Chennai: For nearly six weeks, a flurry of bureaucratic activity has gripped the secretariat, with files shuttling between departments and legal experts locked in intense deliberations. The effort is to contest the recent Supreme Court decision that struck down domicile-based reservations in specialised and higher education, including postgraduate medical courses. The ruling will affect 69% caste-based reservations in govt medical colleges and reservation for minorities in self-financing medical colleges, besides taking away the rights of the state.
“This is one battle we can’t afford to lose,” said a senior official. While there are several disputes between Centre and state, such as the three-language policy, delimitation, and GST funds, addressing this issue is among the priorities for postgraduate medical admissions in 2025, he said. “It will affect us at various levels politically, economically, and socially. We know we don’t have much time, but we don’t want to rush through the process. Since it is a matter at the apex court, we may not have many chances for appeal. Winning this battle is important to assert states’ rights and uphold social justice,” he said.
While legal experts are engaged in preparing a review petition, officials from the health department are discussing ways to manage the situation outside the court. Every year, 15% of UG medical seats, 50% of PG medical seats, and half of the super speciality seats are given to the Centre for admission through the state quota. “We lost all seats in super speciality courses. After a court battle, TN ensured govt doctors have a quota for admission in super speciality courses,” said health minister Ma Subramanian.
Doctors’ associations in the state say this is more than just politics of caste, as it can affect the way all govt hospitals function. They argue that when the state spends money and efforts in setting up medical colleges and courses, it cannot give away all the seats to other states. “The biggest impact will be on the workforce. PG medical students aren’t just students. They are the workhorses of medical college hospitals and several district hospitals,” said TN government doctors’ association president Dr K Senthil. “Patients in govt hospitals are comfortable with interactions in Tamil. A person from another state will not be able to communicate with the patient,” he said. Also, non-service students, who pass out, are mostly posted in sanctioned posts of govt hospitals for a year. While people within the state generally serve one year, others abscond, he said.
Health officials are confident that the new ruling will not affect the in-service quota – 25% of seats reserved for govt doctors in PG education. “That’s a settled matter as the judgment came from a five-member bench. We post doctors in remote and difficult-to-reach terrains with a promise that seats will be reserved for them in PG medical admissions,” said a senior medical official. However, doctors’ associations say the state must get that clarified by the courts. “We will have huge vacancies in primary health centres and district hospitals if the quota is not given,” said service and PG doctors’ association general secretary Dr A Ramalingam.