Blurb: This decision aims to fill vacant super-speciality medical seats remaining empty after several counselling rounds.
New Delhi
The Centre on Thursday agreed before the Supreme Court to reduce the qualifying percentile for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Super Speciality (NEET-SS) admissions from 50% to 30% for a special stray vacancy round. The decision is aimed at filling vacant super-speciality medical seats after multiple rounds of counselling left a substantial number of seats unfilled.
The development came during the hearing of a case concerning vacant NEET-SS seats, including seats reserved for in-service doctors in Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court had earlier asked the Centre to reconsider the qualifying threshold after being informed that a large number of super-speciality seats remained vacant following two rounds of counselling.
The Centre also agreed to return 40 vacant in-service NEET-SS seats to Tamil Nadu. These seats were among those transferred from the state to the Directorate General of Health Services for the counselling process. The Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association had sought the return of all unfilled seats, arguing that eligible in-service candidates were waiting for a reduction in the qualifying percentile.
According to details placed before the court earlier, Tamil Nadu had earmarked 219 super-speciality seats for in-service doctors for the academic session. After two rounds of counselling, 152 seats remained vacant and were transferred for further counselling. Around 40 of those seats were still vacant, while more than 100 in-service candidates were awaiting a reduction in the qualifying requirement.
The reduction in the qualifying percentile is expected to make more candidates eligible for the special stray vacancy round and provide an opportunity to fill seats that would otherwise remain vacant. The Medical Counselling Committee has been conducting the NEET-SS counselling process, with official notices covering changes to the seat matrix and vacant in-service seats from Tamil Nadu.
The issue has also involved a broader legal question concerning the continuation of in-service reservation in super-speciality courses. While the Centre has maintained its position on the reservation issue, the immediate developments concern filling vacant seats and returning the unfilled Tamil Nadu seats to the state. The latest decision is expected to allow the counselling process to move forward with the revised qualifying threshold.
