The Union government has reduced the NEET-SS qualifying percentile from 50% to 30% to address 1,857 vacant super-specialty medical seats. This move allows roughly 6,000 additional candidates to participate in the special stray vacancy round. Meanwhile, the Centre will return 40 in-service seats to Tamil Nadu for independent state-level counseling, following a Supreme Court directive regarding rural medical officer quotas.
The Union government has lowered the qualifying percentile for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Super-Specialty (NEET-SS) from 50% to 30%. This change is aimed at filling 1,857 vacant seats in medical colleges across India. The reduction is expected to bring approximately 6,000 additional candidates into the special stray vacancy round, preventing the loss of limited and expensive super-specialty training infrastructure.
Resolution on Tamil Nadu In-Service Seats
A central part of the government's decision involves resolving a long-standing legal dispute concerning in-service medical officers in Tamil Nadu. The Centre has agreed to return 40 vacant in-service seats to the state government. This allows Tamil Nadu to manage its own counseling process for these positions, which are specifically reserved for doctors working in rural and underdeveloped areas. The Supreme Court granted this permission, acknowledging the state's need to ensure equitable access to super-specialty training for its healthcare professionals.
Procedural Risks and Regulatory Concerns
The decision was not without resistance from central authorities. During the legal proceedings, the Centre raised concerns about allowing seat upgradation at this advanced stage of the academic year. Officials argued that permitting candidates to switch specialties now could lead to a cascading vacancy effect, where newly vacated seats become empty again after the final counseling window closes.
Despite these procedural concerns, the Supreme Court prioritized the state’s request to ensure access for its medical officers. This resolution effectively concludes a legal challenge initiated by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, which had contested the diversion of state-quota seats to the all-India pool. The matter is set for further review in three weeks, following the anticipated completion of the state-level counseling process.