Centre willing to return unfilled NEET-SS seats to T.N. government doctors, tells Supreme Court

The Union government informed the Supreme Court on Thursday of its willingness to revert all the vacant National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super Speciality seats (NEET-SS) for in-service government doctors to the State of Tamil Nadu.

Appearing before a Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, for the Centre, submitted that the qualifying percentile for super speciality admissions would be reduced. However, the extent or quantum of such reduction has not yet been decided.

Senior Advocate P. Wilson, appearing for petitioner Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, stressed that the State needed to return the vacant seats, as many eligible candidates, mostly doctors serving in rural areas, were awaiting a reduction in the qualifying percentile.

In a previous hearing, the Union government had submitted that out of the 152 seats transferred by the State of Tamil Nadu, approximately 40 seats continued to remain vacant. Mr. Wilson had submitted that all 40 in-service seats must be returned to Tamil Nadu as 111 candidates were awaiting a reduction in the qualifying percentile.

The association had challenged the “premature diversion” of 152 vacant Super Speciality seats earmarked for in-service government doctors in Tamil Nadu to the All India Quota. It had also sought protection of the State’s in-service reservation policy, pending a final decision on reduction of the NEET-SS qualifying percentile.

The petition has submitted that Tamil Nadu had earmarked 219 super speciality seats for in-service candidates for the academic year 2025-2026. Upon completion of two rounds of counselling, only 68 candidates had joined, leaving as many as 152 seats vacant.

“Over 111 in-service candidates remain on the waiting list and are legitimately anticipating a reduction of the qualifying percentile in accordance with the consistent practice followed during previous academic sessions.

A substantial number of these candidates narrowly missed the existing qualifying percentile and would become eligible if the qualifying percentile is reduced/relaxed,” the association said.

The court listed the case next on September 8 to hear from the Centre the extent of reduction in the qualifying percentile.