The Madras High Court on Wednesday upheld the State government’s decision to not only reserve 50% of postgraduate medical seats for government doctors serving in villages and hill areas but also to provide incentive marks for them so that they compete better even in the remaining 50% seats allotted under open category.
Justice M. Dhandapani did not find any illegality in giving incentive marks for in-service candidates.
The judge dismissed writ petitions filed by 12 MBBS graduates who contended that the government must stop reserving 50% seats for government doctors.
The judge agreed with Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran and senior counsel P. Wilson, Isaac Mohanlal and E. Manoharan, representing various in-service candidates, that the incentive marks were awarded to encourage doctors to serve in remote and hilly areas.
Otherwise, the public health system would get weakened and make medical assistance a distant dream for those residing in remote localities, he said. The AAG brought it to the notice of the court that the government had decided not to grant any incentive mark in postgraduate admissions for doctors serving in urban areas.
However, those who serve in difficult areas in the hills were awarded 10 marks per year and those who serve in the difficult areas in the plains were awarded 9 marks per year. Similarly, those who serve in remote areas were given 8 marks per year and the doctors serving in places classified as rural areas were given 5 marks per year.
“The incentive marks are given as a recognition to doctors who forego all comforts during the prime of their youth and come forward to serve the people in remote localities,” the AAG said.
