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According to sources, the Madras High Court has directed the state government to allocate 50% of the super-speciality seats in government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu to in-service government doctors for the academic year 2021-22.

Justice M Dhandapani passed the order on Wednesday while hearing a writ petition filed by Dr. D. Suresh, Assistant Professor in General Medicine at Madras Medical College.

Clause 29 (c) of the October 6, 2021 prospectus provides that 50 percent of seats in the state government will be exclusively allotted to in-service candidates. Additionally, the provision also allows in-service candidates to apply in the remaining "open-category" in state government seats i.e. 50 percent of the 50 percent government seats.

A bench of the Supreme Court in Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association vs Union of India, based on an appeal of the Kerala government, had held that 50 per cent of super specialty seats can be allotted to in-service doctors in 2021-22 if there is no legal impediment.

It may be recalled that Tamil Nadu government had allotted 50 per cent of super-specialty seats to in-service doctors by conducting a state-level entrance test till 2016.

Following the Apex Court order, the Tamil Nadu government issued two Government Orders providing 50 per cent reservation of seats in PG and super-specialty courses for government doctors.

After listening to arguments advanced by Sr. Adv. P Wilson and Adv. G Sankaran for the petitioner, the judge passed the orders for the implementation of the government order which allocated 50 per cent of seats in super-speciality courses in favour of in-service doctors of Tamil Nadu, for the current academic year.

Cause Title: Dr. D. Suresh vs Union of India & Ors.