No in-service quota in medical super-speciality courses this year: SC

A Supreme Court order, passed on November 27, has said 50% reservation for government in-service doctors in super-specialty courses shall not be implemented in the 2020-21 academic year.

A Supreme Court bench, led by Justice L Nageswara Rao, passed the interim order against a government order (GO) that allowed for 50% reservation in post-graduate and postgraduate super-specialty courses for government service doctors.

The apex court upheld the objection raised by The Medical Council of India (MCI) that reservations in super-specialty admissions is unfair to applicants as there was no information on it in the prospectus.

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The Union Government also opposed the provision saying that implementing the reservation is akin to stating the rules of the game after the game has commenced.

On November 7, the Tamil Nadu government had passed a GO, announcing 50% reservation in post-graduate and postgraduate super-specialty courses for government service doctors. This provision was due to be implemented in the academic year 2021-22 for postgraduate courses, and in 2020-21 for super-specialty courses.

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The state government is said to have passed the GO out of a need for super-specialty doctors rendering free of cost, quality surgeries for patients in government hospitals.

On November 9, the Madras High Court passed an order allowing the state government to reserve 50% seats in postgraduate super-speciality courses for doctors in government service. A petition challenging the Madras High Court’s order was put forth in the Supreme Court.

According to reports, In January, next year, detailed orders on the provision will be passed after more hearings.