Tamil Nadu’s Leader of the Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, has called on Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to intervene promptly to prevent 152 vacant super-speciality medical seats in the state from being surrendered to the All-India Quota. Stalin warned that this action could negatively impact government doctors and public healthcare services in Tamil Nadu. The move follows a Supreme Court order directing the transfer of these seats to the national pool due to the state government’s alleged failure to defend its position effectively.
Stalin highlighted that out of the 430 super-speciality seats in Tamil Nadu for NEET 2025 admissions, 215 were earmarked for in-service government doctors to enhance specialist healthcare in public hospitals. However, only 63 seats were filled through regular counseling, leaving 152 seats vacant after the second round of admissions. The issue arose when an individual filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking the transfer of these unfilled seats to the All-India Quota.
According to Udhayanidhi Stalin, the previous DMK government successfully defended the state’s stance during earlier hearings, preventing the transfer of the seats. However, he claimed that the state’s legal strategy weakened after the change in government. During recent court proceedings, crucial arguments were allegedly not presented, including the inapplicability of a previous court ruling cited by the petitioner.
Stalin emphasized that surrendering these seats would have significant long-term repercussions on Tamil Nadu’s healthcare system. He expressed concerns that this move would limit opportunities for government doctors to pursue advanced specialization, leading to a shortage of highly trained specialists in state-run hospitals. The vacant seats cover various disciplines such as cardiothoracic surgery, pediatric surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, urology, and vascular surgery.
Urging immediate action, Udhayanidhi Stalin called on the Chief Minister to reassess the state’s legal position, prevent the transfer of seats to the All-India Quota, and protect the interests of government doctors serving in Tamil Nadu’s public health system.
