SC Issues Notice On TN In-Service Medical Seats
A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Centre and others, including the Tamil Nadu government, seeking their responses on the petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-06-24 12:00 GMT
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday observed that in-service government doctors form a separate admission category as they both work and study, while agreeing to hear a plea against surrendering 152 vacant super speciality medical seats in Tamil Nadu to the all India quota.
A bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Centre, the Tamil Nadu government and others on a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, and posted the matter for hearing in July.
“A government doctor, if he or she acquires skills, will serve public health better than a private doctor,” the bench observed while considering the plea.
The petition sought a direction to restrain authorities from surrendering 152 vacant in-service super speciality seats earmarked for Tamil Nadu for the 2025-26 academic year to the all India quota until the completion of the second round of counselling.
The association also sought permission for in-service candidates in Tamil Nadu to compete for the surrendered seats during the third round or mop-up round if the qualifying percentile is reduced below 50 per cent after the second round of all India counselling.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that 152 in-service super speciality seats remained vacant in Tamil Nadu medical colleges despite being reserved for government doctors.
The issue had also been raised earlier this month by Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Udhayanidhi Stalin, who urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to take steps to prevent the surrender of the seats to the all India quota.
In a letter dated June 4, Stalin said that of the 430 super speciality seats available for counselling in Tamil Nadu based on the 2025 NEET results, 215 were reserved for in-service government doctors. However, only 63 of those seats were filled during counselling, leaving 152 seats vacant after the second round.
The Supreme Court will take up the matter again in July after receiving responses from the Centre, the state government and other concerned authorities.
“A government doctor, if he or she acquires skills, will serve public health better than a private doctor,” the bench observed while considering the plea.
The petition sought a direction to restrain authorities from surrendering 152 vacant in-service super speciality seats earmarked for Tamil Nadu for the 2025-26 academic year to the all India quota until the completion of the second round of counselling.
The association also sought permission for in-service candidates in Tamil Nadu to compete for the surrendered seats during the third round or mop-up round if the qualifying percentile is reduced below 50 per cent after the second round of all India counselling.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel informed the court that 152 in-service super speciality seats remained vacant in Tamil Nadu medical colleges despite being reserved for government doctors.
The issue had also been raised earlier this month by Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Udhayanidhi Stalin, who urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to take steps to prevent the surrender of the seats to the all India quota.
In a letter dated June 4, Stalin said that of the 430 super speciality seats available for counselling in Tamil Nadu based on the 2025 NEET results, 215 were reserved for in-service government doctors. However, only 63 of those seats were filled during counselling, leaving 152 seats vacant after the second round.
The Supreme Court will take up the matter again in July after receiving responses from the Centre, the state government and other concerned authorities.