision has been welcomed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association (TNMOA), the Democratic Tamil Nadu Government Doctors' Association, and the Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association.

Thanking the Chief Minister, the Health Minister and the Health Secretary for keeping the order in abeyance, the Democratic Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association said that the 50% in-service reservation in all specialities in Tamil Nadu PG medical courses will ensure good speciality treatment for the poor, particularly in rural areas of the State.

Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) also thanked the Chief Minister and other officials for their decision. TNMOA said that the Government should make 50% in-service reservation permanent by bringing in legislation: Tamil Nadu Post Graduate Medical Education Act. 

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Supreme Court in December 2022 had confirmed 50% In-service reservation for Super-Speciality admissions in Tamil Nadu after a long legal battle in this regard.

Also Read: SC allows 50% In-service Reservation for NEET SS Admissions, directs TN to fill seats within 15 days