This document addresses Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3430, raised on August 8, 2025, concerning the surrender of super-specialty (SS) seats in Tamil Nadu. The question specifically pertains to the alleged premature surrender of 145 out of 215 super-specialty seats reserved for in-service candidates under the Tamil Nadu State quota to the All India Quota (AIQ) without the completion of a mandatory second round of state counseling.
The response from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, clarifies that the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) is responsible for conducting counseling for 100% of super-specialty seats across the country. In Tamil Nadu, a 50% reservation for in-service candidates has been granted, as per the Supreme Court's order dated March 16, 2022, in Writ Petition Civil No. 53 of 2022 (N. Karthikeyan Ors. vs. State of Tamil Nadu Ors.). The State Selection Committee (SSC) of Tamil Nadu is responsible for counseling these reserved seats.
The counseling process for AIQ seats (by MCC) and in-service seats (by SSC, Tamil Nadu) is conducted in tandem. According to the response, during the SS Counselling 2024, the SSC, Tamil Nadu, surrendered the unfilled in-service seats to MCC after the completion of Round 1 of in-service counseling. These seats were then merged into the AIQ seat matrix for Round 2. Following Round 2 of All India counseling, the remaining in-service seats were returned to the State to conduct Round 2 of in-service counseling. Data of candidates made eligible after percentile reduction was also provided to the State for a stray round of in-service seats.
Key Entities Referenced
Tamil Nadu: A state in India, relevant due to the superspeciality seats and counselling issues mentioned in the policy document.
All India Quota (AIQ): A scheme for medical seats, where seats are surrendered from states to be filled at the national level.
Supreme Court: The highest judicial body in India, whose directions regarding reservation policies are referenced.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for health policy and family welfare programs.
Medical Counselling Committee (MCC): A committee of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) responsible for conducting counselling for SuperSpecialty courses across the country.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS): An attached office of the Department of Health & Family Welfare which is responsible for medical administration, training, and public health programs.
N. Karthikeyan Ors. vs. State of Tamil Nadu Ors.: A legal case in the Supreme Court regarding reservation for in-service candidates.
State Selection Committee (SSC) of Tamil Nadu: Committee responsible for conducting counselling for reserved seats in Tamil Nadu.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3430
TO BE ANSWERED ON 8THAUGUST, 2025
SURRENDEROFSUPERSPECIALITYSEATSIN TAMILNADU
3430.SMT.KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:
Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased tostate:
(a)whether the Government isaware that 145of the 215super speciality seats reserved for in
-service candidates under the Tamil Nadu State quota were prematurely surrendered to the
All India Quota (AIQ) without conducting the mandatory second round of State counselling
andif so, the detailsthereof;
(b) the reasons for not approving or notifying the Round 2 counselling schedule for Tamil
Nadu despite timelyrequests from the StateGovernment;
(c) whether this action is in violation of the Supreme Court’s directions regarding the 50%
reservation for in-service doctorsin super specialitycourses andif so, the detailsthereof;
(d) whether the Government is likely to consider restoring the surrendered seats and allow
Round 2counselling inTamil Nadu; and
(e) the steps being taken by the Government to avoid such procedural lapses in future and
ensure fair and consistent implementation of the Super Speciality counselling process across
allStates?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY
WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYAPATEL)
(a) to (e): The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) of Directorate General of Health
Services (DGHS) has been entrusted with the responsibilty to conduct counselling for 100%
seats of SuperSpecialty (SS)courses across the country.
In accordance with the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order dated 16th March 2022 in Writ
Petition (Civil) No. 53 of 2022 titled as N. Karthikeyan & Ors. vs. State of Tamil Nadu &
Ors., a 50% reservation for in-service candidateshas beengrantedin the state of Tamil Nadu.
The State Selection Committee (SSC) of Tamil Nadu is responsible for conducting
counselling for these reserved seats.
Counselling for All India Quota (AIQ) seats by MCC and in-service seats by the SSC, Tamil
Nadu is carried out in tandem, with each round of All India counselling immediately
followed by the respective round of in-service counselling.During SS Counselling 2024, after the completion of Round-1 of in-service counselling, the
SSC, Tamil Nadu surrendered the unfilled in-service seats to MCC. These seats were merged
into the AIQ seat matrix for Round-2. After completion of Round-2 of All India counselling,
the remaining in-service seats were returned to the State to proceed with Round-2 of in-
service counselling. Further, data of candidates made eligible after percentile reduction was
also forwarded tothe State for conductingstray round of in-service seats.
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