TN seeks retention of in-service quota for super-specialty in Round 2

Chennai: Health Minister Ma Subramanian sought the intervention of Union health minister J P Nadda to ensure that all 50% of seats earmarked for in-service candidates under the state quota are retained and made available in Round 2 of state-level NEET super-specialty counselling.
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The first round of counselling for admission to super-specialty courses such as cardiology, nephrology, neurology, urology, cardiac, and vascular surgery, conducted by the medical counselling committee under the directorate general of health services (DGHS), ended on May 27.
As per the Supreme Court order, Tamil Nadu reserved 50% of seats in these courses in govt medical colleges of the state exclusively for govt doctors (in-service candidates).
While only 30% of candidates took the seats allotted to them, more than 70% of the 215 seats were vacant, officials said.
While the state does not have adequate candiates qualified to join the course, officials said the Centre must consider in-service candidates if and when they reduce percentile scores in the subsequent rounds.
On May 29, the state selection committee formally requested DGHS to indicate the dates for the second round of counselling to allow the upgradation of seats for in-service candidates.
"However, it has come to our notice that the process of surrendering the unfilled in-service seats to the All-India Quota is being considered, without conducting the mandatory second round of counselling at the state level. Such a move would effectively deprive our in-service candidates of their rightful opportunity to upgrade or participate in further counselling and would be contrary to the spirit and intent of the Supreme Court's order," Subramanian wrote.
He urged Nadda's intervention to ensure that all 50% of seats earmarked for in-service candidates under the state quota are retained and made available in Round 2 of counselling.

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