Government doctors in Tamil Nadu have cautioned that unfilled super speciality seats reserved for in-service candidates could weaken the state's public healthcare system if forfeited.
Tamil Nadu reserves 50 percent of its DM and MCh super speciality seats for in-service candidates. Of 215 such seats this year, only 74 were filled after two rounds of counselling. Several seats in fields including cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery and urology stayed vacant.
State officials have not surrendered the unfilled seats to the All India Quota pool. They are awaiting a Supreme Court order on a petition concerning reversion of the in-service seats.
Doctors expressed concern that losing the seats would reduce specialist manpower over time. They noted that service candidates face limited job opportunities and lack of financial incentives in government roles.
P. Saminathan, president of the Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association, said further counselling rounds should be held if qualifying marks are lowered for the All India Quota.
