SC refuses relief for govt doctors in PG medical seats

Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association and others have assailed two amended provisions of MCI’s Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, which provide the criteria for granting quota or incentive marks to government doctors, either serving or those who have served in rural or remote areas, in admissions to PG courses. It was submitted that instead of granting incentive marks to government doctors, serving in remote and difficult rural areas, in PG admissions, the state government should be allowed to continue with its own quota policy. “We are unable to accede to the request,” a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said.

The bench, also comprising Justices AK Sikri, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, said the counselling process for admissions in PG courses would go on as per the MCI regulations and its final verdict will decide the fate of admissions. 

Earlier, the court had reserved its interim order on a batch of petitions challenging the MCI’s regulations dealing with reservation to in-service candidates in admission to the PG medical courses in respect of 50 per cent seats allocated to states.

The doctors’ association of Tamil Nadu had assailed Regulation 9(IV), which says the reservation of seats in medical colleges for respective categories in PG courses shall be as per applicable laws of the states and UTs and an all-India and state-wise merit list of the eligible candidates shall be prepared on the basis of marks obtained by them in National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

The regulation provided that doctors in government service may be given weightage as an incentive of up to 10 per cent of the marks obtained for each year of service in “remote and/or difficult areas or rural areas upto maximum of 30 per cent” of the marks obtained in NEET.

Regulation VIII, however, provides for 50 per cent reservation in seats in PG Diploma courses for government doctors.

Calling the setback a mere obstacle, the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers’ Association (TNMOA) on Tuesday, maintained that it would continue to fight for rights. Dr Rubesh Kumar, state joint secretary, TNMOA, said, “We asked for interim relief, but the SC didn’t grant it. Our objective is to get 50 per cent state reservation for in-service candidates. We will hold a state executive level meeting on Wednesday and decide on the future course of action.” Talking to DTNext, GR Ravindranath, general secretary, Doctors Association for Social Equality, said, “In case, the final order doesn’t favour them, the Central Government should bring an act to ensure reservation.”